diff --git a/game/src/main/java/org/apollo/game/release/r317/GroupedRegionUpdateMessageEncoder.java b/game/src/main/java/org/apollo/game/release/r317/GroupedRegionUpdateMessageEncoder.java
index 80fa508f..cd6703b7 100644
--- a/game/src/main/java/org/apollo/game/release/r317/GroupedRegionUpdateMessageEncoder.java
+++ b/game/src/main/java/org/apollo/game/release/r317/GroupedRegionUpdateMessageEncoder.java
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ public final class GroupedRegionUpdateMessageEncoder extends MessageEncoder<Grou
 
 			GamePacket packet = encoder.encode(update);
 			builder.put(DataType.BYTE, packet.getOpcode());
-			builder.putBytes(packet.getPayload());
+			builder.putBytes(packet.content());
 		}
 
 		return builder.toGamePacket();
diff --git a/game/src/main/java/org/apollo/game/release/r317/SpamPacketMessageDecoder.java b/game/src/main/java/org/apollo/game/release/r317/SpamPacketMessageDecoder.java
index 9b908c5e..4a1a8583 100644
--- a/game/src/main/java/org/apollo/game/release/r317/SpamPacketMessageDecoder.java
+++ b/game/src/main/java/org/apollo/game/release/r317/SpamPacketMessageDecoder.java
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ public final class SpamPacketMessageDecoder extends MessageDecoder<SpamPacketMes
 
 	@Override
 	public SpamPacketMessage decode(GamePacket packet) {
-		return new SpamPacketMessage(packet.getPayload().array());
+		return new SpamPacketMessage(packet.content().array());
 	}
 
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/game/src/main/java/org/apollo/game/release/r377/GroupedRegionUpdateMessageEncoder.java b/game/src/main/java/org/apollo/game/release/r377/GroupedRegionUpdateMessageEncoder.java
index 887ed5b4..b41e415b 100644
--- a/game/src/main/java/org/apollo/game/release/r377/GroupedRegionUpdateMessageEncoder.java
+++ b/game/src/main/java/org/apollo/game/release/r377/GroupedRegionUpdateMessageEncoder.java
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ public final class GroupedRegionUpdateMessageEncoder extends MessageEncoder<Grou
 
 			GamePacket packet = encoder.encode(update);
 			builder.put(DataType.BYTE, packet.getOpcode());
-			builder.putBytes(packet.getPayload());
+			builder.putBytes(packet.content());
 		}
 
 		return builder.toGamePacket();
diff --git a/game/src/main/java/org/apollo/game/release/r377/SpamPacketMessageDecoder.java b/game/src/main/java/org/apollo/game/release/r377/SpamPacketMessageDecoder.java
index 136d1bd5..dbf87508 100644
--- a/game/src/main/java/org/apollo/game/release/r377/SpamPacketMessageDecoder.java
+++ b/game/src/main/java/org/apollo/game/release/r377/SpamPacketMessageDecoder.java
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ public final class SpamPacketMessageDecoder extends MessageDecoder<SpamPacketMes
 
 	@Override
 	public SpamPacketMessage decode(GamePacket packet) {
-		return new SpamPacketMessage(packet.getPayload().array());
+		return new SpamPacketMessage(packet.content().array());
 	}
 
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/game/src/main/java/org/apollo/game/session/ApolloHandler.java b/game/src/main/java/org/apollo/game/session/ApolloHandler.java
index 564988c1..7c8629de 100644
--- a/game/src/main/java/org/apollo/game/session/ApolloHandler.java
+++ b/game/src/main/java/org/apollo/game/session/ApolloHandler.java
@@ -70,37 +70,32 @@ public final class ApolloHandler extends ChannelInboundHandlerAdapter {
 
 	@Override
 	public void channelRead(ChannelHandlerContext ctx, Object message) throws Exception {
-		try {
-			Channel channel = ctx.channel();
-			Attribute<Session> attribute = channel.attr(ApolloHandler.SESSION_KEY);
-			Session session = attribute.get();
+		Channel channel = ctx.channel();
+		Attribute<Session> attribute = channel.attr(ApolloHandler.SESSION_KEY);
+		Session session = attribute.get();
 
-			if (message instanceof HttpRequest || message instanceof JagGrabRequest) {
-				session = new UpdateSession(channel, serverContext);
+		if (message instanceof HttpRequest || message instanceof JagGrabRequest) {
+			session = new UpdateSession(channel, serverContext);
+		}
+
+		if (session != null) {
+			session.messageReceived(message);
+			return;
+		}
+
+		// TODO: Perhaps let HandshakeMessage implement Message to remove this explicit check
+		if (message instanceof HandshakeMessage) {
+			HandshakeMessage handshakeMessage = (HandshakeMessage) message;
+
+			switch (handshakeMessage.getServiceId()) {
+				case HandshakeConstants.SERVICE_GAME:
+					attribute.set(new LoginSession(channel, serverContext));
+					break;
+
+				case HandshakeConstants.SERVICE_UPDATE:
+					attribute.set(new UpdateSession(channel, serverContext));
+					break;
 			}
-
-			if (session != null) {
-				session.messageReceived(message);
-				return;
-			}
-
-			// TODO: Perhaps let HandshakeMessage implement Message to remove this explicit check
-			if (message instanceof HandshakeMessage) {
-				HandshakeMessage handshakeMessage = (HandshakeMessage) message;
-
-				switch (handshakeMessage.getServiceId()) {
-					case HandshakeConstants.SERVICE_GAME:
-						attribute.set(new LoginSession(channel, serverContext));
-						break;
-
-					case HandshakeConstants.SERVICE_UPDATE:
-						attribute.set(new UpdateSession(channel, serverContext));
-						break;
-				}
-			}
-
-		} finally {
-			ReferenceCountUtil.release(message);
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/net/src/main/java/org/apollo/net/codec/game/GamePacket.java b/net/src/main/java/org/apollo/net/codec/game/GamePacket.java
index 0f51e9cb..5c082f82 100644
--- a/net/src/main/java/org/apollo/net/codec/game/GamePacket.java
+++ b/net/src/main/java/org/apollo/net/codec/game/GamePacket.java
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package org.apollo.net.codec.game;
 
 import io.netty.buffer.ByteBuf;
 
+import io.netty.buffer.DefaultByteBufHolder;
 import org.apollo.net.meta.PacketType;
 
 /**
@@ -9,7 +10,7 @@ import org.apollo.net.meta.PacketType;
  *
  * @author Graham
  */
-public final class GamePacket {
+public final class GamePacket extends DefaultByteBufHolder {
 
 	/**
 	 * The length.
@@ -21,11 +22,6 @@ public final class GamePacket {
 	 */
 	private final int opcode;
 
-	/**
-	 * The payload.
-	 */
-	private final ByteBuf payload;
-
 	/**
 	 * The packet type.
 	 */
@@ -39,10 +35,10 @@ public final class GamePacket {
 	 * @param payload The payload.
 	 */
 	public GamePacket(int opcode, PacketType type, ByteBuf payload) {
+		super(payload);
 		this.opcode = opcode;
 		this.type = type;
 		length = payload.readableBytes();
-		this.payload = payload;
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -63,15 +59,6 @@ public final class GamePacket {
 		return opcode;
 	}
 
-	/**
-	 * Gets the payload.
-	 *
-	 * @return The payload.
-	 */
-	public ByteBuf getPayload() {
-		return payload;
-	}
-
 	/**
 	 * Gets the packet type.
 	 *
diff --git a/net/src/main/java/org/apollo/net/codec/game/GamePacketEncoder.java b/net/src/main/java/org/apollo/net/codec/game/GamePacketEncoder.java
index 0a9bfa1e..a5fda4fa 100644
--- a/net/src/main/java/org/apollo/net/codec/game/GamePacketEncoder.java
+++ b/net/src/main/java/org/apollo/net/codec/game/GamePacketEncoder.java
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ public final class GamePacketEncoder extends MessageToByteEncoder<GamePacket> {
 		} else if (type == PacketType.VARIABLE_SHORT) {
 			out.writeShort(payloadLength);
 		}
-		out.writeBytes(packet.getPayload());
+		out.writeBytes(packet.content());
 	}
 
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/net/src/main/java/org/apollo/net/codec/game/GamePacketReader.java b/net/src/main/java/org/apollo/net/codec/game/GamePacketReader.java
index 00e4ca9e..0f8bae99 100644
--- a/net/src/main/java/org/apollo/net/codec/game/GamePacketReader.java
+++ b/net/src/main/java/org/apollo/net/codec/game/GamePacketReader.java
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ public final class GamePacketReader {
 	 * @param packet The packet.
 	 */
 	public GamePacketReader(GamePacket packet) {
-		buffer = packet.getPayload();
+		buffer = packet.content();
 	}
 
 	/**