diff --git a/conn/pool.go b/conn/pool.go
index e4730018402..4270aa9ceee 100644
--- a/conn/pool.go
+++ b/conn/pool.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/dgraph-io/badger/y"
 	"github.com/dgraph-io/dgo/protos/api"
 	"github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/protos/pb"
 	"github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/x"
@@ -47,7 +48,7 @@ type Pool struct {
 
 	lastEcho time.Time
 	Addr     string
-	ticker   *time.Ticker
+	closer   *y.Closer
 }
 
 type Pools struct {
@@ -121,7 +122,7 @@ func (p *Pools) Connect(addr string) *Pool {
 	}
 	p.RUnlock()
 
-	pool, err := NewPool(addr)
+	pool, err := newPool(addr)
 	if err != nil {
 		glog.Errorf("Unable to connect to host: %s", addr)
 		return nil
@@ -129,18 +130,18 @@ func (p *Pools) Connect(addr string) *Pool {
 
 	p.Lock()
 	existingPool, has = p.all[addr]
+	defer p.Unlock()
 	if has {
-		p.Unlock()
+		go pool.shutdown() // Not being used, so release the resources.
 		return existingPool
 	}
 	glog.Infof("CONNECTED to %v\n", addr)
 	p.all[addr] = pool
-	p.Unlock()
 	return pool
 }
 
-// NewPool creates a new "pool" with one gRPC connection, refcount 0.
-func NewPool(addr string) (*Pool, error) {
+// newPool creates a new "pool" with one gRPC connection, refcount 0.
+func newPool(addr string) (*Pool, error) {
 	conn, err := grpc.Dial(addr,
 		grpc.WithStatsHandler(&ocgrpc.ClientHandler{}),
 		grpc.WithDefaultCallOptions(
@@ -151,10 +152,7 @@ func NewPool(addr string) (*Pool, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	pl := &Pool{conn: conn, Addr: addr, lastEcho: time.Now()}
-
-	// Initialize ticker before running monitor health.
-	pl.ticker = time.NewTicker(echoDuration)
+	pl := &Pool{conn: conn, Addr: addr, lastEcho: time.Now(), closer: y.NewCloser(1)}
 	go pl.MonitorHealth()
 	return pl, nil
 }
@@ -167,7 +165,8 @@ func (p *Pool) Get() *grpc.ClientConn {
 }
 
 func (p *Pool) shutdown() {
-	p.ticker.Stop()
+	glog.Warningf("Shutting down extra connection to %s", p.Addr)
+	p.closer.SignalAndWait()
 	p.conn.Close()
 }
 
@@ -189,6 +188,15 @@ func (p *Pool) listenToHeartbeat() error {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	go func() {
+		select {
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+		case <-p.closer.HasBeenClosed():
+			cancel()
+		}
+	}()
+
+	// This loop can block indefinitely as long as it keeps on receiving pings back.
 	for {
 		_, err := stream.Recv()
 		if err != nil {
@@ -203,17 +211,24 @@ func (p *Pool) listenToHeartbeat() error {
 
 // MonitorHealth monitors the health of the connection via Echo. This function blocks forever.
 func (p *Pool) MonitorHealth() {
+	defer p.closer.Done()
+
 	var lastErr error
-	for range p.ticker.C {
-		err := p.listenToHeartbeat()
-		if lastErr != nil && err == nil {
-			glog.Infof("Connection established with %v\n", p.Addr)
-		} else if err != nil && lastErr == nil {
-			glog.Warningf("Connection lost with %v. Error: %v\n", p.Addr, err)
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-p.closer.HasBeenClosed():
+			return
+		default:
+			err := p.listenToHeartbeat()
+			if lastErr != nil && err == nil {
+				glog.Infof("Connection established with %v\n", p.Addr)
+			} else if err != nil && lastErr == nil {
+				glog.Warningf("Connection lost with %v. Error: %v\n", p.Addr, err)
+			}
+			lastErr = err
+			// Sleep for a bit before retrying.
+			time.Sleep(echoDuration)
 		}
-		lastErr = err
-		// Sleep for a bit before retrying.
-		time.Sleep(echoDuration)
 	}
 }