diff --git a/hbase-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/security/SaslClientHandler.java b/hbase-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/security/SaslClientHandler.java
index 9b522ae2ab2..d583e20b217 100644
--- a/hbase-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/security/SaslClientHandler.java
+++ b/hbase-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/security/SaslClientHandler.java
@@ -216,6 +216,8 @@ public class SaslClientHandler extends ChannelDuplexHandler {
           writeSaslToken(ctx, saslToken);
         }
       }
+      // release the memory
+      in.release();
 
       if (saslClient.isComplete()) {
         String qop = (String) saslClient.getNegotiatedProperty(Sasl.QOP);
@@ -246,6 +248,8 @@ public class SaslClientHandler extends ChannelDuplexHandler {
         }
         saslToken = new byte[length];
         in.readBytes(saslToken);
+        // release the memory
+        in.release();
       } catch (IndexOutOfBoundsException e) {
         return;
       }