diff --git a/pulsar-zookeeper-utils/src/main/java/org/apache/pulsar/zookeeper/ZookeeperBkClientFactoryImpl.java b/pulsar-zookeeper-utils/src/main/java/org/apache/pulsar/zookeeper/ZookeeperBkClientFactoryImpl.java
index aac96ce84c5c1..8cd674d580dfe 100644
--- a/pulsar-zookeeper-utils/src/main/java/org/apache/pulsar/zookeeper/ZookeeperBkClientFactoryImpl.java
+++ b/pulsar-zookeeper-utils/src/main/java/org/apache/pulsar/zookeeper/ZookeeperBkClientFactoryImpl.java
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ public CompletableFuture<ZooKeeper> create(String serverList, SessionType sessio
                         .build();
 
                 if (zk.getState() == States.CONNECTEDREADONLY && sessionType != SessionType.AllowReadOnly) {
+                    zk.close();
                     future.completeExceptionally(new IllegalStateException("Cannot use a read-only session"));
                 }