diff --git a/registry/proxy/proxyblobstore.go b/registry/proxy/proxyblobstore.go
index 7a6d7ea27..6cd572133 100644
--- a/registry/proxy/proxyblobstore.go
+++ b/registry/proxy/proxyblobstore.go
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@ func (pbs *proxyBlobStore) copyContent(ctx context.Context, dgst digest.Digest,
 		return distribution.Descriptor{}, err
 	}
 
+	defer remoteReader.Close()
+
 	_, err = io.CopyN(writer, remoteReader, desc.Size)
 	if err != nil {
 		return distribution.Descriptor{}, err