diff --git a/include/libwebsockets/lws-client.h b/include/libwebsockets/lws-client.h
index 25fd062c4..85b8488d6 100644
--- a/include/libwebsockets/lws-client.h
+++ b/include/libwebsockets/lws-client.h
@@ -163,6 +163,12 @@ struct lws_client_connect_info {
 	void		*mqtt_cp;
 #endif
 
+	uint16_t	keep_warm_secs;
+	/**< 0 means 5s.  If the client connection to the endpoint becomes idle,
+	 * defer closing it for this many seconds in case another outgoing
+	 * connection to the same endpoint turns up.
+	 */
+
 	/* Add new things just above here ---^
 	 * This is part of the ABI, don't needlessly break compatibility
 	 *
diff --git a/lib/core-net/connect.c b/lib/core-net/connect.c
index 96806f141..3601c5362 100644
--- a/lib/core-net/connect.c
+++ b/lib/core-net/connect.c
@@ -58,7 +58,10 @@ lws_client_connect_via_info(const struct lws_client_connect_info *i)
 	if (wsi == NULL)
 		goto bail;
 
-
+	if (i->keep_warm_secs)
+		wsi->keep_warm_secs = i->keep_warm_secs;
+	else
+		wsi->keep_warm_secs = 5;
 
 	wsi->context = i->context;
 	wsi->desc.sockfd = LWS_SOCK_INVALID;
diff --git a/lib/core-net/private-lib-core-net.h b/lib/core-net/private-lib-core-net.h
index 54f6abdd1..811e4ef83 100644
--- a/lib/core-net/private-lib-core-net.h
+++ b/lib/core-net/private-lib-core-net.h
@@ -830,6 +830,9 @@ struct lws {
 
 	uint16_t			ocport, c_port;
 	uint16_t			retry;
+#if defined(LWS_WITH_CLIENT)
+	uint16_t			keep_warm_secs;
+#endif
 
 	/* chars */
 
diff --git a/lib/core-net/wsi.c b/lib/core-net/wsi.c
index 8f1c83bc8..67ccd7df9 100644
--- a/lib/core-net/wsi.c
+++ b/lib/core-net/wsi.c
@@ -798,7 +798,8 @@ _lws_generic_transaction_completed_active_conn(struct lws **_wsi, char take_vh_l
 		lwsl_info("%s: nothing pipelined waiting\n", __func__);
 		lwsi_set_state(wsi, LRS_IDLING);
 
-		lws_set_timeout(wsi, PENDING_TIMEOUT_CLIENT_CONN_IDLE, 5);
+		lws_set_timeout(wsi, PENDING_TIMEOUT_CLIENT_CONN_IDLE,
+				wsi->keep_warm_secs);
 
 		return 0; /* no new transaction right now */
 	}
@@ -873,7 +874,7 @@ _lws_generic_transaction_completed_active_conn(struct lws **_wsi, char take_vh_l
 
 	wnew->cli_hostname_copy = wsi->cli_hostname_copy;
 	wsi->cli_hostname_copy = NULL;
-
+	wnew->keep_warm_secs = wsi->keep_warm_secs;
 
 	/*
 	 * selected queued guy now replaces the original leader on the