diff --git a/examples/pod_portforward_bind.rs b/examples/pod_portforward_bind.rs
index e950a14d9..55db4d9d7 100644
--- a/examples/pod_portforward_bind.rs
+++ b/examples/pod_portforward_bind.rs
@@ -91,9 +91,11 @@ async fn forward_connection(
     let mut upstream_conn = forwarder
         .take_stream(port)
         .context("port not found in forwarder")?;
-    tokio::io::copy_bidirectional(&mut client_conn, &mut upstream_conn).await?;
+    let copy_result = tokio::io::copy_bidirectional(&mut client_conn, &mut upstream_conn).await;
     drop(upstream_conn);
-    forwarder.join().await?;
+    forwarder.abort();
+    forwarder.join().await.ok();
+    copy_result?;
     info!("connection closed");
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/kube-client/src/api/portforward.rs b/kube-client/src/api/portforward.rs
index 6dee12b4c..07877d907 100644
--- a/kube-client/src/api/portforward.rs
+++ b/kube-client/src/api/portforward.rs
@@ -60,6 +60,10 @@ pub enum Error {
 
     #[error("failed to complete the background task: {0}")]
     Spawn(#[source] tokio::task::JoinError),
+
+    /// Failed to shutdown a write to pod channel.
+    #[error("failed to shutdown write to Pod channel: {0}")]
+    Shutdown(#[source] std::io::Error),
 }
 
 type ErrorReceiver = oneshot::Receiver<String>;
@@ -69,6 +73,8 @@ type ErrorSender = oneshot::Sender<String>;
 enum Message {
     FromPod(u8, Bytes),
     ToPod(u8, Bytes),
+    FromPodClose,
+    ToPodClose(u8),
 }
 
 /// Manages port-forwarded streams.
@@ -192,6 +198,10 @@ async fn to_pod_loop(
                 .map_err(Error::ForwardToPod)?;
         }
     }
+    sender
+        .send(Message::ToPodClose(ch))
+        .await
+        .map_err(Error::ForwardToPod)?;
     Ok(())
 }
 
@@ -217,6 +227,12 @@ where
                     .await
                     .map_err(Error::ForwardFromPod)?;
             }
+            message if message.is_close() => {
+                sender
+                    .send(Message::FromPodClose)
+                    .await
+                    .map_err(Error::ForwardFromPod)?;
+            }
             // REVIEW should we error on unexpected websocket message?
             _ => {}
         }
@@ -293,6 +309,15 @@ where
                     .await
                     .map_err(Error::SendWebSocketMessage)?;
             }
+            Message::ToPodClose(ch) => {
+                let ch = ch as usize;
+                writers[ch].shutdown().await.map_err(Error::Shutdown)?;
+            }
+            Message::FromPodClose => {
+                for writer in &mut writers {
+                    writer.shutdown().await.map_err(Error::Shutdown)?;
+                }
+            }
         }
     }
     Ok(())