diff --git a/web-clients/src/main/java/org/bahmni/webclients/HttpClient.java b/web-clients/src/main/java/org/bahmni/webclients/HttpClient.java
index bd6fb74..110aaf8 100644
--- a/web-clients/src/main/java/org/bahmni/webclients/HttpClient.java
+++ b/web-clients/src/main/java/org/bahmni/webclients/HttpClient.java
@@ -99,9 +99,16 @@ public <T, R> R post(String url, T payload, Class<R> returnType) throws IOExcept
     private void checkSanityOfResponse(HttpResponse httpResponse) {
         StatusLine statusLine = httpResponse.getStatusLine();
         int statusCode = statusLine.getStatusCode();
-        if (statusCode < 200 || statusCode >= 300) throw new WebClientsException("Bad response code of " + statusCode);
-
         HttpEntity entity = httpResponse.getEntity();
+        if (statusCode < 200 || statusCode >= 300) {
+            try {
+                EntityUtils.consume(entity);
+            } catch (IOException e) {
+                throw new WebClientsException("Unable to read response entity", e);
+            }
+            throw new WebClientsException("Bad response code of " + statusCode);
+        }
+
         if (entity == null) throw new WebClientsException("Cannot read response");
     }