diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/handler/stream/ChunkedWriteHandler.java b/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/handler/stream/ChunkedWriteHandler.java
index 44ac3c51b5..3bcae617d1 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/handler/stream/ChunkedWriteHandler.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/handler/stream/ChunkedWriteHandler.java
@@ -248,8 +248,9 @@ public class ChunkedWriteHandler implements ChannelUpstreamHandler, ChannelDowns
                         break;
                     }
                 } else {
+                    MessageEvent currentEvent = this.currentEvent;
+                    this.currentEvent = null;
                     ctx.sendDownstream(currentEvent);
-                    currentEvent = null;
                 }
             }