diff --git a/gradle/libs.versions.toml b/gradle/libs.versions.toml
index 1d03687c..e1ad02ab 100644
--- a/gradle/libs.versions.toml
+++ b/gradle/libs.versions.toml
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ micrometer = "1.14.0-M3"
 micrometer-docs-gen = "1.0.4"
 micrometer-tracing = "1.4.0-M3"
 protobuf = "3.25.5"
-pulsar = "3.3.1"
+pulsar = "3.3.2"
 pulsar-reactive = "0.5.7"
 reactor = "2024.0.0-M6"
 spring = "6.2.0-RC1"
diff --git a/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/sample-failover-custom-router/compose.yaml b/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/sample-failover-custom-router/compose.yaml
index 42168e46..79b952d5 100644
--- a/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/sample-failover-custom-router/compose.yaml
+++ b/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/sample-failover-custom-router/compose.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 services:
   pulsar:
-    image: 'apachepulsar/pulsar:3.3.1'
+    image: 'apachepulsar/pulsar:3.3.2'
     ports:
       - '6650'
       - '8080'
diff --git a/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/sample-imperative-produce-consume/compose.yaml b/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/sample-imperative-produce-consume/compose.yaml
index 42168e46..79b952d5 100644
--- a/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/sample-imperative-produce-consume/compose.yaml
+++ b/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/sample-imperative-produce-consume/compose.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 services:
   pulsar:
-    image: 'apachepulsar/pulsar:3.3.1'
+    image: 'apachepulsar/pulsar:3.3.2'
     ports:
       - '6650'
       - '8080'
diff --git a/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/sample-pulsar-binder/compose.yaml b/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/sample-pulsar-binder/compose.yaml
index 42168e46..79b952d5 100644
--- a/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/sample-pulsar-binder/compose.yaml
+++ b/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/sample-pulsar-binder/compose.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 services:
   pulsar:
-    image: 'apachepulsar/pulsar:3.3.1'
+    image: 'apachepulsar/pulsar:3.3.2'
     ports:
       - '6650'
       - '8080'
diff --git a/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/sample-pulsar-functions/download-connectors.sh b/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/sample-pulsar-functions/download-connectors.sh
index c41ac2d2..d6dabb4b 100755
--- a/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/sample-pulsar-functions/download-connectors.sh
+++ b/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/sample-pulsar-functions/download-connectors.sh
@@ -2,6 +2,6 @@
 
 mkdir connectors
 cd connectors
-wget https://archive.apache.org/dist/pulsar/pulsar-3.3.1/connectors/pulsar-io-cassandra-3.3.1.nar
-wget https://archive.apache.org/dist/pulsar/pulsar-3.3.1/connectors/pulsar-io-rabbitmq-3.3.1.nar
+wget https://archive.apache.org/dist/pulsar/pulsar-3.3.2/connectors/pulsar-io-cassandra-3.3.2.nar
+wget https://archive.apache.org/dist/pulsar/pulsar-3.3.2/connectors/pulsar-io-rabbitmq-3.3.2.nar
 cd ..
diff --git a/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/sample-pulsar-reader/compose.yaml b/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/sample-pulsar-reader/compose.yaml
index 42168e46..79b952d5 100644
--- a/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/sample-pulsar-reader/compose.yaml
+++ b/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/sample-pulsar-reader/compose.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 services:
   pulsar:
-    image: 'apachepulsar/pulsar:3.3.1'
+    image: 'apachepulsar/pulsar:3.3.2'
     ports:
       - '6650'
       - '8080'
diff --git a/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/sample-reactive/compose.yaml b/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/sample-reactive/compose.yaml
index 42168e46..79b952d5 100644
--- a/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/sample-reactive/compose.yaml
+++ b/spring-pulsar-sample-apps/sample-reactive/compose.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 services:
   pulsar:
-    image: 'apachepulsar/pulsar:3.3.1'
+    image: 'apachepulsar/pulsar:3.3.2'
     ports:
       - '6650'
       - '8080'
diff --git a/spring-pulsar/src/main/java/org/springframework/pulsar/core/PulsarTemplate.java b/spring-pulsar/src/main/java/org/springframework/pulsar/core/PulsarTemplate.java
index 73690665..237f19a1 100644
--- a/spring-pulsar/src/main/java/org/springframework/pulsar/core/PulsarTemplate.java
+++ b/spring-pulsar/src/main/java/org/springframework/pulsar/core/PulsarTemplate.java
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ import org.apache.pulsar.client.api.MessageId;
 import org.apache.pulsar.client.api.Producer;
 import org.apache.pulsar.client.api.PulsarClientException;
 import org.apache.pulsar.client.api.Schema;
-import org.apache.pulsar.client.api.TypedMessageBuilder;
 import org.apache.pulsar.client.api.interceptor.ProducerInterceptor;
 import org.apache.pulsar.client.api.transaction.Transaction;
 
@@ -285,25 +284,19 @@ public class PulsarTemplate<T>
 
 		PulsarMessageSenderContext senderContext = PulsarMessageSenderContext.newContext(topicName, this.beanName);
 		Observation observation = newObservation(senderContext);
+		Producer<T> producer = null;
 		try {
 			observation.start();
-			Producer<T> producer = prepareProducerForSend(topicName, message, schema, encryptionKeys,
-					producerCustomizer);
-			TypedMessageBuilder<T> messageBuilder;
-			try {
-				var txn = getTransaction();
-				messageBuilder = (txn != null) ? producer.newMessage(txn) : producer.newMessage();
-				messageBuilder = messageBuilder.value(message);
-				if (typedMessageBuilderCustomizer != null) {
-					typedMessageBuilderCustomizer.customize(messageBuilder);
-				}
-				// propagate props to message
-				senderContext.properties().forEach(messageBuilder::property);
-			}
-			catch (RuntimeException ex) {
-				ProducerUtils.closeProducerAsync(producer, this.logger);
-				throw ex;
+			producer = prepareProducerForSend(topicName, message, schema, encryptionKeys, producerCustomizer);
+			var txn = getTransaction();
+			var messageBuilder = (txn != null) ? producer.newMessage(txn) : producer.newMessage();
+			messageBuilder = messageBuilder.value(message);
+			if (typedMessageBuilderCustomizer != null) {
+				typedMessageBuilderCustomizer.customize(messageBuilder);
 			}
+			// propagate props to message
+			senderContext.properties().forEach(messageBuilder::property);
+			var finalProducer = producer;
 			return messageBuilder.sendAsync().whenComplete((msgId, ex) -> {
 				if (ex == null) {
 					this.logger.trace(() -> "Sent msg to '%s' topic".formatted(topicName));
@@ -314,10 +307,13 @@ public class PulsarTemplate<T>
 					observation.error(ex);
 					observation.stop();
 				}
-				ProducerUtils.closeProducerAsync(producer, this.logger);
+				ProducerUtils.closeProducerAsync(finalProducer, this.logger);
 			});
 		}
 		catch (RuntimeException ex) {
+			if (producer != null) {
+				ProducerUtils.closeProducerAsync(producer, this.logger);
+			}
 			observation.error(ex);
 			observation.stop();
 			throw ex;
diff --git a/tools/pulsar/docker/standalone/pulsar-start.sh b/tools/pulsar/docker/standalone/pulsar-start.sh
index 9ff4b5b1..cd59ab03 100755
--- a/tools/pulsar/docker/standalone/pulsar-start.sh
+++ b/tools/pulsar/docker/standalone/pulsar-start.sh
@@ -3,5 +3,5 @@
 docker run -it -p 6650:6650 -p 8080:8080 \
   --mount source=pulsardata,target=/pulsar/data \
   --mount source=pulsarconf,target=/pulsar/conf \
-  apachepulsar/pulsar:3.3.1 \
+  apachepulsar/pulsar:3.3.2 \
   bin/pulsar standalone