diff --git a/services/git-bridge/src/main/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/writelatex/api/request/base/Request.java b/services/git-bridge/src/main/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/writelatex/api/request/base/Request.java
index a0625ffe7f..baac4a6be4 100644
--- a/services/git-bridge/src/main/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/writelatex/api/request/base/Request.java
+++ b/services/git-bridge/src/main/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/writelatex/api/request/base/Request.java
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ import java.util.concurrent.Future;
  */
 public abstract class Request<T extends Result> {
 
+    public static final AsyncHttpClient httpClient = new AsyncHttpClient();
+
     private final String url;
 
     private Future<T> future;
@@ -64,12 +66,12 @@ public abstract class Request<T extends Result> {
 
     private void performGetRequest() {
         Util.sout("GET -> " + url);
-        request(new AsyncHttpClient().prepareGet(url));
+        request(httpClient.prepareGet(url));
     }
 
     private void performPostRequest() {
         Util.sout("POST -> " + url);
-        request(new AsyncHttpClient().preparePost(url).setBody(getPostBody()).setHeader("Content-Type", "application/json"));
+        request(httpClient.preparePost(url).setBody(getPostBody()).setHeader("Content-Type", "application/json"));
     }
 
     private void request(BoundRequestBuilder boundRequestBuilder) {
diff --git a/services/git-bridge/src/main/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/writelatex/model/ResourceFetcher.java b/services/git-bridge/src/main/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/writelatex/model/ResourceFetcher.java
index 345e4d1d33..745bc360cb 100644
--- a/services/git-bridge/src/main/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/writelatex/model/ResourceFetcher.java
+++ b/services/git-bridge/src/main/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/writelatex/model/ResourceFetcher.java
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 package uk.ac.ic.wlgitbridge.writelatex.model;
 
 import com.ning.http.client.AsyncCompletionHandler;
-import com.ning.http.client.AsyncHttpClient;
 import com.ning.http.client.HttpResponseBodyPart;
 import com.ning.http.client.Response;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Repository;
 import uk.ac.ic.wlgitbridge.bridge.RawFile;
 import uk.ac.ic.wlgitbridge.git.util.RepositoryObjectTreeWalker;
 import uk.ac.ic.wlgitbridge.util.Util;
+import uk.ac.ic.wlgitbridge.writelatex.api.request.base.Request;
 import uk.ac.ic.wlgitbridge.writelatex.api.request.exception.FailedConnectionException;
 import uk.ac.ic.wlgitbridge.writelatex.filestore.RepositoryFile;
 
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ public class ResourceFetcher {
         byte[] contents;
         Util.sout("GET -> " + url);
         try {
-            contents = new AsyncHttpClient().prepareGet(url).execute(new AsyncCompletionHandler<byte[]>() {
+            contents = Request.httpClient.prepareGet(url).execute(new AsyncCompletionHandler<byte[]>() {
 
                 ByteArrayOutputStream bytes = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
 
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ public class ResourceFetcher {
                 @Override
                 public byte[] onCompleted(Response response) throws Exception {
                     byte[] data = bytes.toByteArray();
+                    bytes.close();
                     Util.sout(response.getStatusCode() + " " + response.getStatusText() + " (" + data.length + "B) -> " + url);
                     return data;
                 }