diff --git a/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/HttpConnection.java b/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/HttpConnection.java
index 3509e3a2d53..e42223a751e 100644
--- a/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/HttpConnection.java
+++ b/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/HttpConnection.java
@@ -848,19 +848,22 @@ public class HttpConnection extends AbstractConnection implements Runnable, Http
             }
         }
 
-        private void releaseHeader()
+        private Callback release()
         {
-            ByteBuffer h = _header;
+            Callback complete = _callback;
+            _callback = null;
+            _info = null;
+            _content = null;
+            if (_header != null)
+                _bufferPool.release(_header);
             _header = null;
-            if (h != null)
-                _bufferPool.release(h);
+            return complete;
         }
 
         @Override
         protected void onCompleteSuccess()
         {
-            releaseHeader();
-            _callback.succeeded();
+            release().succeeded();
             if (_shutdownOut)
                 getEndPoint().shutdownOutput();
         }
@@ -868,8 +871,7 @@ public class HttpConnection extends AbstractConnection implements Runnable, Http
         @Override
         public void onCompleteFailure(final Throwable x)
         {
-            releaseHeader();
-            failedCallback(_callback, x);
+            failedCallback(release(), x);
             if (_shutdownOut)
                 getEndPoint().shutdownOutput();
         }