diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 69f2ea58a0a..39d1e2da962 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ ENVSUBST_VER := v2.0.0-20210730161058-179042472c46
 ENVSUBST_BIN := envsubst
 ENVSUBST := $(TOOLS_BIN_DIR)/$(ENVSUBST_BIN)-$(ENVSUBST_VER)
 
-GOLANGCI_LINT_VER := v1.43.0
+GOLANGCI_LINT_VER := v1.44.2
 GOLANGCI_LINT_BIN := golangci-lint
 GOLANGCI_LINT := $(TOOLS_BIN_DIR)/$(GOLANGCI_LINT_BIN)-$(GOLANGCI_LINT_VER)
 
diff --git a/azure/services/loadbalancers/client.go b/azure/services/loadbalancers/client.go
index 3f4a18bab04..99a856b22b9 100644
--- a/azure/services/loadbalancers/client.go
+++ b/azure/services/loadbalancers/client.go
@@ -85,7 +85,10 @@ func (ac *azureClient) CreateOrUpdateAsync(ctx context.Context, spec azure.Resou
 
 	createFuture, err := ac.loadbalancers.CreateOrUpdateSender(req)
 	if err != nil {
-		err = autorest.NewErrorWithError(err, "network.LoadBalancersClient", "CreateOrUpdate", createFuture.Response(), "Failure sending request")
+		res := createFuture.Response()
+		err = autorest.NewErrorWithError(err, "network.LoadBalancersClient", "CreateOrUpdate", res, "Failure sending request")
+		// response body must be closed
+		res.Body.Close()
 		return nil, nil, err
 	}
 
diff --git a/exp/controllers/azuremanagedmachinepool_reconciler_test.go b/exp/controllers/azuremanagedmachinepool_reconciler_test.go
index e9fca8c070d..1f511884326 100644
--- a/exp/controllers/azuremanagedmachinepool_reconciler_test.go
+++ b/exp/controllers/azuremanagedmachinepool_reconciler_test.go
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ func TestIsAgentPoolVMSSNotFoundError(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 		{
 			Name:     "WithAWrappedNotFoundError",
-			Err:      errors.Wrap(NewAgentPoolVMSSNotFoundError("foo", "baz"), "boom!"),
+			Err:      errors.Wrap(NewAgentPoolVMSSNotFoundError("foo", "baz"), "boom"),
 			Expected: true,
 		},
 		{