diff --git a/be/src/storage/tablet_updates.cpp b/be/src/storage/tablet_updates.cpp
index 95a126d690f31..62fb8e3241530 100644
--- a/be/src/storage/tablet_updates.cpp
+++ b/be/src/storage/tablet_updates.cpp
@@ -1862,9 +1862,13 @@ Status TabletUpdates::_do_compaction(std::unique_ptr<CompactionInfo>* pinfo) {
     // 4. commit compaction
     EditVersion version;
     RETURN_IF_ERROR(_commit_compaction(pinfo, *output_rowset, &version));
-    // already committed, so we can ignore timeout error here
-    std::unique_lock<std::mutex> ul(_lock);
-    RETURN_IF_ERROR(_wait_for_version(version, 120000, ul));
+    {
+        // already committed, so we can ignore timeout error here
+        std::unique_lock<std::mutex> ul(_lock);
+        RETURN_IF_ERROR(_wait_for_version(version, 120000, ul));
+    }
+    // Release metadata memory after rowsets have been compacted.
+    Rowset::close_rowsets(input_rowsets);
     return Status::OK();
 }