diff --git a/Source/GSFileHandle.m b/Source/GSFileHandle.m
index cc3ec34f2..56bbe97e9 100644
--- a/Source/GSFileHandle.m
+++ b/Source/GSFileHandle.m
@@ -366,24 +366,26 @@ static GSTcpTune        *tune = nil;
   [self ignoreReadDescriptor];
   [self ignoreWriteDescriptor];
 
-#if	USE_ZLIB
-  /*
-   * The gzDescriptor should always be closed when we have done with it.
-   */
-  if (gzDescriptor != 0)
+  if (closeOnDealloc == YES && descriptor != -1)
     {
-      gzclose(gzDescriptor);
-      gzDescriptor = 0;
+      [self closeFile];
     }
-#endif
-  if (descriptor != -1)
+  else
     {
-      [self setNonBlocking: wasNonBlocking];
-      if (closeOnDealloc == YES)
-	{
-	  close(descriptor);
-	  descriptor = -1;
-	}
+#if	USE_ZLIB
+      /*
+       * The gzDescriptor should always be closed when we have done with it.
+       */
+      if (gzDescriptor != 0)
+        {
+          gzclose(gzDescriptor);
+          gzDescriptor = 0;
+        }
+#endif
+      if (descriptor != -1)
+        {
+          [self setNonBlocking: wasNonBlocking];
+        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/Source/GSSocketStream.m b/Source/GSSocketStream.m
index fb6550def..e9479695d 100644
--- a/Source/GSSocketStream.m
+++ b/Source/GSSocketStream.m
@@ -476,7 +476,7 @@ static NSArray  *keys = nil;
 {
   handshake = NO;
   active = NO;
-  [session disconnect];
+  [session disconnect: NO];
 }
 
 - (void) dealloc
diff --git a/Source/GSTLS.h b/Source/GSTLS.h
index 6b85e3e99..30b33327d 100644
--- a/Source/GSTLS.h
+++ b/Source/GSTLS.h
@@ -197,9 +197,13 @@ typedef ssize_t (*GSTLSIOW)(gnutls_transport_ptr_t, const void *, size_t);
  */
 - (BOOL) active;
 
-/* Disconnects and closes down the session.
+/* Disconnects and closes down the session.<br />
+ * The reusable flag specifies whether we intend to reuse the underlying
+ * connection.<br />
+ * Returns YES on success, NO if the shutdown did not complete cleanly
+ * and the underlying connection cannot be reused.
  */
-- (void) disconnect;
+- (BOOL) disconnect: (BOOL)reusable;
 
 /* Try to complete a handshake ... return YES if complete, NO if we need
  * to try again (would have to wait for the remote end).<br />
diff --git a/Source/GSTLS.m b/Source/GSTLS.m
index e45dfe6ae..c1537c443 100644
--- a/Source/GSTLS.m
+++ b/Source/GSTLS.m
@@ -1281,13 +1281,32 @@ static NSMutableDictionary      *credentialsCache = nil;
   [super dealloc];
 }
 
-- (void) disconnect
+- (BOOL) disconnect: (BOOL)reusable
 {
+  BOOL  ok = YES;
+
   if (YES == active || YES == handshake)
     {
       active = NO;
       handshake = NO;
-      gnutls_bye(session, GNUTLS_SHUT_RDWR);
+      if (NO == reusable)
+        {
+          gnutls_bye(session, GNUTLS_SHUT_WR);
+        }
+      else
+        {
+          int   result;
+
+          do
+            {
+              result = gnutls_bye(session, GNUTLS_SHUT_RDWR);
+            }
+          while (GNUTLS_E_AGAIN == result || GNUTLS_E_INTERRUPTED == result);
+          if (result < 0)
+            {
+              ok = NO;
+            }
+        }
     }
   if (YES == setup)
     {
@@ -1295,11 +1314,12 @@ static NSMutableDictionary      *credentialsCache = nil;
       gnutls_db_remove_session(session);
       gnutls_deinit(session);
     }
+  return ok;
 }
 
 - (void) finalize
 {
-  [self disconnect];
+  [self disconnect: NO];
   [super finalize];
 }
 
@@ -1545,7 +1565,7 @@ static NSMutableDictionary      *credentialsCache = nil;
               ASSIGN(problem, p);
               NSLog(@"%@ %@", self, p);
             }
-          [self disconnect];
+          [self disconnect: NO];
           return YES;   // Failed ... not active.
         }
       else
@@ -1591,7 +1611,7 @@ static NSMutableDictionary      *credentialsCache = nil;
                     self, gnutls_strerror(ret));
                   NSLog(@"%@ %@", self, [self sessionInfo]);
                 }
-              [self disconnect];
+              [self disconnect: NO];
             }
         }
       return YES;       // Handshake complete
diff --git a/Source/NSFileHandle.m b/Source/NSFileHandle.m
index ebd2c4148..12626ab5b 100644
--- a/Source/NSFileHandle.m
+++ b/Source/NSFileHandle.m
@@ -985,9 +985,7 @@ GSTLSHandlePush(gnutls_transport_ptr_t handle, const void *buffer, size_t len)
 
 - (void) sslDisconnect
 {
-  // TLS may need to read data during teardown, and we need to wait for it.
-  [self setNonBlocking: NO];
-  [session disconnect];
+  [session disconnect: NO];
 }
 
 - (BOOL) sslHandshakeEstablished: (BOOL*)result outgoing: (BOOL)isOutgoing