diff --git a/reactor-netty5-http/src/main/java/reactor/netty5/http/client/HttpClientOperations.java b/reactor-netty5-http/src/main/java/reactor/netty5/http/client/HttpClientOperations.java
index 08f1834c0a..5bc18b020b 100644
--- a/reactor-netty5-http/src/main/java/reactor/netty5/http/client/HttpClientOperations.java
+++ b/reactor-netty5-http/src/main/java/reactor/netty5/http/client/HttpClientOperations.java
@@ -729,13 +729,9 @@ final Mono<Void> send() {
 		if (!channel().isActive()) {
 			return Mono.error(AbortedException.beforeSend());
 		}
-		if (markSentHeaderAndBody()) {
-			HttpMessage request = newFullBodyMessage(channel().bufferAllocator().allocate(0));
-			return Mono.fromCompletionStage(() -> channel().writeAndFlush(request).asStage());
-		}
-		else {
-			return Mono.empty();
-		}
+		return Mono.fromCompletionStage(() -> markSentHeaderAndBody() ?
+				channel().writeAndFlush(newFullBodyMessage(channel().bufferAllocator().allocate(0))).asStage() :
+				channel().newSucceededFuture().asStage());
 	}
 
 	final void setNettyResponse(HttpResponse nettyResponse) {
diff --git a/reactor-netty5-http/src/main/java/reactor/netty5/http/server/HttpServerOperations.java b/reactor-netty5-http/src/main/java/reactor/netty5/http/server/HttpServerOperations.java
index d41870fdbb..ebaa271e5a 100644
--- a/reactor-netty5-http/src/main/java/reactor/netty5/http/server/HttpServerOperations.java
+++ b/reactor-netty5-http/src/main/java/reactor/netty5/http/server/HttpServerOperations.java
@@ -417,13 +417,9 @@ public HttpHeaders responseHeaders() {
 
 	@Override
 	public Mono<Void> send() {
-		if (markSentHeaderAndBody()) {
-			HttpMessage response = newFullBodyMessage(channel().bufferAllocator().allocate(0));
-			return Mono.fromCompletionStage(() -> channel().writeAndFlush(response).asStage());
-		}
-		else {
-			return Mono.empty();
-		}
+		return Mono.fromCompletionStage(() -> markSentHeaderAndBody() ?
+				channel().writeAndFlush(newFullBodyMessage(channel().bufferAllocator().allocate(0))).asStage() :
+				channel().newSucceededFuture().asStage());
 	}
 
 	@Override