diff --git a/nodepool/sshclient.py b/nodepool/sshclient.py
index 51faca093..8be0c0089 100644
--- a/nodepool/sshclient.py
+++ b/nodepool/sshclient.py
@@ -25,14 +25,17 @@ class SSHClient(object):
     def __init__(self, ip, username, password=None, pkey=None,
                  key_filename=None, log=None, look_for_keys=False,
                  allow_agent=False):
-        client = paramiko.SSHClient()
-        client.set_missing_host_key_policy(paramiko.WarningPolicy())
-        client.connect(ip, username=username, password=password, pkey=pkey,
-                       key_filename=key_filename, look_for_keys=look_for_keys,
-                       allow_agent=allow_agent)
-        self.client = client
+        self.client = paramiko.SSHClient()
+        self.client.set_missing_host_key_policy(paramiko.WarningPolicy())
+        self.client.connect(ip, username=username, password=password,
+                            pkey=pkey, key_filename=key_filename,
+                            look_for_keys=look_for_keys,
+                            allow_agent=allow_agent)
         self.log = log
 
+    def __del__(self):
+        self.client.close()
+
     def ssh(self, action, command, get_pty=True, output=False):
         if self.log:
             self.log.debug("*** START to %s" % action)