diff --git a/lib/protocol/protocol.js b/lib/protocol/protocol.js
index 6e4c6fca9..fd457dc4b 100644
--- a/lib/protocol/protocol.js
+++ b/lib/protocol/protocol.js
@@ -236,13 +236,10 @@ function buildHandler (app, method, path, spec, driver, isSessCmd) {
     let newSessionId;
     let currentProtocol = extractProtocol(driver, req.params.sessionId);
 
-    let terminateSocket = false;
-
     try {
       // if this is a session command but we don't have a session,
       // error out early (especially before proxying)
       if (isSessCmd && !driver.sessionExists(req.params.sessionId)) {
-        terminateSocket = true;
         throw new errors.NoSuchDriverError();
       }
 
@@ -334,7 +331,6 @@ function buildHandler (app, method, path, spec, driver, isSessCmd) {
 
       // delete should not return anything even if successful
       if (spec.command === DELETE_SESSION_COMMAND) {
-        terminateSocket = true;
         SESSIONS_CACHE.getLogger(req.params.sessionId, currentProtocol)
           .debug(`Received response: ${_.truncate(JSON.stringify(driverRes), {length: MAX_LOG_BODY_LENGTH})}`);
         SESSIONS_CACHE.getLogger(req.params.sessionId, currentProtocol).debug('But deleting session, so not returning');
@@ -398,12 +394,6 @@ function buildHandler (app, method, path, spec, driver, isSessCmd) {
         // Use the JSONWP status code (which is usually 500)
         httpStatus = jsonwpRes[0];
       }
-
-      // any error while creating a session should not continue holding onto
-      // the socket
-      if (spec.command === CREATE_SESSION_COMMAND) {
-        terminateSocket = true;
-      }
     }
 
     // decode the response, which is either a string or json
@@ -427,12 +417,6 @@ function buildHandler (app, method, path, spec, driver, isSessCmd) {
       httpResBody = formatStatus(httpResBody, httpStatus, currentProtocol);
       res.status(httpStatus).json(httpResBody);
     }
-
-    // in certain situations the socket should not be kept alive
-    if (terminateSocket) {
-      SESSIONS_CACHE.getLogger(req.params.sessionId || newSessionId, currentProtocol).debug(`Destroying socket connection`);
-      res.socket.destroy();
-    }
   };
   // add the method to the app
   app[method.toLowerCase()](path, (req, res) => {