diff --git a/codec/codecutil/lex.go b/codec/codecutil/lex.go
index 158839dd..e1498b96 100644
--- a/codec/codecutil/lex.go
+++ b/codec/codecutil/lex.go
@@ -48,13 +48,6 @@ func init() {
 	close(zeroTicks)
 }
 
-func newTicker(d time.Duration) *time.Ticker {
-	if d == 0 {
-		return &time.Ticker{C: zeroTicks}
-	}
-	return time.NewTicker(d)
-}
-
 // Lex reads *l.bufSize bytes from src and writes them to dst every d seconds.
 func (l *ByteLexer) Lex(dst io.Writer, src io.Reader, d time.Duration) error {
 	if l.bufSize == nil {
@@ -68,7 +61,14 @@ func (l *ByteLexer) Lex(dst io.Writer, src io.Reader, d time.Duration) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("invalid delay: %v", d)
 	}
 
-	ticker := newTicker(d)
+	var ticker *time.Ticker
+	if d == 0 {
+		ticker = &time.Ticker{C: zeroTicks}
+	} else {
+		ticker = time.NewTicker(d)
+		defer ticker.Stop()
+	}
+
 	buf := make([]byte, bufSize)
 	for {
 		<-ticker.C