diff --git a/checkpoint_engine/ps.py b/checkpoint_engine/ps.py
index eb63d82..1d8c5cf 100644
--- a/checkpoint_engine/ps.py
+++ b/checkpoint_engine/ps.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import ctypes
+import gc
 import os
 import threading
 from collections import defaultdict
@@ -852,6 +853,29 @@ def _update_per_bucket(
                     gidx += 1
 
             socket.recv()
+            device_mem = self.device_manager.device_module.mem_get_info()
+            logger.info(
+                f"[rank{self._rank}] weights broadcast done, device mem usage: {(device_mem[1] - device_mem[0]) / 1024 / 1024:.2f} MB, allocated memory: {self.device_manager.device_module.memory_allocated() / 1024 / 1024:.2f} MB, reserved memory: {self.device_manager.device_module.memory_reserved() / 1024 / 1024:.2f} MB"
+            )
+            # Notify worker to release handle
+            socket.send_pyobj(None)
+            socket.recv()
+            # Set to None in correct order (views first, then base tensors)
+            del buffer_b, h2d_buffer, buffer, handle
+            self.device_manager.device_module.synchronize()
+            gc.collect()
+            self.device_manager.device_module.ipc_collect()
+            self.device_manager.device_module.empty_cache()
+            self.device_manager.device_module.synchronize()
+
+            # Log actual memory usage
+            device_mem = self.device_manager.device_module.mem_get_info()
+            logger.info(
+                f"[rank{self._rank}] post-release: device mem usage: {(device_mem[1] - device_mem[0]) / 1024 / 1024:.2f} MB, "
+                f"allocated: {self.device_manager.device_module.memory_allocated() / 1024 / 1024:.2f} MB, "
+                f"reserved: {self.device_manager.device_module.memory_reserved() / 1024 / 1024:.2f} MB"
+            )
+            # Notify worker to call post_hook
             socket.send_pyobj(None)
             socket.recv()
         finally:
diff --git a/checkpoint_engine/worker.py b/checkpoint_engine/worker.py
index 3979cda..ea170ca 100644
--- a/checkpoint_engine/worker.py
+++ b/checkpoint_engine/worker.py
@@ -70,15 +70,35 @@ def update_weights_from_ipc(
         socket.send_string(msg)
         socket.recv()  # wait for ack
         raise
+    # State machine:
+    # + receive tensor_metadata -> update_weights
+    # + receive Exception -> raise and stop
+    # + receive None first time -> release resources
+    # + receive None second time -> call post_hook and stop
     try:
+        released = False
         while True:
             payload: list[FlattenedTensorMetadata] | Exception | None = socket.recv_pyobj()
-            if payload is None:  # done signal
+            if released:
+                assert payload is None, "Should not receive any payload after released"
                 if post_hook is not None:
                     post_hook()
                 device_manager.device_module.synchronize()
                 socket.send(b"")
                 break
+            if payload is None:  # done signal
+                # TODO: wrap all messages to an object instead of None and Exception
+                device_manager.device_module.synchronize()
+                released = True
+                buffer = None
+                del ipc_handle
+
+                gc.collect()
+                device_manager.device_module.ipc_collect()
+                device_manager.device_module.empty_cache()
+                device_manager.device_module.synchronize()
+                socket.send(b"")
+                continue
             if isinstance(payload, list):  # still updating weights
                 try:
                     run(_extract_weights(payload, buffer))
diff --git a/tests/test_update.py b/tests/test_update.py
index e44354f..89ddcfa 100644
--- a/tests/test_update.py
+++ b/tests/test_update.py
@@ -91,6 +91,9 @@ def checker_proc(rank: int, device_uuid: str, named_tensors: dict[str, torch.Ten
         name: tensor.to(device_manager.device_type) for name, tensor in named_tensors.items()
     }
     _zmq_ctx = zmq.Context()
+    mem_info = device_manager.device_module.mem_get_info()
+    memory_usage = mem_info[1] - mem_info[0]
+    memory_history: list[int] = [memory_usage]
 
     def check(names_to_check: dict[str, bool], weights: list[tuple[str, torch.Tensor]]):
         for name, weight in weights:
@@ -108,6 +111,11 @@ def check_weights(names_to_check: dict[str, bool], socket_paths: list[tuple[str,
             run=lambda weights: check(names_to_check, weights),
             post_hook=lambda: device_manager.device_module.synchronize(),
         )
+        device_manager.device_module.synchronize()
+        device_manager.device_module.empty_cache()
+        mem_info = device_manager.device_module.mem_get_info()
+        memory_usage = mem_info[1] - mem_info[0]
+        memory_history.append(memory_usage)
         assert all(names_to_check.values())
 
     while True:
@@ -117,6 +125,12 @@ def check_weights(names_to_check: dict[str, bool], socket_paths: list[tuple[str,
         names_to_check = dict.fromkeys(named_tensors.keys(), False)
         check_weights(names_to_check, socket_paths)
 
+    mem_info = device_manager.device_module.mem_get_info()
+    memory_usage = mem_info[1] - mem_info[0]
+    memory_history.append(memory_usage)
+    for memory in memory_history[1:]:
+        print(f"[rank{rank}] Memory change: {memory - memory_history[0]}")
+
 
 def run(
     checker_func: callable,
@@ -318,6 +332,8 @@ def test_update_with_files(test_name: str = "test_with_files"):
     rank_list = json.loads(sys.argv[2])
     if test_type == "test_no_error":
         run(checker_proc, rank_list, need_error=False)
+        mem_info = device_manager.device_module.mem_get_info()
+        print(f"Memory usage: {mem_info[1] - mem_info[0]}")
     elif test_type == "test_with_remote_error":
         run(
             checker_proc_with_error,