diff --git a/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/connection/ConnectionImpl.java b/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/connection/ConnectionImpl.java
index 67fe32a1..dc0d2e9f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/connection/ConnectionImpl.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/connection/ConnectionImpl.java
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ public class ConnectionImpl
         super.notifyDisconnect();
         FutureUtils.alertAll(new ConnectionException("Disconnected."), globalReqFutures);
         for (Channel chan : channels.values())
-            chan.close();
+            chan.finishOff();
     }
 
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/connection/channel/AbstractChannel.java b/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/connection/channel/AbstractChannel.java
index ebe479f3..b3430894 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/connection/channel/AbstractChannel.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/connection/channel/AbstractChannel.java
@@ -302,8 +302,8 @@ public abstract class AbstractChannel
         rwin.expand(howMuch);
     }
 
-    /** Called when this channel's end-of-life has been reached. Subclasses may override but must call super. */
-    protected void finishOff() {
+    @Override
+    public void finishOff() {
         conn.forget(this);
         close.set();
     }
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/connection/channel/Channel.java b/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/connection/channel/Channel.java
index 420bb2ab..d9676be3 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/connection/channel/Channel.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/connection/channel/Channel.java
@@ -117,6 +117,9 @@ public interface Channel
     /** @return whether the channel is open. */
     boolean isOpen();
 
+    /** Called when this channel's end-of-life has been reached. Subclasses may override but must call super. */
+    void finishOff();
+
     /**
      * Sends an EOF message to the server for this channel; indicating that no more data will be sent by us. The {@code
      * OutputStream} for this channel will be closed and no longer usable.