diff --git a/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/compression/FastLzFrameDecoder.java b/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/compression/FastLzFrameDecoder.java
index e3574a51ba..341f72a185 100644
--- a/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/compression/FastLzFrameDecoder.java
+++ b/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/compression/FastLzFrameDecoder.java
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ public class FastLzFrameDecoder extends ByteToMessageDecoder {
                     currentState = State.INIT_BLOCK;
                     success = true;
                 } finally {
-                    if (!success) {
+                    if (!success && uncompressed != null) {
                         uncompressed.release();
                     }
                 }