diff --git a/mysql-test/suite/merge/merge.result b/mysql-test/suite/merge/merge.result
index 19d948615bb47..2550199a24a5a 100644
--- a/mysql-test/suite/merge/merge.result
+++ b/mysql-test/suite/merge/merge.result
@@ -4031,3 +4031,31 @@ UPDATE v1 SET a=0;
 DROP VIEW v1;
 DROP TABLE t1;
 # End of 11.1 tests
+#
+# MDEV-38474 Double free or corruption, ASAN heap-use-after-free in st_join_table::cleanup
+#
+# Test case 1, fails on 10.11+
+CREATE TABLE t1 (a INT);
+CREATE TABLE t2 (b INT);
+CREATE TABLE t3 (c INT);
+# Inserts are optional, fails with and without data
+INSERT INTO t1 VALUES (1),(2);
+INSERT INTO t2 VALUES (3),(4);
+INSERT INTO t3 VALUES (5),(6);
+EXPLAIN SELECT * FROM t1 WHERE a IN (SELECT b FROM t2 WHERE a IN ((SELECT c FROM t3 WHERE FALSE HAVING c < 0)));
+id	select_type	table	type	possible_keys	key	key_len	ref	rows	Extra
+1	PRIMARY	NULL	NULL	NULL	NULL	NULL	NULL	NULL	Impossible WHERE noticed after reading const tables
+3	MATERIALIZED	NULL	NULL	NULL	NULL	NULL	NULL	NULL	Impossible WHERE
+DROP TABLE t1, t2, t3;
+# Test case 2, fails on 11.4 but not on 10.11
+CREATE TABLE t1 (a INT);
+CREATE TABLE t2 (b INT);
+CREATE TABLE t3 (c INT);
+CREATE TABLE t4 (d INT PRIMARY KEY);
+SET SQL_SAFE_UPDATES=1;
+UPDATE t1 STRAIGHT_JOIN t2 SET a = 89 WHERE 9 IN (SELECT c FROM t3 WHERE c IN (SELECT MAX(d) FROM t4));
+ERROR HY000: You are using safe update mode and you tried to update a table without a WHERE that uses a KEY column
+DROP TABLE t1, t2, t3, t4;
+#
+# End of 11.4 tests
+#
diff --git a/mysql-test/suite/merge/merge.test b/mysql-test/suite/merge/merge.test
index 4b752fcdaffd7..6e95dfe2b4017 100644
--- a/mysql-test/suite/merge/merge.test
+++ b/mysql-test/suite/merge/merge.test
@@ -2965,3 +2965,37 @@ DROP VIEW v1;
 DROP TABLE t1;
 
 --echo # End of 11.1 tests
+
+--echo #
+--echo # MDEV-38474 Double free or corruption, ASAN heap-use-after-free in st_join_table::cleanup
+--echo #
+
+--echo # Test case 1, fails on 10.11+
+CREATE TABLE t1 (a INT);
+CREATE TABLE t2 (b INT);
+CREATE TABLE t3 (c INT);
+
+--echo # Inserts are optional, fails with and without data
+INSERT INTO t1 VALUES (1),(2);
+INSERT INTO t2 VALUES (3),(4);
+INSERT INTO t3 VALUES (5),(6);
+
+EXPLAIN SELECT * FROM t1 WHERE a IN (SELECT b FROM t2 WHERE a IN ((SELECT c FROM t3 WHERE FALSE HAVING c < 0)));
+
+DROP TABLE t1, t2, t3;
+
+--echo # Test case 2, fails on 11.4 but not on 10.11
+CREATE TABLE t1 (a INT);
+CREATE TABLE t2 (b INT);
+CREATE TABLE t3 (c INT);
+CREATE TABLE t4 (d INT PRIMARY KEY);
+
+SET SQL_SAFE_UPDATES=1;
+--error ER_UPDATE_WITHOUT_KEY_IN_SAFE_MODE
+UPDATE t1 STRAIGHT_JOIN t2 SET a = 89 WHERE 9 IN (SELECT c FROM t3 WHERE c IN (SELECT MAX(d) FROM t4));
+
+DROP TABLE t1, t2, t3, t4;
+
+--echo #
+--echo # End of 11.4 tests
+--echo #
diff --git a/sql/sql_lex.cc b/sql/sql_lex.cc
index e3daab28648ba..83d318adc0ab1 100644
--- a/sql/sql_lex.cc
+++ b/sql/sql_lex.cc
@@ -3004,7 +3004,7 @@ void st_select_lex_node::init_query_common()
   into the front of the stranded_clean_list:
     before: root -> B -> A
      after: root -> this -> B -> A
-  During cleanup, the stranded units are cleaned in FIFO order.
+  During cleanup, the stranded units are cleaned in LIFO order (parent-first).
  */
 void st_select_lex_unit::remember_my_cleanup()
 {
diff --git a/sql/sql_union.cc b/sql/sql_union.cc
index c9eebc7c05e55..21d5fa677f6a7 100644
--- a/sql/sql_union.cc
+++ b/sql/sql_union.cc
@@ -2688,8 +2688,6 @@ bool st_select_lex_unit::exec_recursive()
 
 bool st_select_lex_unit::cleanup()
 {
-  cleanup_stranded_units();
-
   bool error= 0;
   DBUG_ENTER("st_select_lex_unit::cleanup");
 
@@ -2778,6 +2776,11 @@ bool st_select_lex_unit::cleanup()
   delete pushdown_unit;
   pushdown_unit= nullptr;
 
+  /*
+    Cleanup stranded units only after this unit has completed its own
+    cleanup, ensuring a parent-first (LIFO) cleanup order for merged tables.
+  */
+  cleanup_stranded_units();
   DBUG_RETURN(error);
 }