diff --git a/pkg/util/httpstream/spdy/connection.go b/pkg/util/httpstream/spdy/connection.go
index 884c6e20360..0330e203817 100644
--- a/pkg/util/httpstream/spdy/connection.go
+++ b/pkg/util/httpstream/spdy/connection.go
@@ -78,11 +78,15 @@ const createStreamResponseTimeout = 30 * time.Second
 func (c *connection) Close() error {
 	c.streamLock.Lock()
 	for _, s := range c.streams {
-		s.Close()
+		// calling Reset instead of Close ensures that all streams are fully torn down
+		s.Reset()
 	}
 	c.streams = make([]httpstream.Stream, 0)
 	c.streamLock.Unlock()
 
+	// now that all streams are fully torn down, it's safe to call close on the underlying connection,
+	// which should be able to terminate immediately at this point, instead of waiting for any
+	// remaining graceful stream termination.
 	return c.conn.Close()
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/util/httpstream/spdy/connection_test.go b/pkg/util/httpstream/spdy/connection_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..36b096402bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/util/httpstream/spdy/connection_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,163 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2016 The Kubernetes Authors All rights reserved.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package spdy
+
+import (
+	"io"
+	"net"
+	"net/http"
+	"sync"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/util/httpstream"
+)
+
+func runProxy(t *testing.T, backendUrl string, proxyUrl chan<- string, proxyDone chan<- struct{}) {
+	listener, err := net.Listen("tcp4", "localhost:0")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("error listening: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer listener.Close()
+
+	proxyUrl <- listener.Addr().String()
+
+	clientConn, err := listener.Accept()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("proxy: error accepting client connection: %v", err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	backendConn, err := net.Dial("tcp4", backendUrl)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("proxy: error dialing backend: %v", err)
+		return
+	}
+	defer backendConn.Close()
+
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
+	wg.Add(2)
+
+	go func() {
+		defer wg.Done()
+		io.Copy(backendConn, clientConn)
+	}()
+
+	go func() {
+		defer wg.Done()
+		io.Copy(clientConn, backendConn)
+	}()
+
+	wg.Wait()
+
+	proxyDone <- struct{}{}
+}
+
+func runServer(t *testing.T, backendUrl chan<- string, serverDone chan<- struct{}) {
+	listener, err := net.Listen("tcp4", "localhost:0")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("server: error listening: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer listener.Close()
+
+	backendUrl <- listener.Addr().String()
+
+	conn, err := listener.Accept()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("server: error accepting connection: %v", err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	streamChan := make(chan httpstream.Stream)
+	replySentChan := make(chan (<-chan struct{}))
+	spdyConn, err := NewServerConnection(conn, func(stream httpstream.Stream, replySent <-chan struct{}) error {
+		streamChan <- stream
+		replySentChan <- replySent
+		return nil
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("server: error creating spdy connection: %v", err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	stream := <-streamChan
+	replySent := <-replySentChan
+	<-replySent
+
+	buf := make([]byte, 1)
+	_, err = stream.Read(buf)
+	if err != io.EOF {
+		t.Errorf("server: unexpected read error: %v", err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	<-spdyConn.CloseChan()
+	raw := spdyConn.(*connection).conn
+	if err := raw.Wait(15 * time.Second); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("server: timed out waiting for connection closure: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	serverDone <- struct{}{}
+}
+
+func TestConnectionCloseIsImmediateThroughAProxy(t *testing.T) {
+	serverDone := make(chan struct{})
+	backendUrlChan := make(chan string)
+	go runServer(t, backendUrlChan, serverDone)
+	backendUrl := <-backendUrlChan
+
+	proxyDone := make(chan struct{})
+	proxyUrlChan := make(chan string)
+	go runProxy(t, backendUrl, proxyUrlChan, proxyDone)
+	proxyUrl := <-proxyUrlChan
+
+	conn, err := net.Dial("tcp4", proxyUrl)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("client: error connecting to proxy: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	spdyConn, err := NewClientConnection(conn)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("client: error creating spdy connection: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if _, err := spdyConn.CreateStream(http.Header{}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("client: error creating stream: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	spdyConn.Close()
+	raw := spdyConn.(*connection).conn
+	if err := raw.Wait(15 * time.Second); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("client: timed out waiting for connection closure: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	expired := time.NewTimer(15 * time.Second)
+	i := 0
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-expired.C:
+			t.Fatalf("timed out waiting for proxy and/or server closure")
+		case <-serverDone:
+			i++
+		case <-proxyDone:
+			i++
+		}
+		if i == 2 {
+			break
+		}
+	}
+}