diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/http/internal/BaseHttpCommandExecutorService.java b/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/http/internal/BaseHttpCommandExecutorService.java
index 7a60a37219..ffaf49e1a1 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/http/internal/BaseHttpCommandExecutorService.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/http/internal/BaseHttpCommandExecutorService.java
@@ -156,6 +156,7 @@ public abstract class BaseHttpCommandExecutorService<Q> implements HttpCommandEx
                utils.logResponse(headerLog, response, "<<");
                if (response.getPayload() != null && wire.enabled())
                   wire.input(response);
+               nativeRequest = null;  // response took ownership of streams
                int statusCode = response.getStatusCode();
                if (statusCode >= 300) {
                   if (shouldContinue(response))
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/http/internal/JavaUrlHttpCommandExecutorService.java b/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/http/internal/JavaUrlHttpCommandExecutorService.java
index b6791fee98..21108564c5 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/http/internal/JavaUrlHttpCommandExecutorService.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/http/internal/JavaUrlHttpCommandExecutorService.java
@@ -255,12 +255,9 @@ public class JavaUrlHttpCommandExecutorService extends BaseHttpCommandExecutorSe
 
    }
 
-   /**
-    * Only disconnect if there is no content, as disconnecting will throw away unconsumed content.
-    */
    @Override
    protected void cleanup(HttpURLConnection connection) {
-      if (connection != null && connection.getContentLength() == 0)
+      if (connection != null)
          connection.disconnect();
    }
 
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/jclouds/rest/BaseRestClientExpectTest.java b/core/src/test/java/org/jclouds/rest/BaseRestClientExpectTest.java
index 9d8ced9f19..f46002a17f 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/jclouds/rest/BaseRestClientExpectTest.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/jclouds/rest/BaseRestClientExpectTest.java
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ public abstract class BaseRestClientExpectTest<S> {
 
       @Override
       public void cleanup(HttpRequest nativeResponse) {
-         if (nativeResponse.getPayload() != null)
+         if (nativeResponse != null && nativeResponse.getPayload() != null)
             nativeResponse.getPayload().release();
       }