diff --git a/changelog/unreleased/kong/fix-potential-socket-connection-leak.yml b/changelog/unreleased/kong/fix-potential-socket-connection-leak.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..218bcca26a5f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/unreleased/kong/fix-potential-socket-connection-leak.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+message: "Fix potential socket connection leak when websocket client connection fails"
+type: bugfix
+scope: Core
diff --git a/kong/clustering/rpc/manager.lua b/kong/clustering/rpc/manager.lua
index eefb1aabb6c5..c90bbb56b69b 100644
--- a/kong/clustering/rpc/manager.lua
+++ b/kong/clustering/rpc/manager.lua
@@ -569,6 +569,7 @@ function _M:connect(premature, node_id, host, path, cert, key)
   ::err::
 
   if not exiting() then
+    c:close()
     self:try_connect(reconnection_delay)
   end
 end
diff --git a/kong/clustering/utils.lua b/kong/clustering/utils.lua
index f05be2353fbc..5959f8f0a837 100644
--- a/kong/clustering/utils.lua
+++ b/kong/clustering/utils.lua
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ function _M.connect_cp(dp, endpoint, protocols)
 
   local ok, err = c:connect(uri, opts)
   if not ok then
+    c:close()
     return nil, uri, err
   end