diff --git a/examples/WireMock.Net.WebSocketExamples/Program.cs b/examples/WireMock.Net.WebSocketExamples/Program.cs
index 04b0bb1d..74083e9f 100644
--- a/examples/WireMock.Net.WebSocketExamples/Program.cs
+++ b/examples/WireMock.Net.WebSocketExamples/Program.cs
@@ -1,11 +1,7 @@
 // Copyright © WireMock.Net
 
-using System;
-using System.Linq;
 using System.Net.WebSockets;
 using System.Text;
-using System.Threading;
-using System.Threading.Tasks;
 using WireMock.Logging;
 using WireMock.RequestBuilders;
 using WireMock.ResponseBuilders;
diff --git a/src/WireMock.Net.Minimal/ResponseProviders/WebSocketResponseProvider.cs b/src/WireMock.Net.Minimal/ResponseProviders/WebSocketResponseProvider.cs
index 18b1d2ec..ba332e00 100644
--- a/src/WireMock.Net.Minimal/ResponseProviders/WebSocketResponseProvider.cs
+++ b/src/WireMock.Net.Minimal/ResponseProviders/WebSocketResponseProvider.cs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 // Copyright © WireMock.Net
 
+using System.Buffers;
 using System.Net;
 using System.Net.WebSockets;
 using System.Text;
@@ -44,14 +45,14 @@ internal class WebSocketResponseProvider(WebSocketBuilder builder) : IResponsePr
 #endif
 
             // Get options from HttpContext.Items (set by WireMockMiddleware)
-            if (!context.Items.TryGetValue(nameof(WireMockMiddlewareOptions), out var optionsObj) || 
+            if (!context.Items.TryGetValue(nameof(WireMockMiddlewareOptions), out var optionsObj) ||
                 optionsObj is not IWireMockMiddlewareOptions options)
             {
                 throw new InvalidOperationException("WireMockMiddlewareOptions not found in HttpContext.Items");
             }
 
             // Get or create registry from options
-            var registry = _builder.IsBroadcast 
+            var registry = _builder.IsBroadcast
                 ? options.WebSocketRegistries.GetOrAdd(mapping.Guid, _ => new WebSocketConnectionRegistry())
                 : null;
 
@@ -110,13 +111,13 @@ internal class WebSocketResponseProvider(WebSocketBuilder builder) : IResponsePr
         catch (Exception ex)
         {
             settings.Logger?.Error($"WebSocket error for mapping '{mapping.Guid}': {ex.Message}", ex);
-            
+
             // If we haven't upgraded yet, we can return HTTP error
             if (!context.Response.HasStarted)
             {
                 return (ResponseMessageBuilder.Create(HttpStatusCode.InternalServerError, $"WebSocket error: {ex.Message}"), null);
             }
-            
+
             // Already upgraded - return marker
             return (new WebSocketHandledResponse(), null);
         }
@@ -125,9 +126,9 @@ internal class WebSocketResponseProvider(WebSocketBuilder builder) : IResponsePr
     private static async Task HandleEchoAsync(WireMockWebSocketContext context)
     {
         var bufferSize = context.Builder.MaxMessageSize ?? WebSocketConstants.DefaultReceiveBufferSize;
-        var buffer = new byte[bufferSize];
+        using var buffer = ArrayPool<byte>.Shared.Lease(bufferSize);
         var timeout = context.Builder.CloseTimeout ?? TimeSpan.FromMinutes(WebSocketConstants.DefaultCloseTimeoutMinutes);
-        var cts = new CancellationTokenSource(timeout);
+        using var cts = new CancellationTokenSource(timeout);
 
         try
         {
@@ -172,7 +173,7 @@ internal class WebSocketResponseProvider(WebSocketBuilder builder) : IResponsePr
         var bufferSize = context.Builder.MaxMessageSize ?? WebSocketConstants.DefaultReceiveBufferSize;
         var buffer = new byte[bufferSize];
         var timeout = context.Builder.CloseTimeout ?? TimeSpan.FromMinutes(WebSocketConstants.DefaultCloseTimeoutMinutes);
-        var cts = new CancellationTokenSource(timeout);
+        using var cts = new CancellationTokenSource(timeout);
 
         try
         {
@@ -210,7 +211,7 @@ internal class WebSocketResponseProvider(WebSocketBuilder builder) : IResponsePr
     private static async Task HandleProxyAsync(WireMockWebSocketContext context, ProxyAndRecordSettings settings)
     {
         using var clientWebSocket = new ClientWebSocket();
-        
+
         var targetUri = new Uri(settings.Url);
         await clientWebSocket.ConnectAsync(targetUri, CancellationToken.None).ConfigureAwait(false);
 
@@ -219,12 +220,13 @@ internal class WebSocketResponseProvider(WebSocketBuilder builder) : IResponsePr
         var serverToClient = ForwardMessagesAsync(clientWebSocket, context.WebSocket);
 
         await Task.WhenAny(clientToServer, serverToClient).ConfigureAwait(false);
-        
+
         // Close both
         if (context.WebSocket.State == WebSocketState.Open)
         {
             await context.CloseAsync(WebSocketCloseStatus.NormalClosure, "Proxy closed");
         }
+
         if (clientWebSocket.State == WebSocketState.Open)
         {
             await clientWebSocket.CloseAsync(WebSocketCloseStatus.NormalClosure, "Proxy closed", CancellationToken.None);
@@ -234,7 +236,7 @@ internal class WebSocketResponseProvider(WebSocketBuilder builder) : IResponsePr
     private static async Task ForwardMessagesAsync(WebSocket source, WebSocket destination)
     {
         var buffer = new byte[WebSocketConstants.ProxyForwardBufferSize];
-        
+
         while (source.State == WebSocketState.Open && destination.State == WebSocketState.Open)
         {
             var result = await source.ReceiveAsync(new ArraySegment<byte>(buffer), CancellationToken.None);
@@ -262,7 +264,7 @@ internal class WebSocketResponseProvider(WebSocketBuilder builder) : IResponsePr
     {
         var buffer = new byte[WebSocketConstants.MinimumBufferSize];
         var timeout = context.Builder.CloseTimeout ?? TimeSpan.FromMinutes(WebSocketConstants.DefaultCloseTimeoutMinutes);
-        var cts = new CancellationTokenSource(timeout);
+        using var cts = new CancellationTokenSource(timeout);
 
         try
         {