diff --git a/httpc/client.go b/httpc/client.go
index 7cc2540..1b48f4e 100644
--- a/httpc/client.go
+++ b/httpc/client.go
@@ -88,11 +88,19 @@ func New(cfg Config) (*Client, error) {
 // consumed. Callers own response.Body. Only GET, HEAD and OPTIONS are retried,
 // and only when their bodies can be replayed. MaxRetries=0 disables retries.
 func (c *Client) Do(request *http.Request) (*http.Response, error) {
+	var requestError error
 	if c.closed.Load() {
-		return nil, ErrClosed
+		requestError = ErrClosed
+	} else if request == nil || request.URL == nil {
+		requestError = errors.New("httpc: nil request or URL")
 	}
-	if request == nil || request.URL == nil {
-		return nil, errors.New("httpc: nil request or URL")
+	if requestError != nil {
+		// Match http.Client.Do's ownership rule even when rejection happens
+		// before the underlying transport takes ownership of the body.
+		if request != nil && request.Body != nil {
+			_ = request.Body.Close()
+		}
+		return nil, requestError
 	}
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(request.Context(), c.config.Timeout)
 	base := request.Clone(ctx)
diff --git a/httpc/client_test.go b/httpc/client_test.go
index 4ccd644..c49ea47 100644
--- a/httpc/client_test.go
+++ b/httpc/client_test.go
@@ -15,6 +15,31 @@ import (
 	"git.yuntuo.hk/k2safe/go-omni/logx"
 )
 
+type trackedBody struct {
+	io.Reader
+	closed bool
+}
+
+func (b *trackedBody) Close() error { b.closed = true; return nil }
+
+func TestRejectedRequestClosesBody(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, closed := range []bool{false, true} {
+		client, _ := New(Config{DisableLogging: true})
+		body := &trackedBody{Reader: strings.NewReader("body")}
+		request, _ := http.NewRequest("POST", "http://unused.invalid", body)
+		if closed {
+			client.Close()
+		} else {
+			request.URL = nil
+		}
+		_, err := client.Do(request)
+		client.Close()
+		if err == nil || !body.closed {
+			t.Fatalf("error=%v bodyClosed=%v", err, body.closed)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func TestRetryCorrelationPoolAndWriteSafety(t *testing.T) {
 	var calls, connections atomic.Int32
 	server := httptest.NewUnstartedServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {