diff --git a/res/res_features.c b/res/res_features.c
index 71c5addb1351a8737582e54c9b5255548fc0a318..e45d02184918475256f2ae2af321a16ea1a65ac6 100644
--- a/res/res_features.c
+++ b/res/res_features.c
@@ -956,8 +956,11 @@ static int builtin_atxfer(struct ast_channel *chan, struct ast_channel *peer, st
 			return FEATURE_RETURN_SUCCESS;
 		}
 
-		if (check_compat(transferer, newchan))
+		if (check_compat(transferer, newchan)) {
+			/* we do mean transferee here, NOT transferer */
+			finishup(transferee);
 			return -1;
+		}
 		memset(&bconfig,0,sizeof(struct ast_bridge_config));
 		ast_set_flag(&(bconfig.features_caller), AST_FEATURE_DISCONNECT);
 		ast_set_flag(&(bconfig.features_callee), AST_FEATURE_DISCONNECT);
@@ -970,8 +973,10 @@ static int builtin_atxfer(struct ast_channel *chan, struct ast_channel *peer, st
 			transferer->_softhangup = 0;
 			return FEATURE_RETURN_SUCCESS;
 		}
-		if (check_compat(transferee, newchan))
+		if (check_compat(transferee, newchan)) {
+			finishup(transferee);
 			return -1;
+		}
 		ast_indicate(transferee, AST_CONTROL_UNHOLD);
 
 		if ((ast_autoservice_stop(transferee) < 0)
@@ -1061,8 +1066,10 @@ static int builtin_atxfer(struct ast_channel *chan, struct ast_channel *peer, st
 			return -1;
 
 		/* newchan is up, we should prepare transferee and bridge them */
-		if (check_compat(transferee, newchan))
+		if (check_compat(transferee, newchan)) {
+			finishup(transferee);
 			return -1;
+		}
 		ast_indicate(transferee, AST_CONTROL_UNHOLD);
 
 		if ((ast_waitfordigit(transferee, 100) < 0)