diff --git a/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/OutputMessageBuf.java b/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/OutputMessageBuf.java
index e77397bb6c..34b4013ac0 100644
--- a/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/OutputMessageBuf.java
+++ b/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/OutputMessageBuf.java
@@ -167,7 +167,10 @@ final class OutputMessageBuf extends DefaultMessageBuf<Object> {
     }
 
     private static void writeAndRelease(ByteBuf dst, ByteBuf src) {
-        dst.writeBytes(src, src.readerIndex(), src.readableBytes());
-        BufUtil.release(src);
+        try {
+            dst.writeBytes(src, src.readerIndex(), src.readableBytes());
+        } finally {
+            BufUtil.release(src);
+        }
     }
 }