diff --git a/src/main/java/io/ipinfo/api/request/BaseRequest.java b/src/main/java/io/ipinfo/api/request/BaseRequest.java
index 481f4c7..5936eca 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/ipinfo/api/request/BaseRequest.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/ipinfo/api/request/BaseRequest.java
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ public Response handleRequest(Request.Builder request)
         }
 
         if (response.code() == 429) {
+            response.close();
             throw new RateLimitedException();
         }
 
diff --git a/src/test/java/io/ipinfo/api/request/BaseRequestTest.java b/src/test/java/io/ipinfo/api/request/BaseRequestTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..98ad1c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/java/io/ipinfo/api/request/BaseRequestTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+package io.ipinfo.api.request;
+
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.*;
+
+import io.ipinfo.api.errors.ErrorResponseException;
+import io.ipinfo.api.errors.RateLimitedException;
+import okhttp3.MediaType;
+import okhttp3.OkHttpClient;
+import okhttp3.Protocol;
+import okhttp3.Request;
+import okhttp3.Response;
+import okhttp3.ResponseBody;
+import okio.Buffer;
+import okio.BufferedSource;
+import okio.ForwardingSource;
+import okio.Okio;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+
+public class BaseRequestTest {
+
+    @Test
+    public void testRateLimitedResponseIsClosed() {
+        TrackingBody body = new TrackingBody("{\"error\":\"rate limited\"}");
+        BaseRequest<Void> request = requestReturning(429, body);
+
+        assertThrows(RateLimitedException.class, () ->
+            request.handleRequest(new Request.Builder().url("https://api.ipinfo.io/lookup/8.8.8.8"))
+        );
+        assertTrue(body.closed, "429 response body should be closed");
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testErrorResponseIsClosed() {
+        TrackingBody body = new TrackingBody("{\"error\":\"forbidden\"}");
+        BaseRequest<Void> request = requestReturning(403, body);
+
+        assertThrows(ErrorResponseException.class, () ->
+            request.handleRequest(new Request.Builder().url("https://api.ipinfo.io/lookup/8.8.8.8"))
+        );
+        assertTrue(body.closed, "error response body should be closed");
+    }
+
+    private static BaseRequest<Void> requestReturning(int code, ResponseBody body) {
+        OkHttpClient client = new OkHttpClient.Builder()
+            .addInterceptor(chain -> new Response.Builder()
+                .request(chain.request())
+                .protocol(Protocol.HTTP_1_1)
+                .code(code)
+                .message("test")
+                .body(body)
+                .build())
+            .build();
+        return new BaseRequest<Void>(client, "test_token") {
+            @Override
+            public Void handle() {
+                return null;
+            }
+        };
+    }
+
+    /** Records whether the underlying source was closed, which is what releases the connection. */
+    private static final class TrackingBody extends ResponseBody {
+        private final Buffer buffer;
+        private final BufferedSource source;
+        boolean closed;
+
+        TrackingBody(String content) {
+            this.buffer = new Buffer().writeUtf8(content);
+            this.source = Okio.buffer(new ForwardingSource(buffer) {
+                @Override
+                public void close() throws java.io.IOException {
+                    closed = true;
+                    super.close();
+                }
+            });
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public MediaType contentType() {
+            return MediaType.get("application/json");
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public long contentLength() {
+            return buffer.size();
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public BufferedSource source() {
+            return source;
+        }
+    }
+}