diff --git a/src/main/java/reactor/ipc/netty/http/server/HttpServerHandler.java b/src/main/java/reactor/ipc/netty/http/server/HttpServerHandler.java
index 8ad506dd0c..8dfc80bbef 100644
--- a/src/main/java/reactor/ipc/netty/http/server/HttpServerHandler.java
+++ b/src/main/java/reactor/ipc/netty/http/server/HttpServerHandler.java
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ public void channelRead(ChannelHandlerContext ctx, Object msg) throws Exception
 				Throwable cause = decoderResult.cause();
 				HttpServerOperations.log.debug(format(ctx.channel(), "Decoding failed: " + msg + " : "),
 						cause);
+				ReferenceCountUtil.release(msg);
 
 				HttpResponse response = new DefaultFullHttpResponse(HttpVersion.HTTP_1_0,
 				        cause instanceof TooLongFrameException ? HttpResponseStatus.REQUEST_ENTITY_TOO_LARGE: