diff --git a/blockdev-nbd.c b/blockdev-nbd.c
index 24ba5382db..f73409ae49 100644
--- a/blockdev-nbd.c
+++ b/blockdev-nbd.c
@@ -21,12 +21,18 @@
 #include "io/channel-socket.h"
 #include "io/net-listener.h"
 
+typedef struct NBDConn {
+    QIOChannelSocket *cioc;
+    QLIST_ENTRY(NBDConn) next;
+} NBDConn;
+
 typedef struct NBDServerData {
     QIONetListener *listener;
     QCryptoTLSCreds *tlscreds;
     char *tlsauthz;
     uint32_t max_connections;
     uint32_t connections;
+    QLIST_HEAD(, NBDConn) conns;
 } NBDServerData;
 
 static NBDServerData *nbd_server;
@@ -51,6 +57,14 @@ int nbd_server_max_connections(void)
 
 static void nbd_blockdev_client_closed(NBDClient *client, bool ignored)
 {
+    NBDConn *conn = nbd_client_owner(client);
+
+    assert(qemu_in_main_thread() && nbd_server);
+
+    object_unref(OBJECT(conn->cioc));
+    QLIST_REMOVE(conn, next);
+    g_free(conn);
+
     nbd_client_put(client);
     assert(nbd_server->connections > 0);
     nbd_server->connections--;
@@ -60,14 +74,20 @@ static void nbd_blockdev_client_closed(NBDClient *client, bool ignored)
 static void nbd_accept(QIONetListener *listener, QIOChannelSocket *cioc,
                        gpointer opaque)
 {
+    NBDConn *conn = g_new0(NBDConn, 1);
+
+    assert(qemu_in_main_thread() && nbd_server);
     nbd_server->connections++;
+    object_ref(OBJECT(cioc));
+    conn->cioc = cioc;
+    QLIST_INSERT_HEAD(&nbd_server->conns, conn, next);
     nbd_update_server_watch(nbd_server);
 
     qio_channel_set_name(QIO_CHANNEL(cioc), "nbd-server");
     /* TODO - expose handshake timeout as QMP option */
     nbd_client_new(cioc, NBD_DEFAULT_HANDSHAKE_MAX_SECS,
                    nbd_server->tlscreds, nbd_server->tlsauthz,
-                   nbd_blockdev_client_closed, NULL);
+                   nbd_blockdev_client_closed, conn);
 }
 
 static void nbd_update_server_watch(NBDServerData *s)
@@ -81,12 +101,25 @@ static void nbd_update_server_watch(NBDServerData *s)
 
 static void nbd_server_free(NBDServerData *server)
 {
+    NBDConn *conn, *tmp;
+
     if (!server) {
         return;
     }
 
+    /*
+     * Forcefully close the listener socket, and any clients that have
+     * not yet disconnected on their own.
+     */
     qio_net_listener_disconnect(server->listener);
     object_unref(OBJECT(server->listener));
+    QLIST_FOREACH_SAFE(conn, &server->conns, next, tmp) {
+        qio_channel_shutdown(QIO_CHANNEL(conn->cioc), QIO_CHANNEL_SHUTDOWN_BOTH,
+                             NULL);
+    }
+
+    AIO_WAIT_WHILE_UNLOCKED(NULL, server->connections > 0);
+
     if (server->tlscreds) {
         object_unref(OBJECT(server->tlscreds));
     }