diff --git a/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/ByteToMessageDecoder.java b/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/ByteToMessageDecoder.java
index 340f2ce32f..5ce3350871 100644
--- a/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/ByteToMessageDecoder.java
+++ b/codec/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/ByteToMessageDecoder.java
@@ -121,55 +121,62 @@ public abstract class ByteToMessageDecoder extends ChannelInboundHandlerAdapter
 
     @Override
     public void channelRead(ChannelHandlerContext ctx, Object msg) throws Exception {
-        if (msg instanceof ByteBuf) {
-            RecyclableArrayList out = RecyclableArrayList.newInstance();
-            try {
+        RecyclableArrayList out = RecyclableArrayList.newInstance();
+        try {
+            if (msg instanceof ByteBuf) {
                 ByteBuf data = (ByteBuf) msg;
                 if (cumulation == null) {
                     cumulation = data;
+                    try {
+                        callDecode(ctx, cumulation, out);
+                    } finally {
+                        if (cumulation != null && !cumulation.isReadable()) {
+                            cumulation.release();
+                            cumulation = null;
+                        }
+                    }
                 } else {
-                    if (cumulation.writerIndex() > cumulation.maxCapacity() - data.readableBytes()) {
-                        expandCumulation(ctx, data.readableBytes());
-                    }
-                    cumulation.writeBytes(data);
-                    data.release();
-                }
-                callDecode(ctx, cumulation, out);
-            } catch (DecoderException e) {
-                throw e;
-            } catch (Throwable t) {
-                throw new DecoderException(t);
-            } finally {
-                if (cumulation != null) {
-                    if (!cumulation.isReadable()) {
-                        cumulation.release();
-                        cumulation = null;
-                    } else {
-                        cumulation.discardSomeReadBytes();
+                    try {
+                        if (cumulation.writerIndex() > cumulation.maxCapacity() - data.readableBytes()) {
+                            ByteBuf oldCumulation = cumulation;
+                            cumulation = ctx.alloc().buffer(oldCumulation.readableBytes() + data.readableBytes());
+                            cumulation.writeBytes(oldCumulation);
+                            oldCumulation.release();
+                        }
+                        cumulation.writeBytes(data);
+                        callDecode(ctx, cumulation, out);
+                    } finally {
+                        if (cumulation != null) {
+                            if (!cumulation.isReadable()) {
+                                cumulation.release();
+                                cumulation = null;
+                            } else {
+                                cumulation.discardSomeReadBytes();
+                            }
+                        }
+                        data.release();
                     }
                 }
-                int size = out.size();
-                if (size == 0) {
-                    decodeWasNull = true;
-                } else {
-                    for (int i = 0; i < size; i ++) {
-                        ctx.fireChannelRead(out.get(i));
-                    }
-                }
-                out.recycle();
+            } else {
+                out.add(msg);
             }
-        } else {
-            ctx.fireChannelRead(msg);
+        } catch (DecoderException e) {
+            throw e;
+        } catch (Throwable t) {
+            throw new DecoderException(t);
+        } finally {
+            int size = out.size();
+            if (size == 0) {
+                decodeWasNull = true;
+            } else {
+                for (int i = 0; i < size; i ++) {
+                    ctx.fireChannelRead(out.get(i));
+                }
+            }
+            out.recycle();
         }
     }
 
-    private void expandCumulation(ChannelHandlerContext ctx, int readable) {
-        ByteBuf oldCumulation = cumulation;
-        cumulation = ctx.alloc().buffer(oldCumulation.readableBytes() + readable);
-        cumulation.writeBytes(oldCumulation);
-        oldCumulation.release();
-    }
-
     @Override
     public void channelReadComplete(ChannelHandlerContext ctx) throws Exception {
         if (decodeWasNull) {