diff --git a/lib/logstash/outputs/jdbc.rb b/lib/logstash/outputs/jdbc.rb
index 4a04df6..198ed12 100644
--- a/lib/logstash/outputs/jdbc.rb
+++ b/lib/logstash/outputs/jdbc.rb
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ class LogStash::Outputs::Jdbc < LogStash::Outputs::Base
     end
 
     setup_and_test_pool!
-    
+
     buffer_initialize(
       :max_items => @flush_size,
       :max_interval => @idle_flush_time,
@@ -194,56 +194,55 @@ class LogStash::Outputs::Jdbc < LogStash::Outputs::Base
   end
 
   def safe_flush(events, teardown=false)
-    connection = @pool.getConnection()
-    statement = connection.prepareStatement(@statement[0])
-
-    events.each do |event|
-      next if event.cancelled?
-      next if @statement.length < 2
-      statement = add_statement_event_params(statement, event)
-
-      statement.addBatch()
-    end
-
+    connection = nil
+    statement = nil
     begin
+      connection = @pool.getConnection()
+      statement = connection.prepareStatement(@statement[0])
+
+      events.each do |event|
+        next if event.cancelled?
+        next if @statement.length < 2
+        statement = add_statement_event_params(statement, event)
+
+        statement.addBatch()
+      end
+
       statement.executeBatch()
       statement.close()
       @exceptions_tracker << nil
-      
     rescue => e
-      # Raising an exception will incur a retry from Stud::Buffer.
-      # Since the exceutebatch failed this should mean any events failed to be
-      # inserted will be re-run. We're going to log it for the lols anyway.
       log_jdbc_exception(e)
     ensure
-      connection.close();
+      statement.close() unless statement.nil?
+      connection.close() unless connection.nil?
     end
   end
 
   def unsafe_flush(events, teardown=false)
-    connection = @pool.getConnection()
+    connection = nil
+    statement = nil
+    begin
+      connection = @pool.getConnection()
 
-    events.each do |event|
-      next if event.cancelled?
-      
-      statement = connection.prepareStatement(event.sprintf(@statement[0]))
-      statement = add_statement_event_params(statement, event) if @statement.length > 1
+      events.each do |event|
+        next if event.cancelled?
+
+        statement = connection.prepareStatement(event.sprintf(@statement[0]))
+        statement = add_statement_event_params(statement, event) if @statement.length > 1
 
-      begin
         statement.execute()
-        
+
         # cancel the event, since we may end up outputting the same event multiple times
         # if an exception happens later down the line
         event.cancel
         @exceptions_tracker << nil
-      rescue => e
-        # Raising an exception will incur a retry from Stud::Buffer.
-        # We log for the lols.
-        log_jdbc_exception(e)
-      ensure
-        statement.close()
-        connection.close()
       end
+    rescue => e
+      log_jdbc_exception(e)
+    ensure
+      statement.close() unless statement.nil?
+      connection.close() unless connection.nil?
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/logstash-output-jdbc.gemspec b/logstash-output-jdbc.gemspec
index 891b539..6cc55ba 100644
--- a/logstash-output-jdbc.gemspec
+++ b/logstash-output-jdbc.gemspec
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 Gem::Specification.new do |s|
   s.name = 'logstash-output-jdbc'
-  s.version = "0.2.5"
+  s.version = "0.2.6-rc1"
   s.licenses = [ "Apache License (2.0)" ]
   s.summary = "This plugin allows you to output to SQL, via JDBC"
   s.description = "This gem is a logstash plugin required to be installed on top of the Logstash core pipeline using $LS_HOME/bin/plugin install gemname. This gem is not a stand-alone program"
diff --git a/spec/outputs/jdbc_spec.rb b/spec/outputs/jdbc_spec.rb
index 48b599d..fd783b2 100644
--- a/spec/outputs/jdbc_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/outputs/jdbc_spec.rb
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ describe LogStash::Outputs::Jdbc do
       end
       stmt.close()
       c.close()
+
       expect(count).to be > 0
     end