diff --git a/fabric-networking-api-v1/src/client/java/net/fabricmc/fabric/impl/networking/client/ClientConfigurationNetworkAddon.java b/fabric-networking-api-v1/src/client/java/net/fabricmc/fabric/impl/networking/client/ClientConfigurationNetworkAddon.java
index 5ea6feebdf..9499e22e73 100644
--- a/fabric-networking-api-v1/src/client/java/net/fabricmc/fabric/impl/networking/client/ClientConfigurationNetworkAddon.java
+++ b/fabric-networking-api-v1/src/client/java/net/fabricmc/fabric/impl/networking/client/ClientConfigurationNetworkAddon.java
@@ -86,11 +86,7 @@ protected void receiveRegistration(boolean register, PacketByteBuf buf) {
 	 * @return true if the packet has been handled
 	 */
 	public boolean handle(PacketByteBufPayload payload) {
-		try {
-			return this.handle(payload.id(), payload.data());
-		} finally {
-			payload.data().release();
-		}
+		return this.handle(payload.id(), payload.data());
 	}
 
 	@Override
diff --git a/fabric-networking-api-v1/src/client/java/net/fabricmc/fabric/impl/networking/client/ClientPlayNetworkAddon.java b/fabric-networking-api-v1/src/client/java/net/fabricmc/fabric/impl/networking/client/ClientPlayNetworkAddon.java
index 56127a49f5..d10f39925a 100644
--- a/fabric-networking-api-v1/src/client/java/net/fabricmc/fabric/impl/networking/client/ClientPlayNetworkAddon.java
+++ b/fabric-networking-api-v1/src/client/java/net/fabricmc/fabric/impl/networking/client/ClientPlayNetworkAddon.java
@@ -86,11 +86,7 @@ public void onServerReady() {
 	 * @return true if the packet has been handled
 	 */
 	public boolean handle(PacketByteBufPayload payload) {
-		try {
-			return this.handle(payload.id(), payload.data());
-		} finally {
-			payload.data().release();
-		}
+		return this.handle(payload.id(), payload.data());
 	}
 
 	@Override
diff --git a/fabric-networking-api-v1/src/main/java/net/fabricmc/fabric/impl/networking/AbstractChanneledNetworkAddon.java b/fabric-networking-api-v1/src/main/java/net/fabricmc/fabric/impl/networking/AbstractChanneledNetworkAddon.java
index 46ed2a1d7c..8818ebc933 100644
--- a/fabric-networking-api-v1/src/main/java/net/fabricmc/fabric/impl/networking/AbstractChanneledNetworkAddon.java
+++ b/fabric-networking-api-v1/src/main/java/net/fabricmc/fabric/impl/networking/AbstractChanneledNetworkAddon.java
@@ -72,17 +72,17 @@ protected void registerPendingChannels(ChannelInfoHolder holder, NetworkState st
 	}
 
 	// always supposed to handle async!
-	protected boolean handle(Identifier channelName, PacketByteBuf originalBuf) {
+	protected boolean handle(Identifier channelName, PacketByteBuf buf) {
 		this.logger.debug("Handling inbound packet from channel with name \"{}\"", channelName);
 
 		// Handle reserved packets
 		if (NetworkingImpl.REGISTER_CHANNEL.equals(channelName)) {
-			this.receiveRegistration(true, PacketByteBufs.slice(originalBuf));
+			this.receiveRegistration(true, buf);
 			return true;
 		}
 
 		if (NetworkingImpl.UNREGISTER_CHANNEL.equals(channelName)) {
-			this.receiveRegistration(false, PacketByteBufs.slice(originalBuf));
+			this.receiveRegistration(false, buf);
 			return true;
 		}
 
@@ -92,8 +92,6 @@ protected boolean handle(Identifier channelName, PacketByteBuf originalBuf) {
 			return false;
 		}
 
-		PacketByteBuf buf = PacketByteBufs.slice(originalBuf);
-
 		try {
 			this.receive(handler, buf);
 		} catch (Throwable ex) {
diff --git a/fabric-networking-api-v1/src/testmod/java/net/fabricmc/fabric/test/networking/play/NetworkingPlayPacketTest.java b/fabric-networking-api-v1/src/testmod/java/net/fabricmc/fabric/test/networking/play/NetworkingPlayPacketTest.java
index b05d77be89..87ff660824 100644
--- a/fabric-networking-api-v1/src/testmod/java/net/fabricmc/fabric/test/networking/play/NetworkingPlayPacketTest.java
+++ b/fabric-networking-api-v1/src/testmod/java/net/fabricmc/fabric/test/networking/play/NetworkingPlayPacketTest.java
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
 
 public final class NetworkingPlayPacketTest implements ModInitializer {
 	public static final Identifier TEST_CHANNEL = NetworkingTestmods.id("test_channel");
+	private static final Identifier UNKNOWN_TEST_CHANNEL = NetworkingTestmods.id("unknown_test_channel");
 
 	public static void sendToTestChannel(ServerPlayerEntity player, String stuff) {
 		ServerPlayNetworking.getSender(player).sendPacket(new OverlayPacket(Text.literal(stuff)), future -> {
@@ -52,6 +53,10 @@ public static void sendToTestChannel(ServerPlayerEntity player, String stuff) {
 		});
 	}
 
+	private static void sendToUnknownChannel(ServerPlayerEntity player) {
+		ServerPlayNetworking.getSender(player).sendPacket(UNKNOWN_TEST_CHANNEL, PacketByteBufs.create());
+	}
+
 	public static void registerCommand(CommandDispatcher<ServerCommandSource> dispatcher) {
 		NetworkingTestmods.LOGGER.info("Registering test command");
 
@@ -61,6 +66,10 @@ public static void registerCommand(CommandDispatcher<ServerCommandSource> dispat
 					sendToTestChannel(ctx.getSource().getPlayer(), stuff);
 					return Command.SINGLE_SUCCESS;
 				}))
+				.then(literal("unknown").executes(ctx -> {
+					sendToUnknownChannel(ctx.getSource().getPlayer());
+					return Command.SINGLE_SUCCESS;
+				}))
 				.then(literal("bundled").executes(ctx -> {
 					PacketByteBuf buf1 = PacketByteBufs.create();
 					buf1.writeText(Text.literal("bundled #1"));
diff --git a/fabric-networking-api-v1/src/testmodClient/java/net/fabricmc/fabric/test/networking/client/play/NetworkingPlayPacketClientTest.java b/fabric-networking-api-v1/src/testmodClient/java/net/fabricmc/fabric/test/networking/client/play/NetworkingPlayPacketClientTest.java
index 0c0fb240ba..e87babc834 100644
--- a/fabric-networking-api-v1/src/testmodClient/java/net/fabricmc/fabric/test/networking/client/play/NetworkingPlayPacketClientTest.java
+++ b/fabric-networking-api-v1/src/testmodClient/java/net/fabricmc/fabric/test/networking/client/play/NetworkingPlayPacketClientTest.java
@@ -16,19 +16,36 @@
 
 package net.fabricmc.fabric.test.networking.client.play;
 
+import com.mojang.brigadier.Command;
+
 import net.minecraft.client.MinecraftClient;
 import net.minecraft.client.network.ClientPlayerEntity;
+import net.minecraft.util.Identifier;
 
 import net.fabricmc.api.ClientModInitializer;
+import net.fabricmc.fabric.api.client.command.v2.ClientCommandManager;
+import net.fabricmc.fabric.api.client.command.v2.ClientCommandRegistrationCallback;
 import net.fabricmc.fabric.api.client.networking.v1.ClientPlayConnectionEvents;
 import net.fabricmc.fabric.api.client.networking.v1.ClientPlayNetworking;
+import net.fabricmc.fabric.api.networking.v1.PacketByteBufs;
 import net.fabricmc.fabric.api.networking.v1.PacketSender;
+import net.fabricmc.fabric.test.networking.NetworkingTestmods;
 import net.fabricmc.fabric.test.networking.play.NetworkingPlayPacketTest;
 
 public final class NetworkingPlayPacketClientTest implements ClientModInitializer, ClientPlayNetworking.PlayPacketHandler<NetworkingPlayPacketTest.OverlayPacket> {
+	private static final Identifier UNKNOWN_TEST_CHANNEL = NetworkingTestmods.id("unknown_test_channel");
+
 	@Override
 	public void onInitializeClient() {
 		ClientPlayConnectionEvents.INIT.register((handler, client) -> ClientPlayNetworking.registerReceiver(NetworkingPlayPacketTest.OverlayPacket.PACKET_TYPE, this));
+
+		ClientCommandRegistrationCallback.EVENT.register((dispatcher, dedicated) -> dispatcher.register(
+				ClientCommandManager.literal("clientnetworktestcommand")
+						.then(ClientCommandManager.literal("unknown").executes(context -> {
+							ClientPlayNetworking.send(UNKNOWN_TEST_CHANNEL, PacketByteBufs.create());
+							return Command.SINGLE_SUCCESS;
+						}
+		))));
 	}
 
 	@Override