diff --git a/lib/fluent/plugin/out_forward.rb b/lib/fluent/plugin/out_forward.rb
index be10120e03..05e7d4e96d 100644
--- a/lib/fluent/plugin/out_forward.rb
+++ b/lib/fluent/plugin/out_forward.rb
@@ -203,28 +203,23 @@ def configure(conf)
         end
       end
 
+      socket_cache = @keepalive ? SocketCache.new(@keepalive_timeout, @log) : nil
+      @connection_manager = ConnectionManager.new(
+        log: @log,
+        secure: !!@security,
+        connection_factory: method(:create_transfer_socket),
+        socket_cache: socket_cache,
+      )
+
       @servers.each do |server|
         failure = FailureDetector.new(@heartbeat_interval, @hard_timeout, Time.now.to_i.to_f)
         name = server.name || "#{server.host}:#{server.port}"
 
-        socket_cache =
-          if @keepalive
-            SocketCache.new(@keepalive_timeout, @log)
-          else
-            nil
-          end
-        connection_manager = ConnectionManager.new(
-          log: @log,
-          secure: !!@security,
-          connection_factory: method(:create_transfer_socket),
-          socket_cache: socket_cache,
-        )
-
         log.info "adding forwarding server '#{name}'", host: server.host, port: server.port, weight: server.weight, plugin_id: plugin_id
         if @heartbeat_type == :none
-          @nodes << NoneHeartbeatNode.new(self, server, failure: failure, connection_manager: connection_manager)
+          @nodes << NoneHeartbeatNode.new(self, server, failure: failure, connection_manager: @connection_manager)
         else
-          node = Node.new(self, server, failure: failure, connection_manager: connection_manager)
+          node = Node.new(self, server, failure: failure, connection_manager: @connection_manager)
           begin
             node.validate_host_resolution!
           rescue => e
@@ -315,12 +310,17 @@ def close
         @usock.close rescue nil
       end
 
-      if @keepalive && @keepalive_timeout
-        @nodes.each(&:clear)
-      end
       super
     end
 
+    def stop
+      super
+
+      if @keepalive
+        @connection_manager.stop
+      end
+    end
+
     def write(chunk)
       return if chunk.empty?
       tag = chunk.metadata.tag
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ def on_heartbeat(sockaddr, msg)
     end
 
     def on_purge_obsolete_socks
-      @nodes.each(&:purge_obsolete_socks)
+      @connection_manager.purge_obsolete_socks
     end
 
     # return chunk id to be committed
@@ -670,14 +670,6 @@ def send_data(tag, chunk)
         nil
       end
 
-      def clear
-        @connection_manager.stop
-      end
-
-      def purge_obsolete_socks
-        @connection_manager.purge_obsolete_socks
-      end
-
       def close(sock)
         @connection_manager.close(sock)
       end