diff --git a/test/rocjpeg_negative_api_tests/rocjpeg_api_negative_tests.cpp b/test/rocjpeg_negative_api_tests/rocjpeg_api_negative_tests.cpp
index 77eb9d8404..6884e7b53d 100644
--- a/test/rocjpeg_negative_api_tests/rocjpeg_api_negative_tests.cpp
+++ b/test/rocjpeg_negative_api_tests/rocjpeg_api_negative_tests.cpp
@@ -226,6 +226,11 @@ int RocJpegApiNegativeTests::TestInvalidCreate() {
         std::cerr << "Expected ROCJPEG_STATUS_EXECUTION_FAILED but got " << rocJpegGetErrorName(rocjpeg_status) << std::endl;
         return EXIT_FAILURE;
     }
+    rocjpeg_status = rocJpegDestroy(rocjpeg_handle_);
+    if (rocjpeg_status != ROCJPEG_STATUS_SUCCESS) {
+        std::cerr << "Expected ROCJPEG_STATUS_SUCCESS but got " << rocJpegGetErrorName(rocjpeg_status) << std::endl;
+        return EXIT_FAILURE;
+    }
 
     // Scenario 3: Pass valid pointer for handle but invalid device_id
     device_id = 255; // Invalid device ID
@@ -234,6 +239,11 @@ int RocJpegApiNegativeTests::TestInvalidCreate() {
         std::cerr << "Expected ROCJPEG_STATUS_INVALID_PARAMETER but got " << rocJpegGetErrorName(rocjpeg_status) << std::endl;
         return EXIT_FAILURE;
     }
+    rocjpeg_status = rocJpegDestroy(rocjpeg_handle_);
+    if (rocjpeg_status != ROCJPEG_STATUS_SUCCESS) {
+        std::cerr << "Expected ROCJPEG_STATUS_SUCCESS but got " << rocJpegGetErrorName(rocjpeg_status) << std::endl;
+        return EXIT_FAILURE;
+    }
 
     // Scenario 4: Pass valid pointer for handle but unsupported backend
     device_id = 0;
@@ -242,6 +252,11 @@ int RocJpegApiNegativeTests::TestInvalidCreate() {
         std::cerr << "Expected ROCJPEG_STATUS_NOT_IMPLEMENTED but got " << rocJpegGetErrorName(rocjpeg_status) << std::endl;
         return EXIT_FAILURE;
     }
+    rocjpeg_status = rocJpegDestroy(rocjpeg_handle_);
+    if (rocjpeg_status != ROCJPEG_STATUS_SUCCESS) {
+        std::cerr << "Expected ROCJPEG_STATUS_SUCCESS but got " << rocJpegGetErrorName(rocjpeg_status) << std::endl;
+        return EXIT_FAILURE;
+    }
 
     // Scenario 5: Use an unsupported backend
     RocJpegBackend backend = static_cast<RocJpegBackend>(-1);
@@ -250,6 +265,11 @@ int RocJpegApiNegativeTests::TestInvalidCreate() {
         std::cerr << "Expected ROCJPEG_STATUS_INVALID_PARAMETER but got " << rocJpegGetErrorName(rocjpeg_status) << std::endl;
         return EXIT_FAILURE;
     }
+    rocjpeg_status = rocJpegDestroy(rocjpeg_handle_);
+    if (rocjpeg_status != ROCJPEG_STATUS_SUCCESS) {
+        std::cerr << "Expected ROCJPEG_STATUS_SUCCESS but got " << rocJpegGetErrorName(rocjpeg_status) << std::endl;
+        return EXIT_FAILURE;
+    }
 
     // Create a valid rocJPEG handle - This step ensures a valid rocjpeg_handle_ is available for subsequent negative testing of other rocJPEG APIs.
     rocjpeg_status = rocJpegCreate(ROCJPEG_BACKEND_HARDWARE, device_id, &rocjpeg_handle_);