diff --git a/server/netty-server/src/main/scala/sttp/tapir/server/netty/internal/reactivestreams/FileWriterSubscriber.scala b/server/netty-server/src/main/scala/sttp/tapir/server/netty/internal/reactivestreams/FileWriterSubscriber.scala
index e7c4ca0479..28dfbb6d87 100644
--- a/server/netty-server/src/main/scala/sttp/tapir/server/netty/internal/reactivestreams/FileWriterSubscriber.scala
+++ b/server/netty-server/src/main/scala/sttp/tapir/server/netty/internal/reactivestreams/FileWriterSubscriber.scala
@@ -42,11 +42,13 @@ class FileWriterSubscriber(path: Path) extends PromisingSubscriber[Unit, HttpCon
       (),
       new java.nio.channels.CompletionHandler[Integer, Unit] {
         override def completed(result: Integer, attachment: Unit): Unit = {
+          httpContent.release()
           position += result
           subscription.request(1)
         }
 
         override def failed(exc: Throwable, attachment: Unit): Unit = {
+          httpContent.release()
           subscription.cancel()
           onError(exc)
         }
diff --git a/server/netty-server/src/main/scala/sttp/tapir/server/netty/internal/reactivestreams/SimpleSubscriber.scala b/server/netty-server/src/main/scala/sttp/tapir/server/netty/internal/reactivestreams/SimpleSubscriber.scala
index 40138b3614..bf79fbd994 100644
--- a/server/netty-server/src/main/scala/sttp/tapir/server/netty/internal/reactivestreams/SimpleSubscriber.scala
+++ b/server/netty-server/src/main/scala/sttp/tapir/server/netty/internal/reactivestreams/SimpleSubscriber.scala
@@ -25,9 +25,10 @@ private[netty] class SimpleSubscriber() extends PromisingSubscriber[Array[Byte],
   }
 
   override def onNext(content: HttpContent): Unit = {
-    val a = ByteBufUtil.getBytes(content.content())
-    size += a.length
-    chunks.add(a)
+    val array = ByteBufUtil.getBytes(content.content())
+    content.release()
+    size += array.length
+    chunks.add(array)
     subscription.request(1)
   }