diff --git a/src/session.rs b/src/session.rs
index f17c0b7..6fa36dc 100644
--- a/src/session.rs
+++ b/src/session.rs
@@ -173,10 +173,12 @@ impl Session {
         }
         let size = size as usize;
         if size > buf.len() {
+            unsafe { wintun.WintunReleaseReceivePacket(self.inner.0, ptr) };
             use std::io::{Error, ErrorKind::InvalidInput};
             return Err(Error::new(InvalidInput, "destination buffer too small"));
         }
         unsafe { ptr::copy_nonoverlapping(ptr, buf.as_mut_ptr(), size) };
+        unsafe { wintun.WintunReleaseReceivePacket(self.inner.0, ptr) };
         Ok(size)
     }