diff --git a/source/common/http/async_client_impl.cc b/source/common/http/async_client_impl.cc
index 2aae77c040d90..2d486e3def6b9 100644
--- a/source/common/http/async_client_impl.cc
+++ b/source/common/http/async_client_impl.cc
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ AsyncClient::Request* AsyncClientImpl::send(MessagePtr&& request, AsyncClient::C
     new_request->moveIntoList(std::move(new_request), active_streams_);
     return async_request;
   } else {
+    new_request->cleanup();
     return nullptr;
   }
 }
@@ -44,14 +45,8 @@ AsyncClient::Request* AsyncClientImpl::send(MessagePtr&& request, AsyncClient::C
 AsyncClient::Stream* AsyncClientImpl::start(AsyncClient::StreamCallbacks& callbacks,
                                             const Optional<std::chrono::milliseconds>& timeout) {
   std::unique_ptr<AsyncStreamImpl> new_stream{new AsyncStreamImpl(*this, callbacks, timeout)};
-
-  // The request may get immediately failed. If so, we will return nullptr.
-  if (!new_stream->remote_closed_) {
-    new_stream->moveIntoList(std::move(new_stream), active_streams_);
-    return active_streams_.front().get();
-  } else {
-    return nullptr;
-  }
+  new_stream->moveIntoList(std::move(new_stream), active_streams_);
+  return active_streams_.front().get();
 }
 
 AsyncStreamImpl::AsyncStreamImpl(AsyncClientImpl& parent, AsyncClient::StreamCallbacks& callbacks,
@@ -156,7 +151,7 @@ AsyncRequestImpl::AsyncRequestImpl(MessagePtr&& request, AsyncClientImpl& parent
     : AsyncStreamImpl(parent, *this, timeout), request_(std::move(request)), callbacks_(callbacks) {
 
   sendHeaders(request_->headers(), !request_->body());
-  if (!complete() && request_->body()) {
+  if (!remoteClosed() && request_->body()) {
     sendData(*request_->body(), true);
   }
   // TODO: Support request trailers.
diff --git a/source/common/http/async_client_impl.h b/source/common/http/async_client_impl.h
index 5793dc06f5fdd..ccf8ab8a5aacd 100644
--- a/source/common/http/async_client_impl.h
+++ b/source/common/http/async_client_impl.h
@@ -66,7 +66,8 @@ class AsyncStreamImpl : public AsyncClient::Stream,
   void reset() override;
 
 protected:
-  bool complete() { return local_closed_ && remote_closed_; }
+  bool remoteClosed() { return remote_closed_; }
+
   AsyncClientImpl& parent_;
 
 private:
@@ -148,9 +149,9 @@ class AsyncStreamImpl : public AsyncClient::Stream,
   };
 
   void cleanup();
-
   void closeLocal(bool end_stream);
   void closeRemote(bool end_stream);
+  bool complete() { return local_closed_ && remote_closed_; }
 
   // Http::StreamDecoderFilterCallbacks
   void addResetStreamCallback(std::function<void()> callback) override {
diff --git a/test/common/http/async_client_impl_test.cc b/test/common/http/async_client_impl_test.cc
index 34c6f326a9422..664e1dd1e3de8 100644
--- a/test/common/http/async_client_impl_test.cc
+++ b/test/common/http/async_client_impl_test.cc
@@ -610,6 +610,22 @@ TEST_F(AsyncClientImplTest, PoolFailure) {
   EXPECT_EQ(1UL, cm_.cluster_.info_->stats_store_.counter("upstream_rq_503").value());
 }
 
+TEST_F(AsyncClientImplTest, PoolFailureWithBody) {
+  EXPECT_CALL(cm_.conn_pool_, newStream(_, _))
+      .WillOnce(Invoke([&](StreamDecoder&,
+                           ConnectionPool::Callbacks& callbacks) -> ConnectionPool::Cancellable* {
+        callbacks.onPoolFailure(ConnectionPool::PoolFailureReason::Overflow, nullptr);
+        return nullptr;
+      }));
+
+  expectSuccess(503);
+  message_->body(Buffer::InstancePtr{new Buffer::OwnedImpl("hello")});
+  EXPECT_EQ(nullptr,
+            client_.send(std::move(message_), callbacks_, Optional<std::chrono::milliseconds>()));
+
+  EXPECT_EQ(1UL, cm_.cluster_.info_->stats_store_.counter("upstream_rq_503").value());
+}
+
 TEST_F(AsyncClientImplTest, StreamTimeout) {
   EXPECT_CALL(cm_.conn_pool_, newStream(_, _))
       .WillOnce(Invoke([&](StreamDecoder&, ConnectionPool::Callbacks& callbacks)