diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/http/DefaultRestChannel.java b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/http/DefaultRestChannel.java
index 5191a8d85cef6..098a01410897c 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/http/DefaultRestChannel.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/http/DefaultRestChannel.java
@@ -168,12 +168,13 @@ private void addCookies(HttpResponse response) {
 
     // Determine if the request connection should be closed on completion.
     private boolean isCloseConnection() {
-        final boolean http10 = isHttp10();
-        return CLOSE.equalsIgnoreCase(request.header(CONNECTION)) || (http10 && !KEEP_ALIVE.equalsIgnoreCase(request.header(CONNECTION)));
-    }
-
-    // Determine if the request protocol version is HTTP 1.0
-    private boolean isHttp10() {
-        return request.getHttpRequest().protocolVersion() == HttpRequest.HttpVersion.HTTP_1_0;
+        try {
+            final boolean http10 = request.getHttpRequest().protocolVersion() == HttpRequest.HttpVersion.HTTP_1_0;
+            return CLOSE.equalsIgnoreCase(request.header(CONNECTION))
+                || (http10 && !KEEP_ALIVE.equalsIgnoreCase(request.header(CONNECTION)));
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            // In case we fail to parse the http protocol version out of the request we always close the connection
+            return true;
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/http/DefaultRestChannelTests.java b/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/http/DefaultRestChannelTests.java
index c58ec6a4becbb..3bfc649820fee 100644
--- a/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/http/DefaultRestChannelTests.java
+++ b/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/http/DefaultRestChannelTests.java
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Objects;
+import java.util.function.Supplier;
 
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.equalTo;
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.hasItem;
@@ -272,8 +273,13 @@ public void testReleaseInListener() throws IOException {
     public void testConnectionClose() throws Exception {
         final Settings settings = Settings.builder().build();
         final HttpRequest httpRequest;
-        final boolean close = randomBoolean();
-        if (randomBoolean()) {
+        final boolean brokenRequest = randomBoolean();
+        final boolean close = brokenRequest || randomBoolean();
+        if (brokenRequest) {
+            httpRequest = new TestRequest(() -> {
+                throw new IllegalArgumentException("Can't parse HTTP version");
+            }, RestRequest.Method.GET, "/");
+        } else if (randomBoolean()) {
             httpRequest = new TestRequest(HttpRequest.HttpVersion.HTTP_1_1, RestRequest.Method.GET, "/");
             if (close) {
                 httpRequest.getHeaders().put(DefaultRestChannel.CONNECTION, Collections.singletonList(DefaultRestChannel.CLOSE));
@@ -399,18 +405,21 @@ private TestResponse executeRequest(final Settings settings, final String origin
 
     private static class TestRequest implements HttpRequest {
 
-        private final HttpVersion version;
+        private final Supplier<HttpVersion> version;
         private final RestRequest.Method method;
         private final String uri;
         private HashMap<String, List<String>> headers = new HashMap<>();
 
-        private TestRequest(HttpVersion version, RestRequest.Method method, String uri) {
-
-            this.version = version;
+        private TestRequest(Supplier<HttpVersion> versionSupplier, RestRequest.Method method, String uri) {
+            this.version = versionSupplier;
             this.method = method;
             this.uri = uri;
         }
 
+        private TestRequest(HttpVersion version, RestRequest.Method method, String uri) {
+            this(() -> version, method, uri);
+        }
+
         @Override
         public RestRequest.Method method() {
             return method;
@@ -438,7 +447,7 @@ public List<String> strictCookies() {
 
         @Override
         public HttpVersion protocolVersion() {
-            return version;
+            return version.get();
         }
 
         @Override