diff --git a/src/core/nginx.c b/src/core/nginx.c
index 0deb27b7f..2e57040d1 100644
--- a/src/core/nginx.c
+++ b/src/core/nginx.c
@@ -132,6 +132,13 @@ static ngx_command_t  ngx_core_commands[] = {
       offsetof(ngx_core_conf_t, shutdown_timeout),
       NULL },
 
+    { ngx_string("shutdown_close_idle_connections"),
+      NGX_MAIN_CONF|NGX_DIRECT_CONF|NGX_CONF_TAKE1,
+      ngx_conf_set_flag_slot,
+      0,
+      offsetof(ngx_core_conf_t, shutdown_close_idle_connections),
+      NULL },  
+
     { ngx_string("working_directory"),
       NGX_MAIN_CONF|NGX_DIRECT_CONF|NGX_CONF_TAKE1,
       ngx_conf_set_str_slot,
@@ -1115,6 +1122,7 @@ ngx_core_module_create_conf(ngx_cycle_t *cycle)
     ccf->master = NGX_CONF_UNSET;
     ccf->timer_resolution = NGX_CONF_UNSET_MSEC;
     ccf->shutdown_timeout = NGX_CONF_UNSET_MSEC;
+    ccf->shutdown_close_idle_connections = NGX_CONF_UNSET;
 
     ccf->worker_processes = NGX_CONF_UNSET;
     ccf->debug_points = NGX_CONF_UNSET;
@@ -1144,6 +1152,7 @@ ngx_core_module_init_conf(ngx_cycle_t *cycle, void *conf)
     ngx_conf_init_value(ccf->master, 1);
     ngx_conf_init_msec_value(ccf->timer_resolution, 0);
     ngx_conf_init_msec_value(ccf->shutdown_timeout, 0);
+    ngx_conf_init_value(ccf->shutdown_close_idle_connections, 1);
 
     ngx_conf_init_value(ccf->worker_processes, 1);
     ngx_conf_init_value(ccf->debug_points, 0);
diff --git a/src/core/ngx_cycle.h b/src/core/ngx_cycle.h
index 0c47f25fe..dbd581f02 100644
--- a/src/core/ngx_cycle.h
+++ b/src/core/ngx_cycle.h
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ struct ngx_cycle_s {
 typedef struct {
     ngx_flag_t                daemon;
     ngx_flag_t                master;
-
+    ngx_flag_t                shutdown_close_idle_connections;
     ngx_msec_t                timer_resolution;
     ngx_msec_t                shutdown_timeout;
 
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ typedef struct {
     ngx_array_t               env;
     char                    **environment;
 
-    ngx_uint_t                transparent;  /* unsigned  transparent:1; */
+    ngx_uint_t                transparent;  /* unsigned  transparent:1; */  
 } ngx_core_conf_t;
 
 
diff --git a/src/os/unix/ngx_process_cycle.c b/src/os/unix/ngx_process_cycle.c
index 5bc5ce979..ba5366141 100644
--- a/src/os/unix/ngx_process_cycle.c
+++ b/src/os/unix/ngx_process_cycle.c
@@ -699,6 +699,8 @@ static void
 ngx_worker_process_cycle(ngx_cycle_t *cycle, void *data)
 {
     ngx_int_t worker = (intptr_t) data;
+    ngx_core_conf_t *ccf = (ngx_core_conf_t *) ngx_get_conf(cycle->conf_ctx,
+                                                       ngx_core_module);
 
     ngx_process = NGX_PROCESS_WORKER;
     ngx_worker = worker;
@@ -735,7 +737,11 @@ ngx_worker_process_cycle(ngx_cycle_t *cycle, void *data)
                 ngx_exiting = 1;
                 ngx_set_shutdown_timer(cycle);
                 ngx_close_listening_sockets(cycle);
-                ngx_close_idle_connections(cycle);
+                if (ccf->shutdown_close_idle_connections) {
+                    ngx_close_idle_connections(cycle);
+                } else {
+                    ngx_log_error(NGX_LOG_NOTICE, cycle->log, 0, "shutdown_close_idle_connections is not set, not closing idle connections, waiting for connections to close by keepalive_timeout or last response with connection: close");
+                }
                 ngx_event_process_posted(cycle, &ngx_posted_events);
             }
         }