diff --git a/proxy/ProxyClientSession.cc b/proxy/ProxyClientSession.cc
index 2f80f3b63ec..64293cc3125 100644
--- a/proxy/ProxyClientSession.cc
+++ b/proxy/ProxyClientSession.cc
@@ -200,7 +200,6 @@ ProxyClientSession::handle_api_return(int event)
     NetVConnection *vc = this->get_netvc();
     if (vc) {
       vc->do_io_close();
-      this->release_netvc();
     }
     free(); // You can now clean things up
     break;
diff --git a/proxy/ProxyClientSession.h b/proxy/ProxyClientSession.h
index e08162c3aca..2e3d36f6a16 100644
--- a/proxy/ProxyClientSession.h
+++ b/proxy/ProxyClientSession.h
@@ -81,7 +81,6 @@ class ProxyClientSession : public VConnection
   virtual void new_connection(NetVConnection *new_vc, MIOBuffer *iobuf, IOBufferReader *reader, bool backdoor) = 0;
 
   virtual NetVConnection *get_netvc() const = 0;
-  virtual void release_netvc()              = 0;
 
   virtual int get_transact_count() const = 0;
 
diff --git a/proxy/http/Http1ClientSession.h b/proxy/http/Http1ClientSession.h
index 65912027a8f..decdc9f968f 100644
--- a/proxy/http/Http1ClientSession.h
+++ b/proxy/http/Http1ClientSession.h
@@ -100,19 +100,6 @@ class Http1ClientSession : public ProxyClientSession
     return client_vc;
   }
 
-  void
-  release_netvc() override
-  {
-    // Make sure the vio's are also released to avoid
-    // later surprises in inactivity timeout
-    if (client_vc) {
-      client_vc->do_io_read(nullptr, 0, nullptr);
-      client_vc->do_io_write(nullptr, 0, nullptr);
-      client_vc->set_action(nullptr);
-      client_vc = nullptr;
-    }
-  }
-
   int
   get_transact_count() const override
   {
diff --git a/proxy/http2/Http2ClientSession.cc b/proxy/http2/Http2ClientSession.cc
index 01d2ed7be00..27648f601fa 100644
--- a/proxy/http2/Http2ClientSession.cc
+++ b/proxy/http2/Http2ClientSession.cc
@@ -79,7 +79,6 @@ Http2ClientSession::free()
   }
 
   if (client_vc) {
-    release_netvc();
     client_vc->do_io_close();
     client_vc = nullptr;
   }
@@ -274,7 +273,6 @@ Http2ClientSession::do_io_close(int alerrno)
     // Copy aside the client address before releasing the vc
     cached_client_addr.assign(client_vc->get_remote_addr());
     cached_local_addr.assign(client_vc->get_local_addr());
-    this->release_netvc();
     client_vc->do_io_close();
     client_vc = nullptr;
   }
diff --git a/proxy/http2/Http2ClientSession.h b/proxy/http2/Http2ClientSession.h
index 4f69dc93f68..5ecfc6c4806 100644
--- a/proxy/http2/Http2ClientSession.h
+++ b/proxy/http2/Http2ClientSession.h
@@ -186,17 +186,6 @@ class Http2ClientSession : public ProxyClientSession
     return client_vc;
   }
 
-  void
-  release_netvc() override
-  {
-    // Make sure the vio's are also released to avoid later surprises in inactivity timeout
-    if (client_vc) {
-      client_vc->do_io_read(nullptr, 0, nullptr);
-      client_vc->do_io_write(nullptr, 0, nullptr);
-      client_vc->set_action(nullptr);
-    }
-  }
-
   sockaddr const *
   get_client_addr() override
   {