diff --git a/lib/java/src/org/apache/thrift/transport/THttpClient.java b/lib/java/src/org/apache/thrift/transport/THttpClient.java
index 550d76d..b16da68 100644
--- a/lib/java/src/org/apache/thrift/transport/THttpClient.java
+++ b/lib/java/src/org/apache/thrift/transport/THttpClient.java
@@ -233,6 +233,13 @@
       
       HttpResponse response = this.client.execute(this.host, post);
       int responseCode = response.getStatusLine().getStatusCode();
+
+      //      
+      // Retrieve the inputstream BEFORE checking the status code so
+      // resources get freed in the finally clause.
+      //
+
+      is = response.getEntity().getContent();
       
       if (responseCode != HttpStatus.SC_OK) {
         throw new TTransportException("HTTP Response code: " + responseCode);
@@ -245,8 +252,6 @@
       // Proceeding differently might lead to exhaustion of connections and thus
       // to app failure.
       
-      is = response.getEntity().getContent();
-      
       byte[] buf = new byte[1024];
       ByteArrayOutputStream baos = new ByteArrayOutputStream();