diff --git a/lib/node-http-proxy.js b/lib/node-http-proxy.js
index 9e23cddd9..1e5df658b 100644
--- a/lib/node-http-proxy.js
+++ b/lib/node-http-proxy.js
@@ -344,6 +344,13 @@ HttpProxy.prototype.buffer = function (obj) {
       obj.removeListener('data', onData);
       obj.removeListener('end', onEnd);
     },
+    destroy: function () {
+      this.end();
+      this.resume = function () {
+        console.error("Cannot resume buffer after destroying it.");
+      };
+      onData = onEnd = events = obj = null;
+    },
     resume: function () {
       this.end();
       for (var i = 0, len = events.length; i < len; ++i) {
@@ -586,8 +593,12 @@ HttpProxy.prototype.proxyRequest = function (req, res, options) {
   });
 
   // If we have been passed buffered data, resume it.
-  if (options.buffer && !errState) {
-    options.buffer.resume();
+  if (options.buffer) {
+    if (!errState) {
+      options.buffer.resume();
+    } else {
+      options.buffer.destroy();
+    }
   }
 };
 
@@ -733,6 +744,7 @@ HttpProxy.prototype.proxyWebSocketRequest = function (req, socket, head, options
           reverseProxy.incoming.socket.write(data);
         }
         catch (e) {
+          detach();
           reverseProxy.incoming.socket.end();
           proxySocket.end();
         }
@@ -749,6 +761,7 @@ HttpProxy.prototype.proxyWebSocketRequest = function (req, socket, head, options
         proxySocket.write(data);
       }
       catch (e) {
+        detach();
         proxySocket.end();
         socket.end();
       }
@@ -833,7 +846,6 @@ HttpProxy.prototype.proxyWebSocketRequest = function (req, socket, head, options
     if (self.emit('webSocketProxyError', req, socket, head)) {
       return;
     }
-
     socket.end();
   }
 
@@ -932,10 +944,12 @@ HttpProxy.prototype.proxyWebSocketRequest = function (req, socket, head, options
     proxyError(ex);
   }
 
-  //
   // If we have been passed buffered data, resume it.
-  //
-  if (options.buffer && !errState) {
-    options.buffer.resume();
+  if (options.buffer) {
+    if (!errState) {
+      options.buffer.resume();
+    } else {
+      options.buffer.destroy();
+    }
   }
 };