diff --git a/src/main/java/io/r2dbc/postgresql/client/ReactorNettyClient.java b/src/main/java/io/r2dbc/postgresql/client/ReactorNettyClient.java
index c4c59628..2d0607ae 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/r2dbc/postgresql/client/ReactorNettyClient.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/r2dbc/postgresql/client/ReactorNettyClient.java
@@ -199,7 +199,21 @@ private ReactorNettyClient(Connection connection, ConnectionSettings settings) {
                 if (DEBUG_ENABLED) {
                     logger.debug(this.context.getMessage(String.format("Request:  %s", message)));
                 }
-                return connection.outbound().send(message.encode(this.byteBufAllocator));
+                return Flux.from(message.encode(this.byteBufAllocator))
+                    .flatMap(buf ->
+                        connection.outbound().send(Mono.just(buf)).then()
+                            .doOnError(e -> {
+                                if (buf.refCnt() > 0) {
+                                    ReferenceCountUtil.release(buf);
+                                }
+                            })
+                            .doOnCancel(() -> {
+                                if (buf.refCnt() > 0) {
+                                    ReferenceCountUtil.release(buf);
+                                }
+                            })
+                    )
+                    .then();
             }, 1)
             .then();
 
@@ -226,7 +240,23 @@ public Mono<Void> close() {
 
                 return Flux.just(Terminate.INSTANCE)
                     .doOnNext(message -> logger.debug(this.context.getMessage(String.format("Request:  %s", message))))
-                    .concatMap(message -> this.connection.outbound().send(message.encode(this.connection.outbound().alloc())))
+                    .concatMap(message ->
+                        Flux.from(message.encode(this.connection.outbound().alloc()))
+                            .flatMap(buf ->
+                                this.connection.outbound().send(Mono.just(buf)).then()
+                                    .doOnError(e -> {
+                                        if (buf.refCnt() > 0) {
+                                            ReferenceCountUtil.release(buf);
+                                        }
+                                    })
+                                    .doOnCancel(() -> {
+                                        if (buf.refCnt() > 0) {
+                                            ReferenceCountUtil.release(buf);
+                                        }
+                                    })
+                            )
+                            .then()
+                    )
                     .then()
                     .doOnSuccess(v -> this.connection.dispose())
                     .then(this.connection.onDispose());