diff --git a/fs/erofs/zdata.c b/fs/erofs/zdata.c
index da52b1cccd38..036f610e044b 100644
--- a/fs/erofs/zdata.c
+++ b/fs/erofs/zdata.c
@@ -1369,7 +1369,10 @@ static void z_erofs_decompress_queue(const struct z_erofs_decompressqueue *io,
 		owned = READ_ONCE(be.pcl->next);
 
 		z_erofs_decompress_pcluster(&be, io->eio ? -EIO : 0);
-		erofs_workgroup_put(&be.pcl->obj);
+		if (z_erofs_is_inline_pcluster(be.pcl))
+			z_erofs_free_pcluster(be.pcl);
+		else
+			erofs_workgroup_put(&be.pcl->obj);
 	}
 }