diff --git a/hudi-client/hudi-client-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hudi/io/HoodieMergeHandle.java b/hudi-client/hudi-client-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hudi/io/HoodieMergeHandle.java
index 95421d98e..a7602ea00 100644
--- a/hudi-client/hudi-client-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hudi/io/HoodieMergeHandle.java
+++ b/hudi-client/hudi-client-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hudi/io/HoodieMergeHandle.java
@@ -344,6 +344,7 @@ public class HoodieMergeHandle<T extends HoodieRecordPayload, I, K, O> extends H
         }
       }
 
+      keyToNewRecords.clear();
       ((ExternalSpillableMap) keyToNewRecords).close();
       writtenRecordKeys.clear();