diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 779030e..35f7ffd 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 # pool (development version)
 
+* `Pool$release()` now forwards `error_call` correctly when reporting invalid objects.
+
 # pool 1.0.5
 
 * Added compatibility for dbplyr's upcoming dialect-based dispatch.
diff --git a/R/pool.R b/R/pool.R
index 5a0efbe..8cfe806 100644
--- a/R/pool.R
+++ b/R/pool.R
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ Pool <- R6::R6Class(
     ## (sets up task to destroy the object if the number of
     ## total objects exceeds the minimum)
     release = function(object, error_call = caller_env()) {
-      pool_metadata <- pool_metadata(object, error_call = error_call())
+      pool_metadata <- pool_metadata(object, error_call = error_call)
       if (pool_metadata$state == "free") {
         abort(
           "This object was already returned to the pool.",
diff --git a/tests/testthat/_snaps/pool.md b/tests/testthat/_snaps/pool.md
index a23eda3..119a3e9 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/_snaps/pool.md
+++ b/tests/testthat/_snaps/pool.md
@@ -25,6 +25,14 @@
       Error in `poolClose()`:
       ! The pool has been closed.
 
+# releasing a non-pooled object gives an informative error
+
+    Code
+      release(1)
+    Condition
+      Error in `release()`:
+      ! `object` is not an pooled object.
+
 # max size is enforced
 
     Code
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-pool.R b/tests/testthat/test-pool.R
index 5ecf4b3..f9e0aff 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-pool.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-pool.R
@@ -37,6 +37,14 @@ test_that("can fetch and release", {
   checkCounts(pool, free = 1, taken = 0)
 })
 
+test_that("releasing a non-pooled object gives an informative error", {
+  pool <- poolCreate(function() 1)
+  defer(poolClose(pool))
+
+  release <- function(object) pool$release(object)
+  expect_snapshot(release(1), error = TRUE)
+})
+
 test_that("max size is enforced", {
   pool <- poolCreate(MockPooledObj$new, maxSize = 2)
   defer(poolClose(pool))