diff --git a/src/core/dhcp/nm-dhcp-nettools.c b/src/core/dhcp/nm-dhcp-nettools.c
index 61490fb66..27bb136b0 100644
--- a/src/core/dhcp/nm-dhcp-nettools.c
+++ b/src/core/dhcp/nm-dhcp-nettools.c
@@ -1542,7 +1542,10 @@ stop(NMDhcpClient *client, gboolean release)
     NMDhcpNettoolsPrivate *priv = NM_DHCP_NETTOOLS_GET_PRIVATE(self);
 
     if (release) {
-        if (n_dhcp4_client_probe_release(priv->probe))
+        /* After we receive a lease from server, it doesn't matter if we completed ACD,
+         * we should send the release message. */
+        if (nm_dhcp_client_get_lease(client, FALSE)
+            && n_dhcp4_client_probe_release(priv->probe) < 0)
             _LOGT("dhcp-client4: failed to send request with RELEASE message");
     }