diff --git a/rpc/dcrd.go b/rpc/dcrd.go
index ba598ea..49f4474 100644
--- a/rpc/dcrd.go
+++ b/rpc/dcrd.go
@@ -58,16 +58,19 @@ func (d *DcrdConnect) Client(ctx context.Context, netParams *chaincfg.Params) (*
 	var verMap map[string]dcrdtypes.VersionResult
 	err = c.Call(ctx, "version", &verMap)
 	if err != nil {
+		d.Close()
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("dcrd version check failed: %v", err)
 	}
 
 	ver, exists := verMap["dcrdjsonrpcapi"]
 	if !exists {
+		d.Close()
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("dcrd version response missing 'dcrdjsonrpcapi'")
 	}
 
 	sVer := semver{ver.Major, ver.Minor, ver.Patch}
 	if !semverCompatible(requiredDcrdVersion, sVer) {
+		d.Close()
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("dcrd has incompatible JSON-RPC version: got %s, expected %s",
 			sVer, requiredDcrdVersion)
 	}
@@ -76,9 +79,11 @@ func (d *DcrdConnect) Client(ctx context.Context, netParams *chaincfg.Params) (*
 	var netID wire.CurrencyNet
 	err = c.Call(ctx, "getcurrentnet", &netID)
 	if err != nil {
+		d.Close()
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("dcrd getcurrentnet check failed: %v", err)
 	}
 	if netID != netParams.Net {
+		d.Close()
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("dcrd running on %s, expected %s", netID, netParams.Net)
 	}
 
@@ -86,9 +91,11 @@ func (d *DcrdConnect) Client(ctx context.Context, netParams *chaincfg.Params) (*
 	var info dcrdtypes.InfoChainResult
 	err = c.Call(ctx, "getinfo", &info)
 	if err != nil {
+		d.Close()
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("dcrd getinfo check failed: %v", err)
 	}
 	if !info.TxIndex {
+		d.Close()
 		return nil, errors.New("dcrd does not have transaction index enabled (--txindex)")
 	}
 
diff --git a/rpc/dcrwallet.go b/rpc/dcrwallet.go
index 07c9399..b5de45e 100644
--- a/rpc/dcrwallet.go
+++ b/rpc/dcrwallet.go
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ func (w *WalletConnect) Clients(ctx context.Context, netParams *chaincfg.Params)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Errorf("dcrwallet.Version error (wallet=%s): %v", c.String(), err)
 			failedConnections = append(failedConnections, connect.addr)
+			connect.Close()
 			continue
 		}
 
@@ -76,6 +77,7 @@ func (w *WalletConnect) Clients(ctx context.Context, netParams *chaincfg.Params)
 			log.Errorf("dcrwallet.Version response missing 'dcrwalletjsonrpcapi' (wallet=%s)",
 				c.String())
 			failedConnections = append(failedConnections, connect.addr)
+			connect.Close()
 			continue
 		}
 
@@ -84,6 +86,7 @@ func (w *WalletConnect) Clients(ctx context.Context, netParams *chaincfg.Params)
 			log.Errorf("dcrwallet has incompatible JSON-RPC version (wallet=%s): got %s, expected %s",
 				c.String(), sVer, requiredWalletVersion)
 			failedConnections = append(failedConnections, connect.addr)
+			connect.Close()
 			continue
 		}
 
@@ -93,12 +96,14 @@ func (w *WalletConnect) Clients(ctx context.Context, netParams *chaincfg.Params)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Errorf("dcrwallet.GetCurrentNet error (wallet=%s): %v", c.String(), err)
 			failedConnections = append(failedConnections, connect.addr)
+			connect.Close()
 			continue
 		}
 		if netID != netParams.Net {
 			log.Errorf("dcrwallet on wrong network (wallet=%s): running on %s, expected %s",
 				c.String(), netID, netParams.Net)
 			failedConnections = append(failedConnections, connect.addr)
+			connect.Close()
 			continue
 		}
 
@@ -108,6 +113,7 @@ func (w *WalletConnect) Clients(ctx context.Context, netParams *chaincfg.Params)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Errorf("dcrwallet.WalletInfo error (wallet=%s): %v", c.String(), err)
 			failedConnections = append(failedConnections, connect.addr)
+			connect.Close()
 			continue
 		}