diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f206343d..0a36748a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ The `sftpgo` configuration file contains the following sections:
 - **"sftpd"**, the configuration for the SFTP server
     - `bind_port`, integer. The port used for serving SFTP requests. Default: 2022
     - `bind_address`, string. Leave blank to listen on all available network interfaces. Default: ""
-    - `idle_timeout`, integer. Time in minutes after which an idle client will be disconnected. Default: 15
+    - `idle_timeout`, integer. Time in minutes after which an idle client will be disconnected. 0 menas disabled. Default: 15
     - `max_auth_tries` integer. Maximum number of authentication attempts permitted per connection. If set to a negative number, the number of attempts are unlimited. If set to zero, the number of attempts are limited to 6.
     - `umask`, string. Umask for the new files and directories. This setting has no effect on Windows. Default: "0022"
     - `banner`, string. Identification string used by the server. Default "SFTPGo"
diff --git a/sftpd/handler.go b/sftpd/handler.go
index e5ea92d3..61ca3417 100644
--- a/sftpd/handler.go
+++ b/sftpd/handler.go
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/drakkan/sftpgo/dataprovider"
 	"github.com/drakkan/sftpgo/logger"
-	"golang.org/x/crypto/ssh"
 
 	"github.com/pkg/sftp"
 )
@@ -37,7 +36,7 @@ type Connection struct {
 	lastActivity time.Time
 	protocol     string
 	lock         *sync.Mutex
-	sshConn      *ssh.ServerConn
+	netConn      net.Conn
 }
 
 // Log outputs a log entry to the configured logger
diff --git a/sftpd/server.go b/sftpd/server.go
index 976994ca..82e2d3da 100644
--- a/sftpd/server.go
+++ b/sftpd/server.go
@@ -197,7 +197,6 @@ func (c Configuration) configureLoginBanner(serverConfig *ssh.ServerConfig, conf
 
 // AcceptInboundConnection handles an inbound connection to the server instance and determines if the request should be served or not.
 func (c Configuration) AcceptInboundConnection(conn net.Conn, config *ssh.ServerConfig) {
-	defer conn.Close()
 
 	// Before beginning a handshake must be performed on the incoming net.Conn
 	sconn, chans, reqs, err := ssh.NewServerConn(conn, config)
@@ -205,7 +204,6 @@ func (c Configuration) AcceptInboundConnection(conn net.Conn, config *ssh.Server
 		logger.Warn(logSender, "", "failed to accept an incoming connection: %v", err)
 		return
 	}
-	defer sconn.Close()
 
 	logger.Debug(logSender, "", "accepted inbound connection, ip: %v", conn.RemoteAddr().String())
 
@@ -230,7 +228,7 @@ func (c Configuration) AcceptInboundConnection(conn net.Conn, config *ssh.Server
 		StartTime:     time.Now(),
 		lastActivity:  time.Now(),
 		lock:          new(sync.Mutex),
-		sshConn:       sconn,
+		netConn:       conn,
 	}
 	connection.Log(logger.LevelInfo, logSender, "User id: %d, logged in with: %#v, username: %#v, home_dir: %#v",
 		user.ID, loginType, user.Username, user.HomeDir)
diff --git a/sftpd/sftpd.go b/sftpd/sftpd.go
index 23f1b4c5..acd911b3 100644
--- a/sftpd/sftpd.go
+++ b/sftpd/sftpd.go
@@ -173,8 +173,8 @@ func CloseActiveConnection(connectionID string) bool {
 	defer mutex.RUnlock()
 	for _, c := range openConnections {
 		if c.ID == connectionID {
-			c.Log(logger.LevelDebug, logSender, "closing connection")
-			c.sshConn.Close()
+			err := c.netConn.Close()
+			c.Log(logger.LevelDebug, logSender, "close connection requested, err: %v", err)
 			result = true
 			break
 		}
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ func CheckIdleConnections() {
 		}
 		if idleTime > idleTimeout {
 			c.Log(logger.LevelInfo, logSender, "close idle connection, idle time: %v", idleTime)
-			err := c.sshConn.Close()
+			err := c.netConn.Close()
 			if err != nil {
 				c.Log(logger.LevelWarn, logSender, "idle connection close failed: %v", err)
 			}