diff --git a/lmwsip/__init__.py b/lmwsip/__init__.py
index b9acf3a..54725df 100644
--- a/lmwsip/__init__.py
+++ b/lmwsip/__init__.py
@@ -235,6 +235,7 @@ Raises a LmwLoginFailure exception on failure
         self.send(li)
         d = self.recv()
         if (d[0] != '!'):
+            self.closesocket()
             raise LmwLoginFailure(self.user, d)
 
     def ti(self):