diff --git a/cmd/gateway/oss/gateway-oss.go b/cmd/gateway/oss/gateway-oss.go
index 1423d6b7a..4a7c4c5a9 100644
--- a/cmd/gateway/oss/gateway-oss.go
+++ b/cmd/gateway/oss/gateway-oss.go
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ import (
 	"encoding/xml"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
-	"io/ioutil"
 	"net/http"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
@@ -816,11 +815,8 @@ func ossListObjectParts(client *oss.Client, bucket, object, uploadID string, par
 		return lupr, err
 	}
 
-	defer func() {
-		// always drain output (response body)
-		io.CopyN(ioutil.Discard, resp.Body, 512)
-		resp.Body.Close()
-	}()
+	// always drain output (response body)
+	defer minio.CloseResponse(resp.Body)
 
 	err = xml.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(&lupr)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/cmd/gateway/sia/gateway-sia.go b/cmd/gateway/sia/gateway-sia.go
index f2d2f49dd..8695b9b85 100644
--- a/cmd/gateway/sia/gateway-sia.go
+++ b/cmd/gateway/sia/gateway-sia.go
@@ -233,13 +233,13 @@ func apiGet(ctx context.Context, addr, call, apiPassword string) (*http.Response
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	if resp.StatusCode == http.StatusNotFound {
-		resp.Body.Close()
+		minio.CloseResponse(resp.Body)
 		logger.LogIf(ctx, MethodNotSupported{call})
 		return nil, MethodNotSupported{call}
 	}
 	if non2xx(resp.StatusCode) {
 		err := decodeError(resp)
-		resp.Body.Close()
+		minio.CloseResponse(resp.Body)
 		logger.LogIf(ctx, err)
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -266,13 +266,13 @@ func apiPost(ctx context.Context, addr, call, vals, apiPassword string) (*http.R
 	}
 
 	if resp.StatusCode == http.StatusNotFound {
-		resp.Body.Close()
+		minio.CloseResponse(resp.Body)
 		return nil, MethodNotSupported{call}
 	}
 
 	if non2xx(resp.StatusCode) {
 		err := decodeError(resp)
-		resp.Body.Close()
+		minio.CloseResponse(resp.Body)
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	return resp, nil
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ func post(ctx context.Context, addr, call, vals, apiPassword string) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	resp.Body.Close()
+	minio.CloseResponse(resp.Body)
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ func list(ctx context.Context, addr string, apiPassword string, obj *renterFiles
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	defer resp.Body.Close()
+	defer minio.CloseResponse(resp.Body)
 
 	if resp.StatusCode == http.StatusNoContent {
 		logger.LogIf(ctx, fmt.Errorf("Expecting a response, but API returned %s", resp.Status))
@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@ func get(ctx context.Context, addr, call, apiPassword string) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	resp.Body.Close()
+	minio.CloseResponse(resp.Body)
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/cmd/logger/http.go b/cmd/logger/http.go
index d331eca36..5c5b9b72c 100644
--- a/cmd/logger/http.go
+++ b/cmd/logger/http.go
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
+	"io"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"net/http"
 )
 
@@ -54,6 +56,8 @@ func (h *HTTPTarget) startHTTPLogger() {
 				continue
 			}
 			if resp.Body != nil {
+				buf := make([]byte, 512)
+				io.CopyBuffer(ioutil.Discard, resp.Body, buf)
 				resp.Body.Close()
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/cmd/rpc/client.go b/cmd/rpc/client.go
index 44025986d..efa45ff69 100644
--- a/cmd/rpc/client.go
+++ b/cmd/rpc/client.go
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ import (
 	"encoding/gob"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"net"
 	"net/http"
 	"reflect"
@@ -40,6 +42,28 @@ type Client struct {
 	serviceURL *xnet.URL
 }
 
+// closeResponse close non nil response with any response Body.
+// convenient wrapper to drain any remaining data on response body.
+//
+// Subsequently this allows golang http RoundTripper
+// to re-use the same connection for future requests.
+func closeResponse(body io.ReadCloser) {
+	// Callers should close resp.Body when done reading from it.
+	// If resp.Body is not closed, the Client's underlying RoundTripper
+	// (typically Transport) may not be able to re-use a persistent TCP
+	// connection to the server for a subsequent "keep-alive" request.
+	if body != nil {
+		// Drain any remaining Body and then close the connection.
+		// Without this closing connection would disallow re-using
+		// the same connection for future uses.
+		//  - http://stackoverflow.com/a/17961593/4465767
+		bufp := b512pool.Get().(*[]byte)
+		defer b512pool.Put(bufp)
+		io.CopyBuffer(ioutil.Discard, body, *bufp)
+		body.Close()
+	}
+}
+
 // Call - calls service method on RPC server.
 func (client *Client) Call(serviceMethod string, args, reply interface{}) error {
 	replyKind := reflect.TypeOf(reply).Kind()
@@ -69,7 +93,7 @@ func (client *Client) Call(serviceMethod string, args, reply interface{}) error
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	defer response.Body.Close()
+	defer closeResponse(response.Body)
 
 	if response.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
 		return fmt.Errorf("%v rpc call failed with error code %v", serviceMethod, response.StatusCode)
diff --git a/cmd/rpc/pool.go b/cmd/rpc/pool.go
index 84dcbf6e1..72f627316 100644
--- a/cmd/rpc/pool.go
+++ b/cmd/rpc/pool.go
@@ -21,6 +21,13 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 )
 
+var b512pool = sync.Pool{
+	New: func() interface{} {
+		buf := make([]byte, 512)
+		return &buf
+	},
+}
+
 // A Pool is a type-safe wrapper around a sync.Pool.
 type Pool struct {
 	p *sync.Pool
diff --git a/cmd/update-main.go b/cmd/update-main.go
index dae3b87c7..4f31ce2f3 100644
--- a/cmd/update-main.go
+++ b/cmd/update-main.go
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ func downloadReleaseURL(releaseChecksumURL string, timeout time.Duration, mode s
 	if resp == nil {
 		return content, fmt.Errorf("No response from server to download URL %s", releaseChecksumURL)
 	}
-	defer resp.Body.Close()
+	defer CloseResponse(resp.Body)
 
 	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
 		return content, fmt.Errorf("Error downloading URL %s. Response: %v", releaseChecksumURL, resp.Status)
@@ -471,7 +471,7 @@ func doUpdate(sha256Hex string, latestReleaseTime time.Time, ok bool) (updateSta
 	if err != nil {
 		return updateStatusMsg, err
 	}
-	defer resp.Body.Close()
+	defer CloseResponse(resp.Body)
 
 	// FIXME: add support for gpg verification as well.
 	if err = update.Apply(resp.Body,
diff --git a/cmd/utils.go b/cmd/utils.go
index 904d00a91..17aa2b966 100644
--- a/cmd/utils.go
+++ b/cmd/utils.go
@@ -25,12 +25,14 @@ import (
 	"encoding/xml"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"net"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/url"
 	"os"
 	"reflect"
 	"strings"
+	"sync"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/minio/minio/cmd/logger"
@@ -381,3 +383,32 @@ func isNetworkOrHostDown(err error) bool {
 	}
 	return false
 }
+
+var b512pool = sync.Pool{
+	New: func() interface{} {
+		buf := make([]byte, 512)
+		return &buf
+	},
+}
+
+// CloseResponse close non nil response with any response Body.
+// convenient wrapper to drain any remaining data on response body.
+//
+// Subsequently this allows golang http RoundTripper
+// to re-use the same connection for future requests.
+func CloseResponse(respBody io.ReadCloser) {
+	// Callers should close resp.Body when done reading from it.
+	// If resp.Body is not closed, the Client's underlying RoundTripper
+	// (typically Transport) may not be able to re-use a persistent TCP
+	// connection to the server for a subsequent "keep-alive" request.
+	if respBody != nil {
+		// Drain any remaining Body and then close the connection.
+		// Without this closing connection would disallow re-using
+		// the same connection for future uses.
+		//  - http://stackoverflow.com/a/17961593/4465767
+		bufp := b512pool.Get().(*[]byte)
+		defer b512pool.Put(bufp)
+		io.CopyBuffer(ioutil.Discard, respBody, *bufp)
+		respBody.Close()
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/event/target/webhook.go b/pkg/event/target/webhook.go
index a3bb03877..9ca49f6de 100644
--- a/pkg/event/target/webhook.go
+++ b/pkg/event/target/webhook.go
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"net"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/url"
@@ -89,6 +91,7 @@ func (target *WebhookTarget) Send(eventData event.Event) error {
 	}
 
 	// FIXME: log returned error. ignore time being.
+	io.Copy(ioutil.Discard, resp.Body)
 	_ = resp.Body.Close()
 
 	if resp.StatusCode < 200 || resp.StatusCode > 299 {
diff --git a/pkg/madmin/config-commands.go b/pkg/madmin/config-commands.go
index 7719fb57c..429a7aaf0 100644
--- a/pkg/madmin/config-commands.go
+++ b/pkg/madmin/config-commands.go
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ func (adm *AdminClient) GetConfig() ([]byte, error) {
 	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
 		return nil, httpRespToErrorResponse(resp)
 	}
-	defer resp.Body.Close()
+	defer closeResponse(resp)
 
 	return DecryptServerConfigData(adm.secretAccessKey, resp.Body)
 }