Index: Connection.java
===================================================================
--- Connection.java	(revision 60239)
+++ Connection.java	(working copy)
@@ -1282,14 +1282,20 @@
 	 */
    class PingTask implements Runnable
    {
-      /**
-		 * Main processing method for the PingTask object
-		 */
       public void run()
       {
+         // Don't bother if we are closing
+         if (closing.get())
+            return;
+         
          try
          {
-            pingTaskSemaphore.acquire();
+            // If we can't aquire the semaphore then it
+            // almost certainly means the close has got it
+            // Try for 10 seconds to make sure the problem
+            // is not just a long garbage collection that has suspended threads
+            if (pingTaskSemaphore.attempt(1000 * 10) == false)
+               return;
          }
          catch (InterruptedException e)
          {