diff --git a/fs/netfs/buffered_read.c b/fs/netfs/buffered_read.c
index 24a8a5418e31..3d86414ee40f 100644
--- a/fs/netfs/buffered_read.c
+++ b/fs/netfs/buffered_read.c
@@ -102,8 +102,10 @@ static ssize_t netfs_prepare_read_iterator(struct netfs_io_subrequest *subreq,
 
 			added = rolling_buffer_load_from_ra(&rreq->buffer, ractl,
 							    &put_batch);
-			if (added < 0)
+			if (added < 0) {
+				folio_batch_release(&put_batch);
 				return added;
+			}
 			rreq->submitted += added;
 		}
 		folio_batch_release(&put_batch);