diff --git a/pulsar-broker/src/main/java/org/apache/pulsar/broker/service/persistent/PersistentDispatcherSingleActiveConsumer.java b/pulsar-broker/src/main/java/org/apache/pulsar/broker/service/persistent/PersistentDispatcherSingleActiveConsumer.java
index 93c2d2547ab16..ab4a6f5552c32 100644
--- a/pulsar-broker/src/main/java/org/apache/pulsar/broker/service/persistent/PersistentDispatcherSingleActiveConsumer.java
+++ b/pulsar-broker/src/main/java/org/apache/pulsar/broker/service/persistent/PersistentDispatcherSingleActiveConsumer.java
@@ -175,7 +175,9 @@ public synchronized void internalReadEntriesComplete(final List<Entry> entries,
                 Entry entry = iterator.next();
                 byte[] key = peekStickyKey(entry.getDataBuffer());
                 Consumer consumer = stickyKeyConsumerSelector.select(key);
+                // Skip the entry if it's not for current active consumer.
                 if (consumer == null || currentConsumer != consumer) {
+                    entry.release();
                     iterator.remove();
                 }
             }