diff --git a/src/TwitterOAuth.php b/src/TwitterOAuth.php
index 645b1a73..1c046134 100644
--- a/src/TwitterOAuth.php
+++ b/src/TwitterOAuth.php
@@ -543,7 +543,10 @@ private function request($url, $method, $authorization, array $postfields, $json
 
         // Throw exceptions on cURL errors.
         if (curl_errno($curlHandle) > 0) {
-            throw new TwitterOAuthException(curl_error($curlHandle), curl_errno($curlHandle));
+            $error = curl_error($curlHandle);
+            $errorNo = curl_errno($curlHandle);
+            curl_close($curlHandle);
+            throw new TwitterOAuthException($error, $errorNo);
         }
 
         $this->response->setHttpCode(curl_getinfo($curlHandle, CURLINFO_HTTP_CODE));