diff --git a/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/bookie/BookieImpl.java b/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/bookie/BookieImpl.java
index 6bc08185779..5ae5b9d481e 100644
--- a/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/bookie/BookieImpl.java
+++ b/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/bookie/BookieImpl.java
@@ -984,9 +984,9 @@ public void setExplicitLac(ByteBuf entry, WriteCallback writeCallback, Object ct
             stateManager.transitionToReadOnlyMode();
             throw new IOException(e);
         } finally {
-            ReferenceCountUtil.safeRelease(entry);
+            ReferenceCountUtil.release(entry);
             if (explicitLACEntry != null) {
-                ReferenceCountUtil.safeRelease(explicitLACEntry);
+                ReferenceCountUtil.release(explicitLACEntry);
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/bookie/BufferedChannel.java b/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/bookie/BufferedChannel.java
index faf011210a8..337a4b4d074 100644
--- a/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/bookie/BufferedChannel.java
+++ b/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/bookie/BufferedChannel.java
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ public synchronized void close() throws IOException {
         if (closed) {
             return;
         }
-        ReferenceCountUtil.safeRelease(writeBuffer);
+        ReferenceCountUtil.release(writeBuffer);
         fileChannel.close();
         closed = true;
     }
diff --git a/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/proto/BookieProtocol.java b/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/proto/BookieProtocol.java
index c3b09b856d0..25196587a84 100644
--- a/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/proto/BookieProtocol.java
+++ b/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/proto/BookieProtocol.java
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ public void recycle() {
             ledgerId = -1;
             entryId = -1;
             masterKey = null;
-            ReferenceCountUtil.safeRelease(data);
+            ReferenceCountUtil.release(data);
             data = null;
             recyclerHandle.recycle(this);
         }
diff --git a/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/util/ByteBufList.java b/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/util/ByteBufList.java
index f74652bb10a..bad3d79524b 100644
--- a/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/util/ByteBufList.java
+++ b/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/util/ByteBufList.java
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ public void write(ChannelHandlerContext ctx, Object msg, ChannelPromise promise)
                         ctx.write(bx.retainedDuplicate(), i == (buffersCount - 1) ? promise : ctx.voidPromise());
                     }
                 } finally {
-                    ReferenceCountUtil.safeRelease(b);
+                    ReferenceCountUtil.release(b);
                 }
             } else {
                 ctx.write(msg, promise);
diff --git a/bookkeeper-server/src/test/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/util/ByteBufListTest.java b/bookkeeper-server/src/test/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/util/ByteBufListTest.java
index 65f51e28482..ec4895e9436 100644
--- a/bookkeeper-server/src/test/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/util/ByteBufListTest.java
+++ b/bookkeeper-server/src/test/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/util/ByteBufListTest.java
@@ -303,25 +303,25 @@ public ChannelFuture deregister(ChannelPromise promise) {
 
         @Override
         public ChannelFuture write(Object msg) {
-            ReferenceCountUtil.safeRelease(msg);
+            ReferenceCountUtil.release(msg);
             return null;
         }
 
         @Override
         public ChannelFuture write(Object msg, ChannelPromise promise) {
-            ReferenceCountUtil.safeRelease(msg);
+            ReferenceCountUtil.release(msg);
             return null;
         }
 
         @Override
         public ChannelFuture writeAndFlush(Object msg, ChannelPromise promise) {
-            ReferenceCountUtil.safeRelease(msg);
+            ReferenceCountUtil.release(msg);
             return null;
         }
 
         @Override
         public ChannelFuture writeAndFlush(Object msg) {
-            ReferenceCountUtil.safeRelease(msg);
+            ReferenceCountUtil.release(msg);
             return null;
         }
 
diff --git a/stream/distributedlog/core/src/main/java/org/apache/distributedlog/impl/logsegment/BKLogSegmentEntryReader.java b/stream/distributedlog/core/src/main/java/org/apache/distributedlog/impl/logsegment/BKLogSegmentEntryReader.java
index 91c68d4e29a..488a952e746 100644
--- a/stream/distributedlog/core/src/main/java/org/apache/distributedlog/impl/logsegment/BKLogSegmentEntryReader.java
+++ b/stream/distributedlog/core/src/main/java/org/apache/distributedlog/impl/logsegment/BKLogSegmentEntryReader.java
@@ -801,7 +801,7 @@ private void readEntriesFromReadAheadCache(PendingReadRequest nextRequest) {
                         return;
                     }
                 } finally {
-                    ReferenceCountUtil.safeRelease(removedEntry);
+                    ReferenceCountUtil.release(removedEntry);
                 }
             } else if (skipBrokenEntries && BKException.Code.DigestMatchException == entry.getRc()) {
                 // skip this entry and move forward