diff --git a/scripts/http-server-header.nse b/scripts/http-server-header.nse
index 9ea75580c..0b1832698 100644
--- a/scripts/http-server-header.nse
+++ b/scripts/http-server-header.nse
@@ -48,19 +48,21 @@ action = function(host, port)
   end
   if #responses == 0 then
     -- Have to send the probe ourselves.
-    local status, result = comm.tryssl(host, port, "GET / HTTP/1.0\r\n\r\n")
+    local socket, result = comm.tryssl(host, port, "GET / HTTP/1.0\r\n\r\n")
 
-    if (not status) then
+    if (not socket) then
       return nil
     end
+    socket:close()
     responses[1] = result
   end
 
   -- Also send a probe with host header if we can. IIS reported to send
   -- different Server headers depending on presence of Host header.
-  local status, result = comm.tryssl(host, port,
+  local socket, result = comm.tryssl(host, port,
     ("GET / HTTP/1.1\r\nHost: %s\r\n\r\n"):format(stdnse.get_hostname(host)))
-  if status then
+  if socket then
+    socket:close()
     responses[#responses+1] = result
   end