diff --git a/asio/src/examples/cpp14/operations/composed_6.cpp b/asio/src/examples/cpp14/operations/composed_6.cpp
index 82c0cd7223..b056272b76 100644
--- a/asio/src/examples/cpp14/operations/composed_6.cpp
+++ b/asio/src/examples/cpp14/operations/composed_6.cpp
@@ -156,9 +156,10 @@ auto async_write_messages(tcp::socket& socket,
         // We no longer have any future work coming for the I/O executor.
         io_work_.reset();
 
-        // Deallocate the encoded message before calling the user-supplied
-        // completion handler.
+        // Deallocate the encoded message and delay timer before calling the
+        // user-supplied completion handler.
         encoded_message_.reset();
+        delay_timer_.reset();
 
         // Call the user-supplied handler with the result of the operation.
         handler_(error);
diff --git a/asio/src/examples/cpp20/operations/composed_6.cpp b/asio/src/examples/cpp20/operations/composed_6.cpp
index 77e2f50f93..da89886d55 100644
--- a/asio/src/examples/cpp20/operations/composed_6.cpp
+++ b/asio/src/examples/cpp20/operations/composed_6.cpp
@@ -161,9 +161,10 @@ auto async_write_messages(tcp::socket& socket,
         // We no longer have any future work coming for the I/O executor.
         io_work_.reset();
 
-        // Deallocate the encoded message before calling the user-supplied
-        // completion handler.
+        // Deallocate the encoded message and delay timer before calling the
+        // user-supplied completion handler.
         encoded_message_.reset();
+        delay_timer_.reset();
 
         // Call the user-supplied handler with the result of the operation.
         handler_(error);