diff --git a/src/rpc/virnetserver.c b/src/rpc/virnetserver.c
index 28afe54e49..7a1376bf49 100644
--- a/src/rpc/virnetserver.c
+++ b/src/rpc/virnetserver.c
@@ -182,15 +182,14 @@ static void virNetServerHandleJob(void *jobOpaque, void *opaque)
     VIR_FREE(job);
 }
 
-static int virNetServerDispatchNewMessage(virNetServerClientPtr client,
-                                          virNetMessagePtr msg,
-                                          void *opaque)
+static void virNetServerDispatchNewMessage(virNetServerClientPtr client,
+                                           virNetMessagePtr msg,
+                                           void *opaque)
 {
     virNetServerPtr srv = opaque;
     virNetServerProgramPtr prog = NULL;
     unsigned int priority = 0;
     size_t i;
-    int ret = -1;
 
     VIR_DEBUG("server=%p client=%p message=%p",
               srv, client, msg);
@@ -207,7 +206,7 @@ static int virNetServerDispatchNewMessage(virNetServerClientPtr client,
         virNetServerJobPtr job;
 
         if (VIR_ALLOC(job) < 0)
-            goto cleanup;
+            goto error;
 
         job->client = client;
         job->msg = msg;
@@ -218,21 +217,24 @@ static int virNetServerDispatchNewMessage(virNetServerClientPtr client,
         }
 
         virObjectRef(client);
-        ret = virThreadPoolSendJob(srv->workers, priority, job);
-
-        if (ret < 0) {
+        if (virThreadPoolSendJob(srv->workers, priority, job) < 0) {
             virObjectUnref(client);
             VIR_FREE(job);
             virObjectUnref(prog);
+            goto error;
         }
     } else {
-        ret = virNetServerProcessMsg(srv, client, prog, msg);
+        if (virNetServerProcessMsg(srv, client, prog, msg) < 0)
+            goto error;
     }
 
- cleanup:
     virObjectUnlock(srv);
+    return;
 
-    return ret;
+ error:
+    virNetMessageFree(msg);
+    virNetServerClientClose(client);
+    virObjectUnlock(srv);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/rpc/virnetserverclient.c b/src/rpc/virnetserverclient.c
index 00459d17ba..ea0d5abdee 100644
--- a/src/rpc/virnetserverclient.c
+++ b/src/rpc/virnetserverclient.c
@@ -1315,11 +1315,11 @@ static void virNetServerClientDispatchRead(virNetServerClientPtr client)
 
         /* Send off to for normal dispatch to workers */
         if (msg) {
-            if (!client->dispatchFunc ||
-                client->dispatchFunc(client, msg, client->dispatchOpaque) < 0) {
+            if (!client->dispatchFunc) {
                 virNetMessageFree(msg);
                 client->wantClose = true;
-                return;
+            } else {
+                client->dispatchFunc(client, msg, client->dispatchOpaque);
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/src/rpc/virnetserverclient.h b/src/rpc/virnetserverclient.h
index 1a939ad4e1..b21446eeb7 100644
--- a/src/rpc/virnetserverclient.h
+++ b/src/rpc/virnetserverclient.h
@@ -36,9 +36,12 @@ typedef virNetServer *virNetServerPtr;
 typedef struct _virNetServerClient virNetServerClient;
 typedef virNetServerClient *virNetServerClientPtr;
 
-typedef int (*virNetServerClientDispatchFunc)(virNetServerClientPtr client,
-                                              virNetMessagePtr msg,
-                                              void *opaque);
+/* This function owns the "msg" pointer it is passed and
+ * must arrange for virNetMessageFree to be called on it
+ */
+typedef void (*virNetServerClientDispatchFunc)(virNetServerClientPtr client,
+                                               virNetMessagePtr msg,
+                                               void *opaque);
 
 typedef int (*virNetServerClientFilterFunc)(virNetServerClientPtr client,
                                             virNetMessagePtr msg,