diff --git a/contrib/pinot-druid-benchmark/src/main/java/org/apache/pinotdruidbenchmark/PinotThroughput.java b/contrib/pinot-druid-benchmark/src/main/java/org/apache/pinotdruidbenchmark/PinotThroughput.java
index 1ac1bf255ba3..3d7c3ee8c038 100644
--- a/contrib/pinot-druid-benchmark/src/main/java/org/apache/pinotdruidbenchmark/PinotThroughput.java
+++ b/contrib/pinot-druid-benchmark/src/main/java/org/apache/pinotdruidbenchmark/PinotThroughput.java
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 import org.apache.http.entity.StringEntity;
 import org.apache.http.impl.client.CloseableHttpClient;
 import org.apache.http.impl.client.HttpClients;
-
+import org.apache.http.util.EntityUtils;
 
 /**
  * Test throughput for Pinot.
@@ -90,8 +90,9 @@ public void run() {
           try (CloseableHttpClient httpClient = HttpClients.createDefault()) {
             while (System.currentTimeMillis() < endTime) {
               long startTime = System.currentTimeMillis();
-              CloseableHttpResponse httpResponse = httpClient.execute(httpPosts[RANDOM.nextInt(numQueries)]);
-              httpResponse.close();
+              try (CloseableHttpResponse httpResponse = httpClient.execute(httpPosts[RANDOM.nextInt(numQueries)])) {
+                EntityUtils.consume(httpResponse.getEntity());
+              }
               long responseTime = System.currentTimeMillis() - startTime;
               counter.getAndIncrement();
               totalResponseTime.getAndAdd(responseTime);
diff --git a/pinot-controller/src/main/java/org/apache/pinot/controller/helix/core/PinotHelixResourceManager.java b/pinot-controller/src/main/java/org/apache/pinot/controller/helix/core/PinotHelixResourceManager.java
index 1477396337cd..886c2d2a73a8 100644
--- a/pinot-controller/src/main/java/org/apache/pinot/controller/helix/core/PinotHelixResourceManager.java
+++ b/pinot-controller/src/main/java/org/apache/pinot/controller/helix/core/PinotHelixResourceManager.java
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ public ZkHelixPropertyStore<ZNRecord> getPropertyStore() {
   private void addInstanceGroupTagIfNeeded() {
     InstanceConfig instanceConfig = getHelixInstanceConfig(_instanceId);
     assert instanceConfig != null;
-    if (!instanceConfig.containsTag(Helix.CONTROLLER_INSTANCE)) {
+    if (instanceConfig != null && !instanceConfig.containsTag(Helix.CONTROLLER_INSTANCE)) {
       LOGGER.info("Controller: {} doesn't contain group tag: {}. Adding one.", _instanceId, Helix.CONTROLLER_INSTANCE);
       instanceConfig.addTag(Helix.CONTROLLER_INSTANCE);
       HelixDataAccessor accessor = _helixZkManager.getHelixDataAccessor();
diff --git a/pinot-core/src/main/java/org/apache/pinot/core/common/ObjectSerDeUtils.java b/pinot-core/src/main/java/org/apache/pinot/core/common/ObjectSerDeUtils.java
index 0754cd43f6c6..7b00f332f818 100644
--- a/pinot-core/src/main/java/org/apache/pinot/core/common/ObjectSerDeUtils.java
+++ b/pinot-core/src/main/java/org/apache/pinot/core/common/ObjectSerDeUtils.java
@@ -140,6 +140,9 @@ public String deserialize(byte[] bytes) {
 
     @Override
     public String deserialize(ByteBuffer byteBuffer) {
+      if (byteBuffer.hasArray()) {
+        return StringUtil.decodeUtf8(byteBuffer.array(), byteBuffer.position() + byteBuffer.arrayOffset(), byteBuffer.remaining());
+      }
       byte[] bytes = new byte[byteBuffer.remaining()];
       byteBuffer.get(bytes);
       return StringUtil.decodeUtf8(bytes);