diff --git a/lib/http.js b/lib/http.js
index 7e51ec57581..30285eec63c 100644
--- a/lib/http.js
+++ b/lib/http.js
@@ -1198,6 +1198,7 @@ function ClientRequest(options, cb) {
 
   self._deferToConnect(null, null, function() {
     self._flush();
+    self = null;
   });
 
 }
@@ -1255,12 +1256,17 @@ ClientRequest.prototype.onSocket = function(socket) {
 
     var freeParser = function() {
       if (parser) {
-        parsers.free(parser);
+        parser.onIncoming = null;
         parser.socket.onend = null;
         parser.socket.ondata = null;
         parser.socket = null;
+        parser.incoming = null;
+        parsers.free(parser);
         parser = null;
       }
+      if (req) {
+        req.parser = null;
+      }
     };
 
     var errorListener = function(err) {