diff --git a/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/PoolArena.java b/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/PoolArena.java
index 5f7998e662..6a5b6b972d 100644
--- a/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/PoolArena.java
+++ b/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/PoolArena.java
@@ -187,15 +187,18 @@ abstract class PoolArena<T> {
         buf.initUnpooled(newUnpooledChunk(reqCapacity), reqCapacity);
     }
 
-    void free(PoolChunk<T> chunk, long handle, int normCapacity) {
+    void free(PoolChunk<T> chunk, long handle, int normCapacity, boolean sameThreads) {
         if (chunk.unpooled) {
             destroyChunk(chunk);
         } else {
-            PoolThreadCache cache = parent.threadCache.get();
-            if (cache.add(this, chunk, handle, normCapacity)) {
-                // cached so not free it.
-                return;
+            if (sameThreads) {
+                PoolThreadCache cache = parent.threadCache.get();
+                if (cache.add(this, chunk, handle, normCapacity)) {
+                    // cached so not free it.
+                    return;
+                }
             }
+
             synchronized (this) {
                 chunk.parent.free(chunk, handle);
             }
@@ -295,7 +298,7 @@ abstract class PoolArena<T> {
         buf.setIndex(readerIndex, writerIndex);
 
         if (freeOldMemory) {
-            free(oldChunk, oldHandle, oldMaxLength);
+            free(oldChunk, oldHandle, oldMaxLength, buf.initThread == Thread.currentThread());
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/PooledByteBuf.java b/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/PooledByteBuf.java
index 556dbd3713..822e6d0fb3 100644
--- a/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/PooledByteBuf.java
+++ b/buffer/src/main/java/io/netty/buffer/PooledByteBuf.java
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ abstract class PooledByteBuf<T> extends AbstractReferenceCountedByteBuf {
     protected int offset;
     protected int length;
     int maxLength;
-
+    Thread initThread;
     private ByteBuffer tmpNioBuf;
 
     protected PooledByteBuf(Recycler.Handle recyclerHandle, int maxCapacity) {
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ abstract class PooledByteBuf<T> extends AbstractReferenceCountedByteBuf {
         this.maxLength = maxLength;
         setIndex(0, 0);
         tmpNioBuf = null;
+        initThread = Thread.currentThread();
     }
 
     void initUnpooled(PoolChunk<T> chunk, int length) {
@@ -63,6 +64,7 @@ abstract class PooledByteBuf<T> extends AbstractReferenceCountedByteBuf {
         this.length = maxLength = length;
         setIndex(0, 0);
         tmpNioBuf = null;
+        initThread = Thread.currentThread();
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -140,7 +142,9 @@ abstract class PooledByteBuf<T> extends AbstractReferenceCountedByteBuf {
             final long handle = this.handle;
             this.handle = -1;
             memory = null;
-            chunk.arena.free(chunk, handle, maxLength);
+            boolean sameThread = initThread == Thread.currentThread();
+            initThread = null;
+            chunk.arena.free(chunk, handle, maxLength, sameThread);
             recycle();
         }
     }