diff --git a/lib/zlib.js b/lib/zlib.js
index ca5f05884ad3c0..87e8641767669f 100644
--- a/lib/zlib.js
+++ b/lib/zlib.js
@@ -527,14 +527,12 @@ function processChunkSync(self, chunk, flushFlag) {
   }
 
   self.bytesWritten = inputRead;
+  _close(self);
 
   if (nread >= kMaxLength) {
-    _close(self);
     throw new ERR_BUFFER_TOO_LARGE();
   }
 
-  _close(self);
-
   if (nread === 0)
     return Buffer.alloc(0);