diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index be1ee4c..c33ec32 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -260,6 +260,7 @@ func download(current time.Time) {
 	sqlite_reader := io.TeeReader(sqlite, sqlite_file)
 
 	br := brotli.NewWriterLevel(sqlite_br_file, 5)
+	defer br.Close()
 
 	log.Printf("starting compression of %s to %s\n", sqlite_filename, sqlite_br_filename)