diff --git a/pulsar-broker/src/test/java/org/apache/pulsar/broker/auth/PortForwarder.java b/pulsar-broker/src/test/java/org/apache/pulsar/broker/auth/PortForwarder.java
index 5c9136a6ad8f6..8942ba41aa460 100644
--- a/pulsar-broker/src/test/java/org/apache/pulsar/broker/auth/PortForwarder.java
+++ b/pulsar-broker/src/test/java/org/apache/pulsar/broker/auth/PortForwarder.java
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 import io.netty.channel.socket.nio.NioServerSocketChannel;
 import io.netty.handler.logging.LogLevel;
 import io.netty.handler.logging.LoggingHandler;
+import io.netty.util.ReferenceCountUtil;
 import java.net.SocketAddress;
 import lombok.CustomLog;
 
@@ -141,6 +142,8 @@ public void operationComplete(ChannelFuture future) {
                         }
                     }
                 });
+            } else {
+                ReferenceCountUtil.release(msg);
             }
         }