diff --git a/src/source-pcap-file.c b/src/source-pcap-file.c
index 6f3b53ae63..1d51e905cb 100644
--- a/src/source-pcap-file.c
+++ b/src/source-pcap-file.c
@@ -128,8 +128,10 @@ void PcapFileCallbackLoop(char *user, struct pcap_pkthdr *h, u_char *pkt) {
     ptv->pkts++;
     ptv->bytes += h->caplen;
 
-    if (unlikely(PacketCopyData(p, pkt, h->caplen)))
+    if (unlikely(PacketCopyData(p, pkt, h->caplen))) {
+        TmqhOutputPacketpool(ptv->tv, p);
         SCReturn;
+    }
 
     TmThreadsSlotProcessPkt(ptv->tv, ptv->slot, p);