diff --git a/be/src/storage/tablet_updates.cpp b/be/src/storage/tablet_updates.cpp
index 0ab48b4118e7b..3410700fb04f1 100644
--- a/be/src/storage/tablet_updates.cpp
+++ b/be/src/storage/tablet_updates.cpp
@@ -1468,9 +1468,13 @@ 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);
-    _wait_for_version(version, 120000, ul);
+    {
+        // already committed, so we can ignore timeout error here
+        std::unique_lock<std::mutex> ul(_lock);
+        _wait_for_version(version, 120000, ul);
+    }
+    // Release metadata memory after rowsets have been compacted.
+    Rowset::close_rowsets(input_rowsets);
     return Status::OK();
 }