diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/transport/TcpTransport.java b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/transport/TcpTransport.java
index 166564c70922b..2b435f2078778 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/transport/TcpTransport.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/transport/TcpTransport.java
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ public abstract class TcpTransport extends AbstractLifecycleComponent implements
     protected final ScheduledPing scheduledPing;
     private final TimeValue pingSchedule;
     protected final ThreadPool threadPool;
-    private final BigArrays bigArrays;
+    protected final BigArrays bigArrays;
     protected final NetworkService networkService;
     protected final Set<ProfileSettings> profileSettings;
 
diff --git a/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/transport/MockTcpTransport.java b/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/transport/MockTcpTransport.java
index 0655a6d871197..c48318ab4e447 100644
--- a/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/transport/MockTcpTransport.java
+++ b/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/transport/MockTcpTransport.java
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
  */
 package org.elasticsearch.transport;
 
-import org.elasticsearch.core.internal.io.IOUtils;
 import org.elasticsearch.Version;
 import org.elasticsearch.action.ActionListener;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.node.DiscoveryNode;
@@ -26,6 +25,7 @@
 import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.BytesStreamOutput;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.InputStreamStreamInput;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.NamedWriteableRegistry;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.ReleasableBytesStreamOutput;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.StreamInput;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.network.NetworkService;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.settings.Settings;
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 import org.elasticsearch.common.util.CancellableThreads;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.util.concurrent.AbstractRunnable;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.util.concurrent.EsExecutors;
+import org.elasticsearch.core.internal.io.IOUtils;
 import org.elasticsearch.indices.breaker.CircuitBreakerService;
 import org.elasticsearch.mocksocket.MockServerSocket;
 import org.elasticsearch.mocksocket.MockSocket;
@@ -153,19 +154,20 @@ private void readMessage(MockChannel mockChannel, StreamInput input) throws IOEx
         if (msgSize == -1) {
             socket.getOutputStream().flush();
         } else {
-            BytesStreamOutput output = new BytesStreamOutput();
-            final byte[] buffer = new byte[msgSize];
-            input.readFully(buffer);
-            output.write(minimalHeader);
-            output.writeInt(msgSize);
-            output.write(buffer);
-            final BytesReference bytes = output.bytes();
-            if (TcpTransport.validateMessageHeader(bytes)) {
-                InetSocketAddress remoteAddress = (InetSocketAddress) socket.getRemoteSocketAddress();
-                messageReceived(bytes.slice(TcpHeader.MARKER_BYTES_SIZE + TcpHeader.MESSAGE_LENGTH_SIZE, msgSize),
-                    mockChannel, mockChannel.profile, remoteAddress, msgSize);
-            } else {
-                // ping message - we just drop all stuff
+            try (BytesStreamOutput output = new ReleasableBytesStreamOutput(msgSize, bigArrays)) {
+                final byte[] buffer = new byte[msgSize];
+                input.readFully(buffer);
+                output.write(minimalHeader);
+                output.writeInt(msgSize);
+                output.write(buffer);
+                final BytesReference bytes = output.bytes();
+                if (TcpTransport.validateMessageHeader(bytes)) {
+                    InetSocketAddress remoteAddress = (InetSocketAddress) socket.getRemoteSocketAddress();
+                    messageReceived(bytes.slice(TcpHeader.MARKER_BYTES_SIZE + TcpHeader.MESSAGE_LENGTH_SIZE, msgSize),
+                        mockChannel, mockChannel.profile, remoteAddress, msgSize);
+                } else {
+                    // ping message - we just drop all stuff
+                }
             }
         }
     }