diff --git a/process/process_posix.go b/process/process_posix.go
index caa9d3f7c..96c5e065c 100644
--- a/process/process_posix.go
+++ b/process/process_posix.go
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ func PidExistsWithContext(ctx context.Context, pid int32) (bool, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return false, err
 	}
+	defer proc.Release()
 
 	if isMount(common.HostProcWithContext(ctx)) { // if /<HOST_PROC>/proc exists and is mounted, check if /<HOST_PROC>/proc/<PID> folder exists
 		_, err := os.Stat(common.HostProcWithContext(ctx, strconv.Itoa(int(pid))))
@@ -144,6 +145,7 @@ func (p *Process) SendSignalWithContext(ctx context.Context, sig syscall.Signal)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	defer process.Release()
 
 	err = process.Signal(sig)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/process/process_windows.go b/process/process_windows.go
index b00c671e9..012886d6c 100644
--- a/process/process_windows.go
+++ b/process/process_windows.go
@@ -817,6 +817,7 @@ func (p *Process) KillWithContext(ctx context.Context) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	defer process.Release()
 	return process.Kill()
 }