diff --git a/WHATSNEW b/WHATSNEW
index 245bc460f..e300a3d2d 100644
--- a/WHATSNEW
+++ b/WHATSNEW
@@ -236,6 +236,9 @@ Fixed bugs:
 * Project.toBoolean(String) now handles null as argument and does not throw a
   NullPointerException any more.
 
+* The socket condition will now close the socket created to test.
+  Bugzilla Report 23040.
+
 Other changes:
 --------------
 * All tasks can be used outside of <target>s.  Note that some tasks
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/condition/Socket.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/condition/Socket.java
index 432ebb71f..bde08b8b2 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/condition/Socket.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/condition/Socket.java
@@ -103,11 +103,22 @@ public class Socket extends ProjectComponent implements Condition {
         }
         log("Checking for listener at " + server + ":" + port,
             Project.MSG_VERBOSE);
+        java.net.Socket s = null;
         try {
-            new java.net.Socket(server, port);
+            s = new java.net.Socket(server, port);
         } catch (IOException e) {
             return false;
         }
+        finally {
+          if (s != null){
+            try {
+              s.close();
+            }
+            catch (IOException ioe){
+              // Intentionally left blank
+            }
+          }
+        }
         return true;
     }