diff --git a/go/storage/needle_byte_cache.go b/go/storage/needle_byte_cache.go
index d39ed23c4..5db0f8895 100644
--- a/go/storage/needle_byte_cache.go
+++ b/go/storage/needle_byte_cache.go
@@ -66,7 +66,9 @@ func getBytesForFileBlock(r *os.File, offset int64, readSize int) (dataSlice []b
 }
 
 func (n *Needle) ReleaseMemory() {
-	n.rawBlock.decreaseReference()
+	if n.rawBlock != nil {
+		n.rawBlock.decreaseReference()
+	}
 }
 func ReleaseBytes(b []byte) {
 	bytesPool.Put(b)
diff --git a/go/storage/needle_read_write.go b/go/storage/needle_read_write.go
index 49ae4fee4..fcca2469c 100644
--- a/go/storage/needle_read_write.go
+++ b/go/storage/needle_read_write.go
@@ -144,10 +144,10 @@ func ReadNeedleBlob(r *os.File, offset int64, size uint32) (dataSlice []byte, bl
 
 func (n *Needle) ReadData(r *os.File, offset int64, size uint32, version Version) (err error) {
 	bytes, block, err := ReadNeedleBlob(r, offset, size)
-	n.rawBlock = block
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	n.rawBlock = block
 	n.ParseNeedleHeader(bytes)
 	if n.Size != size {
 		return fmt.Errorf("File Entry Not Found. Needle %d Memory %d", n.Size, size)
diff --git a/go/storage/volume.go b/go/storage/volume.go
index af552a10f..7e330a9e4 100644
--- a/go/storage/volume.go
+++ b/go/storage/volume.go
@@ -159,11 +159,11 @@ func (v *Volume) isFileUnchanged(n *Needle) bool {
 	if ok && nv.Offset > 0 {
 		oldNeedle := new(Needle)
 		err := oldNeedle.ReadData(v.dataFile, int64(nv.Offset)*NeedlePaddingSize, nv.Size, v.Version())
-		defer oldNeedle.ReleaseMemory()
 		if err != nil {
 			glog.V(0).Infof("Failed to check updated file %v", err)
 			return false
 		}
+		defer oldNeedle.ReleaseMemory()
 		if oldNeedle.Checksum == n.Checksum && bytes.Equal(oldNeedle.Data, n.Data) {
 			n.DataSize = oldNeedle.DataSize
 			return true
@@ -289,7 +289,6 @@ func (v *Volume) readNeedle(n *Needle) (int, error) {
 	}
 	err := n.ReadData(v.dataFile, int64(nv.Offset)*NeedlePaddingSize, nv.Size, v.Version())
 	if err != nil {
-		n.ReleaseMemory()
 		return 0, err
 	}
 	bytesRead := len(n.Data)
diff --git a/go/weed/weed_server/volume_server_handlers_read.go b/go/weed/weed_server/volume_server_handlers_read.go
index 5f3199738..3eb33a8c9 100644
--- a/go/weed/weed_server/volume_server_handlers_read.go
+++ b/go/weed/weed_server/volume_server_handlers_read.go
@@ -66,12 +66,12 @@ func (vs *VolumeServer) GetOrHeadHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request)
 	cookie := n.Cookie
 	count, e := vs.store.ReadVolumeNeedle(volumeId, n)
 	glog.V(4).Infoln("read bytes", count, "error", e)
-	defer n.ReleaseMemory()
 	if e != nil || count <= 0 {
 		glog.V(0).Infoln("read error:", e, r.URL.Path)
 		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusNotFound)
 		return
 	}
+	defer n.ReleaseMemory()
 	if n.Cookie != cookie {
 		glog.V(0).Infoln("request", r.URL.Path, "with unmaching cookie seen:", cookie, "expected:", n.Cookie, "from", r.RemoteAddr, "agent", r.UserAgent())
 		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusNotFound)
diff --git a/go/weed/weed_server/volume_server_handlers_write.go b/go/weed/weed_server/volume_server_handlers_write.go
index 421802160..b0a4c7031 100644
--- a/go/weed/weed_server/volume_server_handlers_write.go
+++ b/go/weed/weed_server/volume_server_handlers_write.go
@@ -56,13 +56,13 @@ func (vs *VolumeServer) DeleteHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	cookie := n.Cookie
 
 	_, ok := vs.store.ReadVolumeNeedle(volumeId, n)
-	defer n.ReleaseMemory()
 	if ok != nil {
 		m := make(map[string]uint32)
 		m["size"] = 0
 		writeJsonQuiet(w, r, http.StatusNotFound, m)
 		return
 	}
+	defer n.ReleaseMemory()
 
 	if n.Cookie != cookie {
 		glog.V(0).Infoln("delete", r.URL.Path, "with unmaching cookie from ", r.RemoteAddr, "agent", r.UserAgent())
@@ -122,7 +122,6 @@ func (vs *VolumeServer) batchDeleteHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Reques
 				Status: http.StatusNotFound,
 				Error:  err.Error(),
 			})
-			n.ReleaseMemory()
 			continue
 		}