diff --git a/CHANGES.txt b/CHANGES.txt
index c5ec1056c4..ae47440915 100644
--- a/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/CHANGES.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 4.1.9
+ * Fix SimpleClient ability to release acquired capacity (CASSANDRA-20202)
  * Fix WaitQueue.Signal.awaitUninterruptibly may block forever if invoking thread is interrupted (CASSANDRA-20084)
 Merged from 4.0:
  * Fix autocompletion for role names/user names (CASSANDRA-20175)
diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/transport/CQLMessageHandler.java b/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/transport/CQLMessageHandler.java
index 792f6bf7b6..c2d0b42974 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/transport/CQLMessageHandler.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/transport/CQLMessageHandler.java
@@ -373,11 +373,6 @@ public class CQLMessageHandler<M extends Message> extends AbstractMessageHandler
         return new Envelope(header, body);
     }
 
-    protected boolean processRequest(Envelope request)
-    {
-        return processRequest(request, Overload.NONE);
-    }
-    
     protected boolean processRequest(Envelope request, Overload backpressure)
     {
         M message = null;
diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/transport/SimpleClient.java b/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/transport/SimpleClient.java
index a7227c89a5..504df79c98 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/transport/SimpleClient.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/transport/SimpleClient.java
@@ -518,9 +518,9 @@ public class SimpleClient implements Closeable
                                         errorHandler,
                                         ctx.channel().attr(Connection.attributeKey).get().isThrowOnOverload())
                 {
-                    protected boolean processRequest(Envelope request)
+                    protected boolean processRequest(Envelope request, Overload overload)
                     {
-                        boolean continueProcessing = super.processRequest(request);
+                        boolean continueProcessing = super.processRequest(request, overload);
                         releaseCapacity(Ints.checkedCast(request.header.bodySizeInBytes));
                         return continueProcessing;
                     }