diff --git a/kong/clustering/rpc/manager.lua b/kong/clustering/rpc/manager.lua
index ea5c4f5a2822..44b166f440ed 100644
--- a/kong/clustering/rpc/manager.lua
+++ b/kong/clustering/rpc/manager.lua
@@ -559,6 +559,7 @@ 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 ee34e7dce2e4..bebef2f2daf5 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