diff --git a/ironic_python_agent/ironic_api_client.py b/ironic_python_agent/ironic_api_client.py
index 04aba9c00..11e0cdd87 100644
--- a/ironic_python_agent/ironic_api_client.py
+++ b/ironic_python_agent/ironic_api_client.py
@@ -33,7 +33,15 @@ class APIClient(object):
     def __init__(self, api_url, driver_name):
         self.api_url = api_url.rstrip('/')
         self.driver_name = driver_name
+
+        # Only keep alive a maximum of 2 connections to the API. More will be
+        # opened if they are needed, but they will be closed immediately after
+        # use.
+        adapter = requests.adapters.HTTPAdapter(pool_connections=2,
+                                                pool_maxsize=2)
         self.session = requests.Session()
+        self.session.mount(self.api_url, adapter)
+
         self.encoder = encoding.RESTJSONEncoder()
         self.log = log.getLogger(__name__)
 
diff --git a/ironic_python_agent/tests/agent.py b/ironic_python_agent/tests/agent.py
index 43d3c6930..368551927 100644
--- a/ironic_python_agent/tests/agent.py
+++ b/ironic_python_agent/tests/agent.py
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ class TestHeartbeater(test_base.BaseTestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         super(TestHeartbeater, self).setUp()
         self.mock_agent = mock.Mock()
+        self.mock_agent.api_url = 'https://fake_api.example.org:8081/'
         self.heartbeater = agent.IronicPythonAgentHeartbeater(self.mock_agent)
         self.heartbeater.api = mock.Mock()
         self.heartbeater.hardware = mock.create_autospec(