diff --git a/conjure-go-client/httpclient/body_handler.go b/conjure-go-client/httpclient/body_handler.go
index 57def3ef..7835baa9 100644
--- a/conjure-go-client/httpclient/body_handler.go
+++ b/conjure-go-client/httpclient/body_handler.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ package httpclient
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"github.com/palantir/conjure-go-runtime/v2/conjure-go-client/httpclient/internal"
 	"io"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"net/http"
@@ -104,6 +105,9 @@ func (b *bodyMiddleware) readResponse(resp *http.Response, respErr error) error
 	if b.rawOutput && respErr == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
+	defer func() {
+		internal.DrainBody(resp)
+	}()
 
 	if respErr != nil {
 		return respErr
@@ -112,6 +116,7 @@ func (b *bodyMiddleware) readResponse(resp *http.Response, respErr error) error
 	// Verify we have a body to unmarshal. If the request was unsuccessful, the errorMiddleware will
 	// set a non-nil error and return no response.
 	if b.responseOutput == nil || resp == nil || resp.Body == nil || resp.ContentLength == 0 {
+		internal.DrainBody(resp)
 		return nil
 	}
 
@@ -119,6 +124,5 @@ func (b *bodyMiddleware) readResponse(resp *http.Response, respErr error) error
 	if decErr != nil {
 		return decErr
 	}
-
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/conjure-go-client/httpclient/client.go b/conjure-go-client/httpclient/client.go
index 90aaf41f..7aa4ab32 100644
--- a/conjure-go-client/httpclient/client.go
+++ b/conjure-go-client/httpclient/client.go
@@ -114,11 +114,6 @@ func (c *clientImpl) Do(ctx context.Context, params ...RequestParam) (*http.Resp
 		reqCopy := req.Clone(ctx)
 		resp, err = clientCopy.Do(reqCopy)
 		err = unwrapURLError(ctx, err)
-		// unless this is exactly the scenario where the caller has opted into being responsible for draining and closing
-		// the response body, be sure to do so here.
-		if !(err == nil && b.bodyMiddleware.rawOutput) {
-			internal.DrainBody(resp)
-		}
 		attempts++
 		if resp != nil && isSuccessfulOrBadRequest(resp.StatusCode) {
 			break