diff --git a/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/WiFiClient.cpp b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/WiFiClient.cpp
index 825f2ed839..b1eb067545 100644
--- a/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/WiFiClient.cpp
+++ b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/WiFiClient.cpp
@@ -318,6 +318,15 @@ bool WiFiClient::stop(unsigned int maxWaitMs)
     return ret;
 }
 
+void WiFiClient::stop_abort()  //Compare this to ::stop
+{
+    if (!_client)
+        return;
+
+    _client->unref_abort();
+    _client = 0;
+}
+
 uint8_t WiFiClient::connected()
 {
     if (!_client || _client->state() == CLOSED)
diff --git a/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/WiFiClient.h b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/WiFiClient.h
index 50112c2f94..71db4eae91 100644
--- a/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/WiFiClient.h
+++ b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/WiFiClient.h
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ class WiFiClient : public Client, public SList<WiFiClient> {
   bool stop(unsigned int maxWaitMs);
   virtual uint8_t connected() override;
   virtual operator bool() override;
+  virtual void stop_abort();
 
   IPAddress remoteIP();
   uint16_t  remotePort();
diff --git a/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/include/ClientContext.h b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/include/ClientContext.h
index 8095e402a2..37272f3b09 100644
--- a/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/include/ClientContext.h
+++ b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/include/ClientContext.h
@@ -56,34 +56,25 @@ class ClientContext
         return _pcb;
     }
 
-    err_t abort()
+    err_t close(bool force_close = true, bool force_abort = false)
     {
+        err_t err = force_close? ERR_OK: ERR_ABRT;
         if(_pcb) {
-            DEBUGV(":abort\r\n");
+            DEBUGV(":close:%d abort:%d\r\n", force_close, force_abort);
             tcp_arg(_pcb, NULL);
             tcp_sent(_pcb, NULL);
             tcp_recv(_pcb, NULL);
             tcp_err(_pcb, NULL);
             tcp_poll(_pcb, NULL, 0);
-            tcp_abort(_pcb);
-            _pcb = nullptr;
-        }
-        return ERR_ABRT;
-    }
-
-    err_t close()
-    {
-        err_t err = ERR_OK;
-        if(_pcb) {
-            DEBUGV(":close\r\n");
-            tcp_arg(_pcb, NULL);
-            tcp_sent(_pcb, NULL);
-            tcp_recv(_pcb, NULL);
-            tcp_err(_pcb, NULL);
-            tcp_poll(_pcb, NULL, 0);
-            err = tcp_close(_pcb);
-            if(err != ERR_OK) {
-                DEBUGV(":tc err %d\r\n", (int) err);
+            if (force_close)
+                err = tcp_close(_pcb);
+            if(err != ERR_OK || force_abort) {
+                if (force_abort)
+                    /* Without delay some clients fail to receive the response and 
+                     * report a 'cannot connect' error message */
+                    delay(10);
+                else
+                    DEBUGV(":tc err %d\r\n", (int) err);
                 tcp_abort(_pcb);
                 err = ERR_ABRT;
             }
@@ -92,6 +83,16 @@ class ClientContext
         return err;
     }
 
+    err_t abort()
+    {
+        return close(false, true);
+    }
+
+    err_t close_abort()
+    {
+        return close(true, true);
+    }
+
     ~ClientContext()
     {
     }
@@ -113,12 +114,12 @@ class ClientContext
         DEBUGV(":ref %d\r\n", _refcnt);
     }
 
-    void unref()
+    void unref(bool force_abort = false)
     {
         DEBUGV(":ur %d\r\n", _refcnt);
         if(--_refcnt == 0) {
             discard_received();
-            close();
+            close(true, force_abort);
             if(_discard_cb) {
                 _discard_cb(_discard_cb_arg, this);
             }
@@ -126,6 +127,11 @@ class ClientContext
             delete this;
         }
     }
+    
+    void unref_abort()
+    {
+        unref(true);
+    }
 
     int connect(ip_addr_t* addr, uint16_t port)
     {