diff --git a/plugins/metrics/plugin.go b/plugins/metrics/plugin.go
index 13d2061388b5c82765e01a780150c58b0af628d0..da6f20e022a63db41bb4973a0515f2f174d282bc 100644
--- a/plugins/metrics/plugin.go
+++ b/plugins/metrics/plugin.go
@@ -111,7 +111,6 @@ func registerLocalMetrics() {
 	// messages can only become solid once, then they stay like that, hence no .Dec() part
 	messagelayer.Tangle().Events.MessageSolid.Attach(events.NewClosure(func(cachedMessage *message.CachedMessage, cachedMessageMetadata *tangle.CachedMessageMetadata) {
 		defer cachedMessage.Release()
-		defer cachedMessageMetadata.Release()
 		messageSolidCountDBInc.Inc()
 		solidTimeMutex.Lock()
 		defer solidTimeMutex.Unlock()