diff --git a/subsys/bluetooth/mesh/adv.c b/subsys/bluetooth/mesh/adv.c
index 2b25a1d87b9..ae9beee0cd3 100644
--- a/subsys/bluetooth/mesh/adv.c
+++ b/subsys/bluetooth/mesh/adv.c
@@ -186,6 +186,8 @@ static void adv_thread(void *p1, void *p2, void *p3)
 		if (BT_MESH_ADV(buf)->busy) {
 			BT_MESH_ADV(buf)->busy = 0U;
 			adv_send(buf);
+		} else {
+			net_buf_unref(buf);
 		}
 
 		STACK_ANALYZE("adv stack", adv_thread_stack);