diff --git a/pkg/sql/distsql/server.go b/pkg/sql/distsql/server.go
index 9b8dfe758eef..d987f55d9e14 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/distsql/server.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/distsql/server.go
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ func (ds *ServerImpl) setupFlow(
 	rowSyncFlowConsumer execinfra.RowReceiver,
 	batchSyncFlowConsumer execinfra.BatchReceiver,
 	localState LocalState,
-) (context.Context, flowinfra.Flow, execinfra.OpChains, error) {
+) (retCtx context.Context, _ flowinfra.Flow, _ execinfra.OpChains, retErr error) {
 	if !FlowVerIsCompatible(req.Version, execinfra.MinAcceptedVersion, execinfra.Version) {
 		err := errors.Errorf(
 			"version mismatch in flow request: %d; this node accepts %d through %d",
@@ -224,8 +224,27 @@ func (ds *ServerImpl) setupFlow(
 		return ctx, nil, nil, err
 	}
 
+	var sp *tracing.Span          // will be Finish()ed by Flow.Cleanup()
+	var monitor *mon.BytesMonitor // will be closed in Flow.Cleanup()
+	var onFlowCleanup func()
+	// Make sure that we clean up all resources (which in the happy case are
+	// cleaned up in Flow.Cleanup()) if an error is encountered.
+	defer func() {
+		if retErr != nil {
+			if sp != nil {
+				sp.Finish()
+			}
+			if monitor != nil {
+				monitor.Stop(ctx)
+			}
+			if onFlowCleanup != nil {
+				onFlowCleanup()
+			}
+			retCtx = tracing.ContextWithSpan(ctx, nil)
+		}
+	}()
+
 	const opName = "flow"
-	var sp *tracing.Span // will be Finish()ed by Flow.Cleanup()
 	if parentSpan == nil {
 		ctx, sp = ds.Tracer.StartSpanCtx(ctx, opName)
 	} else if localState.IsLocal {
@@ -245,8 +264,7 @@ func (ds *ServerImpl) setupFlow(
 		)
 	}
 
-	// The monitor opened here is closed in Flow.Cleanup().
-	monitor := mon.NewMonitor(
+	monitor = mon.NewMonitor(
 		"flow",
 		mon.MemoryResource,
 		ds.Metrics.CurBytesCount,
@@ -275,7 +293,6 @@ func (ds *ServerImpl) setupFlow(
 
 	var evalCtx *tree.EvalContext
 	var leafTxn *kv.Txn
-	var onFlowCleanup func()
 	if localState.EvalContext != nil {
 		evalCtx = localState.EvalContext
 		// We're about to mutate the evalCtx and we want to restore its original
@@ -302,7 +319,6 @@ func (ds *ServerImpl) setupFlow(
 
 		sd, err := sessiondata.UnmarshalNonLocal(req.EvalContext.SessionData)
 		if err != nil {
-			sp.Finish()
 			return ctx, nil, nil, err
 		}
 		ie := &lazyInternalExecutor{
@@ -375,14 +391,6 @@ func (ds *ServerImpl) setupFlow(
 	ctx, opChains, err = f.Setup(ctx, &req.Flow, opt)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Errorf(ctx, "error setting up flow: %s", err)
-		// Flow.Cleanup will not be called, so we have to close the memory monitor
-		// and finish the span manually.
-		monitor.Stop(ctx)
-		sp.Finish()
-		if onFlowCleanup != nil {
-			onFlowCleanup()
-		}
-		ctx = tracing.ContextWithSpan(ctx, nil)
 		return ctx, nil, nil, err
 	}
 	if !f.IsLocal() {
@@ -404,7 +412,6 @@ func (ds *ServerImpl) setupFlow(
 	} else {
 		// If I haven't created the leaf already, do it now.
 		if leafTxn == nil {
-			var err error
 			leafTxn, err = makeLeaf(req)
 			if err != nil {
 				return nil, nil, nil, err