diff --git a/Parser.pm b/Parser.pm
index c938e8c..8944553 100644
--- a/Parser.pm
+++ b/Parser.pm
@@ -146,8 +146,13 @@ sub parse_start {
     my $expatnb = XML::Parser::ExpatNB->new( @expat_options, @_ );
     $expatnb->setHandlers(%handlers);
 
-    &$init($expatnb)
-      if defined($init);
+    if (defined($init)) {
+        eval { &$init($expatnb) };
+        if ($@) {
+            $expatnb->release;
+            die $@;
+        }
+    }
 
     $expatnb->{_State_} = 1;
 
@@ -177,8 +182,13 @@ sub parse {
         $expat->base( $self->{Base} );
     }
 
-    &$init($expat)
-      if defined($init);
+    if (defined($init)) {
+        eval { &$init($expat) };
+        if ($@) {
+            $expat->release;
+            die $@;
+        }
+    }
 
     my @result = ();
     my $result;
@@ -190,16 +200,22 @@ sub parse {
     }
 
     if ( $result and defined($final) ) {
-        if (wantarray) {
-            @result = &$final($expat);
-        }
-        else {
-            $result = &$final($expat);
-        }
+        my $want = wantarray;
+        eval {
+            if ($want) {
+                @result = &$final($expat);
+            }
+            else {
+                $result = &$final($expat);
+            }
+        };
+        $err = $@;
     }
 
     $expat->release;
 
+    die $err if $err;
+
     return unless defined wantarray;
     return wantarray ? @result : $result;
 }
diff --git a/t/parser_api.t b/t/parser_api.t
index d94fdfa..8e57fb1 100644
--- a/t/parser_api.t
+++ b/t/parser_api.t
@@ -213,4 +213,52 @@ my $simple_xml = '<root><child>text</child></root>';
     is($p->{Base}, 'saved_base', 'parsefile restores Base even after error');
 }
 
+# --- Init handler die releases parser (no circular ref leak) ---
+{
+    my $released = 0;
+    my $p = XML::Parser->new(
+        Handlers => {
+            Init => sub { die "init failed\n" },
+        },
+    );
+    eval { $p->parse('<root/>') };
+    like($@, qr/init failed/, 'Init handler die propagates correctly');
+    # Parser should still be usable after Init failure
+    my $ok = eval {
+        $p->setHandlers(Init => undef);
+        $p->parse('<root/>');
+        1;
+    };
+    ok($ok, 'Parser reusable after Init handler failure');
+}
+
+# --- Final handler die still releases parser ---
+{
+    my $p = XML::Parser->new(
+        Handlers => {
+            Final => sub { die "final failed\n" },
+        },
+    );
+    eval { $p->parse('<root/>') };
+    like($@, qr/final failed/, 'Final handler die propagates correctly');
+    # Parser should still be usable
+    my $ok = eval {
+        $p->setHandlers(Final => undef);
+        $p->parse('<root/>');
+        1;
+    };
+    ok($ok, 'Parser reusable after Final handler failure');
+}
+
+# --- parse_start Init handler die releases parser ---
+{
+    my $p = XML::Parser->new(
+        Handlers => {
+            Init => sub { die "init_nb failed\n" },
+        },
+    );
+    eval { $p->parse_start() };
+    like($@, qr/init_nb failed/, 'parse_start Init handler die propagates correctly');
+}
+
 done_testing;