diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/common/DefaultFlagsProvider.java b/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/common/DefaultFlagsProvider.java
index ed92e07a81b..83dc3ff7bbf 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/common/DefaultFlagsProvider.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/common/DefaultFlagsProvider.java
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ final class DefaultFlagsProvider implements FlagsProvider {
     static final String FILE_SERVICE_CACHE_SPEC = "maximumSize=1024";
     static final String DNS_CACHE_SPEC = "maximumSize=4096";
     static final long DEFAULT_UNLOGGED_EXCEPTIONS_REPORT_INTERVAL_MILLIS = 10000;
+    static final long DEFAULT_HTTP1_CONNECTION_CLOSE_DELAY_MILLIS = 3000;
 
     private DefaultFlagsProvider() {}
 
@@ -484,4 +485,9 @@ public Long defaultUnloggedExceptionsReportIntervalMillis() {
     public DistributionStatisticConfig distributionStatisticConfig() {
         return DistributionStatisticConfigUtil.DEFAULT_DIST_STAT_CFG;
     }
+
+    @Override
+    public Long defaultHttp1ConnectionCloseDelayMillis() {
+        return DEFAULT_HTTP1_CONNECTION_CLOSE_DELAY_MILLIS;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/common/Flags.java b/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/common/Flags.java
index 3d1250fd530..73165377cb6 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/common/Flags.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/common/Flags.java
@@ -421,6 +421,10 @@ private static boolean validateTransportType(TransportType transportType, String
     private static final DistributionStatisticConfig DISTRIBUTION_STATISTIC_CONFIG =
             getValue(FlagsProvider::distributionStatisticConfig, "distributionStatisticConfig");
 
+    private static final long DEFAULT_HTTP1_CONNECTION_CLOSE_DELAY_MILLIS =
+            getValue(FlagsProvider::defaultHttp1ConnectionCloseDelayMillis,
+                    "defaultHttp1ConnectionCloseDelayMillis", value -> value >= 0);
+
     /**
      * Returns the specification of the {@link Sampler} that determines whether to retain the stack
      * trace of the exceptions that are thrown frequently by Armeria. A sampled exception will have the stack
@@ -1563,6 +1567,21 @@ public static DistributionStatisticConfig distributionStatisticConfig() {
         return DISTRIBUTION_STATISTIC_CONFIG;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns the default time in milliseconds to wait before closing an HTTP/1 connection when a server needs
+     * to close the connection. This allows to avoid a server socket from remaining in the TIME_WAIT state
+     * instead of CLOSED when a connection is closed.
+     *
+     * <p>The default value of this flag is
+     * {@value DefaultFlagsProvider#DEFAULT_HTTP1_CONNECTION_CLOSE_DELAY_MILLIS}. Specify the
+     * {@code -Dcom.linecorp.armeria.defaultHttp1ConnectionCloseDelayMillis=<long>} JVM option to
+     * override the default value. {@code 0} closes the connection immediately.</p>
+     */
+    @UnstableApi
+    public static long defaultHttp1ConnectionCloseDelayMillis() {
+        return DEFAULT_HTTP1_CONNECTION_CLOSE_DELAY_MILLIS;
+    }
+
     @Nullable
     private static String nullableCaffeineSpec(Function<FlagsProvider, String> method, String flagName) {
         return caffeineSpec(method, flagName, true);
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/common/FlagsProvider.java b/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/common/FlagsProvider.java
index 3a7f5227022..621d552d7a4 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/common/FlagsProvider.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/common/FlagsProvider.java
@@ -1175,4 +1175,20 @@ default Long defaultUnloggedExceptionsReportIntervalMillis() {
     default DistributionStatisticConfig distributionStatisticConfig() {
         return null;
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the default time in milliseconds to wait before closing an HTTP/1 connection when a server needs
+     * to close the connection. This allows to avoid a server socket from remaining in the TIME_WAIT state
+     * instead of CLOSED when a connection is closed.
+     *
+     * <p>The default value of this flag is
+     * {@value DefaultFlagsProvider#DEFAULT_HTTP1_CONNECTION_CLOSE_DELAY_MILLIS}. Specify the
+     * {@code -Dcom.linecorp.armeria.defaultHttp1ConnectionCloseDelayMillis=<long>} JVM option to
+     * override the default value. {@code 0} closes the connection immediately. </p>
+     */
+    @Nullable
+    @UnstableApi
+    default Long defaultHttp1ConnectionCloseDelayMillis() {
+        return null;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/common/SystemPropertyFlagsProvider.java b/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/common/SystemPropertyFlagsProvider.java
index 18b99cb2eea..20fefc50b58 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/common/SystemPropertyFlagsProvider.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/common/SystemPropertyFlagsProvider.java
@@ -492,6 +492,11 @@ public Long defaultUnhandledExceptionsReportIntervalMillis() {
         return getLong("defaultUnhandledExceptionsReportIntervalMillis");
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public Long defaultHttp1ConnectionCloseDelayMillis() {
+        return getLong("defaultHttp1ConnectionCloseDelayMillis");
+    }
+
     @Override
     public @Nullable Long defaultUnloggedExceptionsReportIntervalMillis() {
         return getLong("defaultUnloggedExceptionsReportIntervalMillis");
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/server/AbstractHttpResponseHandler.java b/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/server/AbstractHttpResponseHandler.java
index b9712521a92..446c51f8bd8 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/server/AbstractHttpResponseHandler.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/server/AbstractHttpResponseHandler.java
@@ -56,7 +56,6 @@ abstract class AbstractHttpResponseHandler {
 
     private final CompletableFuture<Void> completionFuture;
     private boolean isComplete;
-    private boolean needsDisconnection;
 
     AbstractHttpResponseHandler(ChannelHandlerContext ctx,
                                 ServerHttpObjectEncoder responseEncoder,
@@ -77,7 +76,6 @@ boolean isDone() {
     }
 
     void disconnectWhenFinished() {
-        needsDisconnection = true;
         responseEncoder.keepAliveHandler().disconnectWhenFinished();
     }
 
@@ -92,11 +90,6 @@ final boolean tryComplete(@Nullable Throwable cause) {
             completionFuture.completeExceptionally(cause);
         }
 
-        // Force shutdown mode: If a user explicitly sets `Connection: close` in the response headers, it is
-        // assumed that the connection should be closed after sending the response.
-        if (needsDisconnection) {
-            ctx.channel().close();
-        }
         return true;
     }
 
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/server/Http1RequestDecoder.java b/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/server/Http1RequestDecoder.java
index a46616be294..edfea9224ae 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/server/Http1RequestDecoder.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/server/Http1RequestDecoder.java
@@ -321,7 +321,11 @@ public void channelRead(ChannelHandlerContext ctx, Object msg) throws Exception
                         req = null;
                         final boolean shouldReset;
                         if (encoder instanceof ServerHttp1ObjectEncoder) {
-                            keepAliveHandler.disconnectWhenFinished();
+                            if (encoder.isResponseHeadersSent(id, 1)) {
+                                ctx.channel().close();
+                            } else {
+                                keepAliveHandler.disconnectWhenFinished();
+                            }
                             shouldReset = false;
                         } else {
                             // Upgraded to HTTP/2. Reset only if the remote peer is still open.
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/server/HttpServerHandler.java b/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/server/HttpServerHandler.java
index 1bd85965164..777a5433843 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/server/HttpServerHandler.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/linecorp/armeria/server/HttpServerHandler.java
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
 
 import com.linecorp.armeria.common.AggregationOptions;
 import com.linecorp.armeria.common.ClosedSessionException;
+import com.linecorp.armeria.common.Flags;
 import com.linecorp.armeria.common.HttpData;
 import com.linecorp.armeria.common.HttpHeaderNames;
 import com.linecorp.armeria.common.HttpMethod;
@@ -792,7 +793,16 @@ private void handleRequestOrResponseComplete() {
                         // Stop receiving new requests.
                         handledLastRequest = true;
                         if (unfinishedRequests.isEmpty()) {
-                            ctx.writeAndFlush(Unpooled.EMPTY_BUFFER).addListener(CLOSE);
+                            final long closeDelay = Flags.defaultHttp1ConnectionCloseDelayMillis();
+                            if (closeDelay == 0) {
+                                ctx.writeAndFlush(Unpooled.EMPTY_BUFFER).addListener(CLOSE);
+                            } else {
+                                ctx.channel().eventLoop().schedule(() -> {
+                                    if (ctx.channel().isActive()) {
+                                        ctx.writeAndFlush(Unpooled.EMPTY_BUFFER).addListener(CLOSE);
+                                    }
+                                }, closeDelay, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
+                            }
                         }
                     }
                 }
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/com/linecorp/armeria/server/Http1ServerDelayedCloseConnectionTest.java b/core/src/test/java/com/linecorp/armeria/server/Http1ServerDelayedCloseConnectionTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4096327c32d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/test/java/com/linecorp/armeria/server/Http1ServerDelayedCloseConnectionTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,136 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2024 LINE Corporation
+ *
+ * LINE Corporation licenses this file to you under the Apache License,
+ * version 2.0 (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
+ * with the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at:
+ *
+ *   https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+ * WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+ * License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+ * under the License.
+ */
+
+package com.linecorp.armeria.server;
+
+import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
+import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThatCode;
+import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThatThrownBy;
+import static org.awaitility.Awaitility.await;
+
+import java.io.BufferedReader;
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.io.InputStreamReader;
+import java.io.PrintWriter;
+import java.net.BindException;
+import java.net.InetAddress;
+import java.net.InetSocketAddress;
+import java.net.Socket;
+import java.time.Duration;
+
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.extension.RegisterExtension;
+
+import com.linecorp.armeria.common.Flags;
+import com.linecorp.armeria.common.HttpHeaderNames;
+import com.linecorp.armeria.common.HttpResponse;
+import com.linecorp.armeria.testing.junit5.server.ServerExtension;
+
+class Http1ServerDelayedCloseConnectionTest {
+
+    @RegisterExtension
+    static ServerExtension server = new ServerExtension() {
+        @Override
+        protected void configure(ServerBuilder sb) {
+            sb.idleTimeoutMillis(0);
+            sb.http(0);
+            sb.https(0);
+            sb.tlsSelfSigned();
+            sb.service("/close", (ctx, req) -> {
+                return HttpResponse.builder()
+                                   .ok()
+                                   .content("OK\n")
+                                   .header(HttpHeaderNames.CONNECTION, "close")
+                                   .build();
+            });
+        }
+    };
+
+    @Test
+    void shouldDelayDisconnectByServerSideIfClientDoesNotHandleConnectionClose() throws IOException {
+        try (Socket socket = new Socket("127.0.0.1", server.httpPort())) {
+            socket.setSoTimeout(100000);
+            final int socketPort = socket.getLocalPort();
+            final PrintWriter writer = new PrintWriter(socket.getOutputStream());
+            writer.print("GET /close" + " HTTP/1.1\r\n");
+            writer.print("\r\n");
+            writer.flush();
+
+            final BufferedReader in = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(socket.getInputStream()));
+            assertThat(in.readLine()).isEqualTo("HTTP/1.1 200 OK");
+            in.readLine(); // content-type
+            in.readLine(); // content-length
+            in.readLine(); // server
+            in.readLine(); // date
+            assertThat(in.readLine()).isEqualToIgnoringCase("connection: close");
+            assertThat(in.readLine()).isEmpty();
+            assertThat(in.readLine()).isEqualToIgnoringCase("OK");
+            final long readStartTimestamp = System.nanoTime();
+            final int readResult = in.read();
+            final long readDurationMillis = Duration.ofNanos(System.nanoTime() - readStartTimestamp).toMillis();
+
+            assertThat(readResult).isEqualTo(-1);
+
+            final long defaultHttp1ConnectionCloseDelayMillis = Flags.defaultHttp1ConnectionCloseDelayMillis();
+            assertThat(readDurationMillis).isBetween(
+                    defaultHttp1ConnectionCloseDelayMillis - 2000,
+                    defaultHttp1ConnectionCloseDelayMillis + 2000
+            );
+
+            socket.close();
+            try (Socket reuseSock = new Socket()) {
+                assertThatCode(() -> reuseSock.bind(new InetSocketAddress((InetAddress) null, socketPort)))
+                        .doesNotThrowAnyException();
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void shouldWaitForDisconnectByClientSideFirst() throws IOException {
+        try (Socket socket = new Socket("127.0.0.1", server.httpPort())) {
+            socket.setSoTimeout(100000);
+            final int socketPort = socket.getLocalPort();
+            final PrintWriter writer = new PrintWriter(socket.getOutputStream());
+            writer.print("GET /close" + " HTTP/1.1\r\n");
+            writer.print("\r\n");
+            writer.flush();
+
+            final BufferedReader in = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(socket.getInputStream()));
+            assertThat(in.readLine()).isEqualTo("HTTP/1.1 200 OK");
+            in.readLine(); // content-type
+            in.readLine(); // content-length
+            in.readLine(); // server
+            in.readLine(); // date
+            assertThat(in.readLine()).isEqualToIgnoringCase("connection: close");
+            assertThat(in.readLine()).isEmpty();
+            assertThat(in.readLine()).isEqualToIgnoringCase("OK");
+
+            assertThat(server.server().numConnections()).isEqualTo(1);
+
+            socket.close();
+            assertThatThrownBy(
+                    () -> {
+                        final Socket reuseSock = new Socket("127.0.0.1", server.httpPort(), null, socketPort);
+                        // close the socket in case initializing the socket doesn't throw an exception
+                        reuseSock.close();
+                    })
+                    .isInstanceOf(BindException.class)
+                    .hasMessageContaining("Address already in use");
+
+            await().untilAsserted(() -> assertThat(server.server().numConnections()).isZero());
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/com/linecorp/armeria/server/HttpServerPathTest.java b/core/src/test/java/com/linecorp/armeria/server/HttpServerPathTest.java
index 922a8763892..f685f1d020f 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/com/linecorp/armeria/server/HttpServerPathTest.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/com/linecorp/armeria/server/HttpServerPathTest.java
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
 
 import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
 
+import java.io.BufferedReader;
+import java.io.InputStreamReader;
 import java.net.Socket;
 import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
 import java.util.LinkedHashMap;
@@ -27,8 +29,6 @@
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.extension.RegisterExtension;
 
-import com.google.common.io.ByteStreams;
-
 import com.linecorp.armeria.common.HttpResponse;
 import com.linecorp.armeria.common.HttpStatus;
 import com.linecorp.armeria.server.logging.AccessLogWriter;
@@ -121,7 +121,11 @@ private static void urlPathAssertion(HttpStatus expected, String path) throws Ex
         try (Socket s = new Socket(NetUtil.LOCALHOST, server.httpPort())) {
             s.setSoTimeout(10000);
             s.getOutputStream().write(requestString.getBytes(StandardCharsets.US_ASCII));
-            assertThat(new String(ByteStreams.toByteArray(s.getInputStream()), StandardCharsets.US_ASCII))
+            final BufferedReader in = new BufferedReader(
+                    new InputStreamReader(s.getInputStream(), StandardCharsets.US_ASCII));
+            // only reads a first line because it only needs to check the expected status
+            // and does not wait for the server to close the connection
+            assertThat(in.readLine())
                     .as(path)
                     .startsWith("HTTP/1.1 " + expected);
         }