diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/server/portforward/httpstream.go b/pkg/kubelet/server/portforward/httpstream.go
index 4b5e66d6607b..b9d58a7e403c 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/server/portforward/httpstream.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/server/portforward/httpstream.go
@@ -163,6 +163,10 @@ func (h *httpStreamHandler) removeStreamPair(requestID string) {
 	h.streamPairsLock.Lock()
 	defer h.streamPairsLock.Unlock()
 
+	if h.conn != nil {
+		pair := h.streamPairs[requestID]
+		h.conn.RemoveStreams(pair.dataStream, pair.errorStream)
+	}
 	delete(h.streamPairs, requestID)
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/server/portforward/httpstream_test.go b/pkg/kubelet/server/portforward/httpstream_test.go
index 26e6905bbbc0..37e0ce8f9070 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/server/portforward/httpstream_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/server/portforward/httpstream_test.go
@@ -92,11 +92,23 @@ func TestHTTPStreamReceived(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+type fakeConn struct {
+	removeStreamsCalled bool
+}
+
+func (*fakeConn) CreateStream(headers http.Header) (httpstream.Stream, error) { return nil, nil }
+func (*fakeConn) Close() error                                                { return nil }
+func (*fakeConn) CloseChan() <-chan bool                                      { return nil }
+func (*fakeConn) SetIdleTimeout(timeout time.Duration)                        {}
+func (f *fakeConn) RemoveStreams(streams ...httpstream.Stream)                { f.removeStreamsCalled = true }
+
 func TestGetStreamPair(t *testing.T) {
 	timeout := make(chan time.Time)
 
+	conn := &fakeConn{}
 	h := &httpStreamHandler{
 		streamPairs: make(map[string]*httpStreamPair),
+		conn:        conn,
 	}
 
 	// test adding a new entry
@@ -158,6 +170,11 @@ func TestGetStreamPair(t *testing.T) {
 	// make sure monitorStreamPair completed
 	<-monitorDone
 
+	if !conn.removeStreamsCalled {
+		t.Fatalf("connection remove stream not called")
+	}
+	conn.removeStreamsCalled = false
+
 	// make sure the pair was removed
 	if h.hasStreamPair("1") {
 		t.Fatal("expected removal of pair after both data and error streams received")
@@ -171,6 +188,7 @@ func TestGetStreamPair(t *testing.T) {
 	if p == nil {
 		t.Fatal("expected p not to be nil")
 	}
+
 	monitorDone = make(chan struct{})
 	go func() {
 		h.monitorStreamPair(p, timeout)
@@ -183,6 +201,9 @@ func TestGetStreamPair(t *testing.T) {
 	if h.hasStreamPair("2") {
 		t.Fatal("expected stream pair to be removed")
 	}
+	if !conn.removeStreamsCalled {
+		t.Fatalf("connection remove stream not called")
+	}
 }
 
 func TestRequestID(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/httpstream/httpstream.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/httpstream/httpstream.go
index 00ce5f785c8b..32f075782a9a 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/httpstream/httpstream.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/httpstream/httpstream.go
@@ -78,6 +78,8 @@ type Connection interface {
 	// SetIdleTimeout sets the amount of time the connection may remain idle before
 	// it is automatically closed.
 	SetIdleTimeout(timeout time.Duration)
+	// RemoveStreams can be used to remove a set of streams from the Connection.
+	RemoveStreams(streams ...Stream)
 }
 
 // Stream represents a bidirectional communications channel that is part of an
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/httpstream/spdy/connection.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/httpstream/spdy/connection.go
index 9d222faa898f..b6903c527641 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/httpstream/spdy/connection.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/httpstream/spdy/connection.go
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ import (
 // streams.
 type connection struct {
 	conn             *spdystream.Connection
-	streams          []httpstream.Stream
+	streams          map[uint32]httpstream.Stream
 	streamLock       sync.Mutex
 	newStreamHandler httpstream.NewStreamHandler
 }
@@ -64,7 +64,11 @@ func NewServerConnection(conn net.Conn, newStreamHandler httpstream.NewStreamHan
 // will be invoked when the server receives a newly created stream from the
 // client.
 func newConnection(conn *spdystream.Connection, newStreamHandler httpstream.NewStreamHandler) httpstream.Connection {
-	c := &connection{conn: conn, newStreamHandler: newStreamHandler}
+	c := &connection{
+		conn:             conn,
+		newStreamHandler: newStreamHandler,
+		streams:          make(map[uint32]httpstream.Stream),
+	}
 	go conn.Serve(c.newSpdyStream)
 	return c
 }
@@ -81,7 +85,7 @@ func (c *connection) Close() error {
 		// calling Reset instead of Close ensures that all streams are fully torn down
 		s.Reset()
 	}
-	c.streams = make([]httpstream.Stream, 0)
+	c.streams = make(map[uint32]httpstream.Stream, 0)
 	c.streamLock.Unlock()
 
 	// now that all streams are fully torn down, it's safe to call close on the underlying connection,
@@ -90,6 +94,15 @@ func (c *connection) Close() error {
 	return c.conn.Close()
 }
 
+// RemoveStreams can be used to removes a set of streams from the Connection.
+func (c *connection) RemoveStreams(streams ...httpstream.Stream) {
+	c.streamLock.Lock()
+	for _, stream := range streams {
+		delete(c.streams, stream.Identifier())
+	}
+	c.streamLock.Unlock()
+}
+
 // CreateStream creates a new stream with the specified headers and registers
 // it with the connection.
 func (c *connection) CreateStream(headers http.Header) (httpstream.Stream, error) {
@@ -109,7 +122,7 @@ func (c *connection) CreateStream(headers http.Header) (httpstream.Stream, error
 // it owns.
 func (c *connection) registerStream(s httpstream.Stream) {
 	c.streamLock.Lock()
-	c.streams = append(c.streams, s)
+	c.streams[s.Identifier()] = s
 	c.streamLock.Unlock()
 }
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/httpstream/spdy/connection_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/httpstream/spdy/connection_test.go
index e00b29c461e1..cfeef2c9075b 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/httpstream/spdy/connection_test.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/httpstream/spdy/connection_test.go
@@ -178,3 +178,41 @@ func TestConnectionCloseIsImmediateThroughAProxy(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+type fakeStream struct{ id uint32 }
+
+func (*fakeStream) Read(p []byte) (int, error)  { return 0, nil }
+func (*fakeStream) Write(p []byte) (int, error) { return 0, nil }
+func (*fakeStream) Close() error                { return nil }
+func (*fakeStream) Reset() error                { return nil }
+func (*fakeStream) Headers() http.Header        { return nil }
+func (f *fakeStream) Identifier() uint32        { return f.id }
+
+func TestConnectionRemoveStreams(t *testing.T) {
+	c := &connection{streams: make(map[uint32]httpstream.Stream)}
+	stream0 := &fakeStream{id: 0}
+	stream1 := &fakeStream{id: 1}
+	stream2 := &fakeStream{id: 2}
+
+	c.registerStream(stream0)
+	c.registerStream(stream1)
+
+	if len(c.streams) != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("should have two streams, has %d", len(c.streams))
+	}
+
+	// not exists
+	c.RemoveStreams(stream2)
+
+	if len(c.streams) != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("should have two streams, has %d", len(c.streams))
+	}
+
+	// remove all existing
+	c.RemoveStreams(stream0, stream1)
+
+	if len(c.streams) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("should not have any streams, has %d", len(c.streams))
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/portforward/portforward_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/portforward/portforward_test.go
index 5b9afabeaab1..034be748fe2a 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/portforward/portforward_test.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/portforward/portforward_test.go
@@ -68,6 +68,9 @@ func (c *fakeConnection) CloseChan() <-chan bool {
 	return c.closeChan
 }
 
+func (c *fakeConnection) RemoveStreams(_ ...httpstream.Stream) {
+}
+
 func (c *fakeConnection) SetIdleTimeout(timeout time.Duration) {
 	// no-op
 }