diff --git a/bitcoin/rpc.py b/bitcoin/rpc.py
index 0677c67b..dac89ea4 100644
--- a/bitcoin/rpc.py
+++ b/bitcoin/rpc.py
@@ -37,6 +37,17 @@
 import os
 import platform
 import sys
+import socket
+
+try:
+    from socket import MSG_PEEK, MSG_DONTWAIT
+    import select
+    from select import EPOLLIN, EPOLLHUP
+    EPOLL = True
+except ImportError:
+    EPOLL = False
+
+
 try:
     import urllib.parse as urlparse
 except ImportError:
@@ -183,11 +194,19 @@ def __init__(self,
 
         self.__conn = httplib.HTTPConnection(self.__url.hostname, port=port,
                                              timeout=timeout)
+        self.ep = None
 
 
     def _call(self, service_name, *args):
         self.__id_count += 1
 
+        if EPOLL and self.ep:
+            for (fd, ev) in self.ep.poll(0):
+                if ev & EPOLLHUP or (ev & EPOLLIN and \
+                        b'' == self.__conn.sock.recv(1, MSG_DONTWAIT|MSG_PEEK)):
+                    self.__conn.close()
+                    self.ep.close()
+                    self.ep = None
         postdata = json.dumps({'version': '1.1',
                                'method': service_name,
                                'params': args,
@@ -197,6 +216,9 @@ def _call(self, service_name, *args):
                              'User-Agent': DEFAULT_USER_AGENT,
                              'Authorization': self.__auth_header,
                              'Content-type': 'application/json'})
+        if EPOLL and not self.ep:
+            self.ep = select.epoll()
+            self.ep.register(self.__conn.sock, select.EPOLLIN|select.EPOLLHUP)
 
         response = self._get_response()
         if response['error'] is not None:
@@ -210,11 +232,21 @@ def _call(self, service_name, *args):
 
     def _batch(self, rpc_call_list):
         postdata = json.dumps(list(rpc_call_list))
+        if EPOLL and self.ep:
+            for (fd, ev) in self.ep.poll(0):
+                if ev & EPOLLHUP or (ev & EPOLLIN and \
+                        b'' == self.__conn.sock.recv(1, MSG_DONTWAIT|MSG_PEEK)):
+                    self.__conn.close()
+                    self.ep.close()
+                    self.ep = None
         self.__conn.request('POST', self.__url.path, postdata,
                             {'Host': self.__url.hostname,
                              'User-Agent': DEFAULT_USER_AGENT,
                              'Authorization': self.__auth_header,
                              'Content-type': 'application/json'})
+        if EPOLL and not self.ep:
+            self.ep = select.epoll()
+            self.ep.register(self.__conn.sock, select.EPOLLIN|select.EPOLLHUP)
 
         return self._get_response()