diff --git a/pkg/routes/api/v1/user_export.go b/pkg/routes/api/v1/user_export.go
index 1c2fd4117..b01b1fdf3 100644
--- a/pkg/routes/api/v1/user_export.go
+++ b/pkg/routes/api/v1/user_export.go
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ func DownloadUserDataExport(c *echo.Context) error {
 		}
 		return err
 	}
+	defer func() { _ = exportFile.File.Close() }()
 
 	// Downloads must never be cached; no-cache overrides the global no-store
 	// directive while still allowing revalidation.