diff --git a/plugin/forward/README.md b/plugin/forward/README.md
index ae7ce67ba..fd00253dd 100644
--- a/plugin/forward/README.md
+++ b/plugin/forward/README.md
@@ -102,7 +102,6 @@ If monitoring is enabled (via the *prometheus* directive) then the following met
 * `coredns_forward_healthcheck_failure_count_total{to}` - number of failed health checks per upstream.
 * `coredns_forward_healthcheck_broken_count_total{}` - counter of when all upstreams are unhealthy,
   and we are randomly (this always uses the `random` policy) spraying to an upstream.
-* `coredns_forward_socket_count_total{to}` - number of cached sockets per upstream.
 
 Where `to` is one of the upstream servers (**TO** from the config), `rcode` is the returned RCODE
 from the upstream.
diff --git a/plugin/forward/connect.go b/plugin/forward/connect.go
index 8fde2224b..9ac1afe16 100644
--- a/plugin/forward/connect.go
+++ b/plugin/forward/connect.go
@@ -44,17 +44,17 @@ func (t *Transport) updateDialTimeout(newDialTime time.Duration) {
 }
 
 // Dial dials the address configured in transport, potentially reusing a connection or creating a new one.
-func (t *Transport) Dial(proto string) (*dns.Conn, bool, error) {
+func (t *Transport) Dial(proto string) (*persistConn, bool, error) {
 	// If tls has been configured; use it.
 	if t.tlsConfig != nil {
 		proto = "tcp-tls"
 	}
 
 	t.dial <- proto
-	c := <-t.ret
+	pc := <-t.ret
 
-	if c != nil {
-		return c, true, nil
+	if pc != nil {
+		return pc, true, nil
 	}
 
 	reqTime := time.Now()
@@ -62,11 +62,11 @@ func (t *Transport) Dial(proto string) (*dns.Conn, bool, error) {
 	if proto == "tcp-tls" {
 		conn, err := dns.DialTimeoutWithTLS("tcp", t.addr, t.tlsConfig, timeout)
 		t.updateDialTimeout(time.Since(reqTime))
-		return conn, false, err
+		return &persistConn{c: conn}, false, err
 	}
 	conn, err := dns.DialTimeout(proto, t.addr, timeout)
 	t.updateDialTimeout(time.Since(reqTime))
-	return conn, false, err
+	return &persistConn{c: conn}, false, err
 }
 
 // Connect selects an upstream, sends the request and waits for a response.
@@ -83,20 +83,20 @@ func (p *Proxy) Connect(ctx context.Context, state request.Request, opts options
 		proto = state.Proto()
 	}
 
-	conn, cached, err := p.transport.Dial(proto)
+	pc, cached, err := p.transport.Dial(proto)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	// Set buffer size correctly for this client.
-	conn.UDPSize = uint16(state.Size())
-	if conn.UDPSize < 512 {
-		conn.UDPSize = 512
+	pc.c.UDPSize = uint16(state.Size())
+	if pc.c.UDPSize < 512 {
+		pc.c.UDPSize = 512
 	}
 
-	conn.SetWriteDeadline(time.Now().Add(maxTimeout))
-	if err := conn.WriteMsg(state.Req); err != nil {
-		conn.Close() // not giving it back
+	pc.c.SetWriteDeadline(time.Now().Add(maxTimeout))
+	if err := pc.c.WriteMsg(state.Req); err != nil {
+		pc.c.Close() // not giving it back
 		if err == io.EOF && cached {
 			return nil, ErrCachedClosed
 		}
@@ -104,11 +104,11 @@ func (p *Proxy) Connect(ctx context.Context, state request.Request, opts options
 	}
 
 	var ret *dns.Msg
-	conn.SetReadDeadline(time.Now().Add(readTimeout))
+	pc.c.SetReadDeadline(time.Now().Add(readTimeout))
 	for {
-		ret, err = conn.ReadMsg()
+		ret, err = pc.c.ReadMsg()
 		if err != nil {
-			conn.Close() // not giving it back
+			pc.c.Close() // not giving it back
 			if err == io.EOF && cached {
 				return nil, ErrCachedClosed
 			}
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ func (p *Proxy) Connect(ctx context.Context, state request.Request, opts options
 		}
 	}
 
-	p.transport.Yield(conn)
+	p.transport.Yield(pc)
 
 	rc, ok := dns.RcodeToString[ret.Rcode]
 	if !ok {
diff --git a/plugin/forward/health_test.go b/plugin/forward/health_test.go
index 3d06f2835..b1785eeae 100644
--- a/plugin/forward/health_test.go
+++ b/plugin/forward/health_test.go
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ func TestHealth(t *testing.T) {
 	p := NewProxy(s.Addr, transport.DNS)
 	f := New()
 	f.SetProxy(p)
-	defer f.Close()
+	defer f.OnShutdown()
 
 	req := new(dns.Msg)
 	req.SetQuestion("example.org.", dns.TypeA)
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ func TestHealthTimeout(t *testing.T) {
 	p := NewProxy(s.Addr, transport.DNS)
 	f := New()
 	f.SetProxy(p)
-	defer f.Close()
+	defer f.OnShutdown()
 
 	req := new(dns.Msg)
 	req.SetQuestion("example.org.", dns.TypeA)
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ func TestHealthFailTwice(t *testing.T) {
 	p := NewProxy(s.Addr, transport.DNS)
 	f := New()
 	f.SetProxy(p)
-	defer f.Close()
+	defer f.OnShutdown()
 
 	req := new(dns.Msg)
 	req.SetQuestion("example.org.", dns.TypeA)
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ func TestHealthMaxFails(t *testing.T) {
 	f := New()
 	f.maxfails = 2
 	f.SetProxy(p)
-	defer f.Close()
+	defer f.OnShutdown()
 
 	req := new(dns.Msg)
 	req.SetQuestion("example.org.", dns.TypeA)
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ func TestHealthNoMaxFails(t *testing.T) {
 	f := New()
 	f.maxfails = 0
 	f.SetProxy(p)
-	defer f.Close()
+	defer f.OnShutdown()
 
 	req := new(dns.Msg)
 	req.SetQuestion("example.org.", dns.TypeA)
diff --git a/plugin/forward/persistent.go b/plugin/forward/persistent.go
index d1348f94d..17cc5680a 100644
--- a/plugin/forward/persistent.go
+++ b/plugin/forward/persistent.go
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ type Transport struct {
 	tlsConfig   *tls.Config
 
 	dial  chan string
-	yield chan *dns.Conn
-	ret   chan *dns.Conn
+	yield chan *persistConn
+	ret   chan *persistConn
 	stop  chan bool
 }
 
@@ -36,23 +36,13 @@ func newTransport(addr string) *Transport {
 		expire:      defaultExpire,
 		addr:        addr,
 		dial:        make(chan string),
-		yield:       make(chan *dns.Conn),
-		ret:         make(chan *dns.Conn),
+		yield:       make(chan *persistConn),
+		ret:         make(chan *persistConn),
 		stop:        make(chan bool),
 	}
 	return t
 }
 
-// len returns the number of connection, used for metrics. Can only be safely
-// used inside connManager() because of data races.
-func (t *Transport) len() int {
-	l := 0
-	for _, conns := range t.conns {
-		l += len(conns)
-	}
-	return l
-}
-
 // connManagers manages the persistent connection cache for UDP and TCP.
 func (t *Transport) connManager() {
 	ticker := time.NewTicker(t.expire)
@@ -66,7 +56,7 @@ Wait:
 				if time.Since(pc.used) < t.expire {
 					// Found one, remove from pool and return this conn.
 					t.conns[proto] = stack[:len(stack)-1]
-					t.ret <- pc.c
+					t.ret <- pc
 					continue Wait
 				}
 				// clear entire cache if the last conn is expired
@@ -75,26 +65,21 @@ Wait:
 				// transport methods anymore. So, it's safe to close them in a separate goroutine
 				go closeConns(stack)
 			}
-			SocketGauge.WithLabelValues(t.addr).Set(float64(t.len()))
-
 			t.ret <- nil
 
-		case conn := <-t.yield:
-
-			SocketGauge.WithLabelValues(t.addr).Set(float64(t.len() + 1))
-
+		case pc := <-t.yield:
 			// no proto here, infer from config and conn
-			if _, ok := conn.Conn.(*net.UDPConn); ok {
-				t.conns["udp"] = append(t.conns["udp"], &persistConn{conn, time.Now()})
+			if _, ok := pc.c.Conn.(*net.UDPConn); ok {
+				t.conns["udp"] = append(t.conns["udp"], pc)
 				continue Wait
 			}
 
 			if t.tlsConfig == nil {
-				t.conns["tcp"] = append(t.conns["tcp"], &persistConn{conn, time.Now()})
+				t.conns["tcp"] = append(t.conns["tcp"], pc)
 				continue Wait
 			}
 
-			t.conns["tcp-tls"] = append(t.conns["tcp-tls"], &persistConn{conn, time.Now()})
+			t.conns["tcp-tls"] = append(t.conns["tcp-tls"], pc)
 
 		case <-ticker.C:
 			t.cleanup(false)
@@ -143,8 +128,23 @@ func (t *Transport) cleanup(all bool) {
 	}
 }
 
+// It is hard to pin a value to this, the import thing is to no block forever, loosing at cached connection is not terrible.
+const yieldTimeout = 25 * time.Millisecond
+
 // Yield return the connection to transport for reuse.
-func (t *Transport) Yield(c *dns.Conn) { t.yield <- c }
+func (t *Transport) Yield(pc *persistConn) {
+	pc.used = time.Now() // update used time
+
+	// Make ths non-blocking, because in the case of a very busy forwarder we will *block* on this yield. This
+	// blocks the outer go-routine and stuff will just pile up.  We timeout when the send fails to as returning
+	// these connection is an optimization anyway.
+	select {
+	case t.yield <- pc:
+		return
+	case <-time.After(yieldTimeout):
+		return
+	}
+}
 
 // Start starts the transport's connection manager.
 func (t *Transport) Start() { go t.connManager() }
diff --git a/plugin/forward/persistent_test.go b/plugin/forward/persistent_test.go
index f1c906076..1fb239ca7 100644
--- a/plugin/forward/persistent_test.go
+++ b/plugin/forward/persistent_test.go
@@ -82,54 +82,6 @@ func TestCleanupByTimer(t *testing.T) {
 	tr.Yield(c4)
 }
 
-func TestPartialCleanup(t *testing.T) {
-	s := dnstest.NewServer(func(w dns.ResponseWriter, r *dns.Msg) {
-		ret := new(dns.Msg)
-		ret.SetReply(r)
-		w.WriteMsg(ret)
-	})
-	defer s.Close()
-
-	tr := newTransport(s.Addr)
-	tr.SetExpire(100 * time.Millisecond)
-	tr.Start()
-	defer tr.Stop()
-
-	c1, _, _ := tr.Dial("udp")
-	c2, _, _ := tr.Dial("udp")
-	c3, _, _ := tr.Dial("udp")
-	c4, _, _ := tr.Dial("udp")
-	c5, _, _ := tr.Dial("udp")
-
-	tr.Yield(c1)
-	time.Sleep(10 * time.Millisecond)
-	tr.Yield(c2)
-	time.Sleep(10 * time.Millisecond)
-	tr.Yield(c3)
-	time.Sleep(50 * time.Millisecond)
-	tr.Yield(c4)
-	time.Sleep(10 * time.Millisecond)
-	tr.Yield(c5)
-	time.Sleep(40 * time.Millisecond)
-
-	c6, _, _ := tr.Dial("udp")
-	if c6 != c5 {
-		t.Errorf("Expected c6 == c5")
-	}
-	c7, _, _ := tr.Dial("udp")
-	if c7 != c4 {
-		t.Errorf("Expected c7 == c4")
-	}
-	c8, cached, _ := tr.Dial("udp")
-	if cached {
-		t.Error("Expected non-cached connection (c8)")
-	}
-
-	tr.Yield(c6)
-	tr.Yield(c7)
-	tr.Yield(c8)
-}
-
 func TestCleanupAll(t *testing.T) {
 	s := dnstest.NewServer(func(w dns.ResponseWriter, r *dns.Msg) {
 		ret := new(dns.Msg)
@@ -150,12 +102,12 @@ func TestCleanupAll(t *testing.T) {
 		{c3, time.Now()},
 	}
 
-	if tr.len() != 3 {
+	if len(tr.conns["udp"]) != 3 {
 		t.Error("Expected 3 connections")
 	}
 	tr.cleanup(true)
 
-	if tr.len() > 0 {
+	if len(tr.conns["udp"]) > 0 {
 		t.Error("Expected no cached connections")
 	}
 }
diff --git a/plugin/forward/proxy.go b/plugin/forward/proxy.go
index 6485d8d72..60dfa47a6 100644
--- a/plugin/forward/proxy.go
+++ b/plugin/forward/proxy.go
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ func (p *Proxy) Down(maxfails uint32) bool {
 }
 
 // close stops the health checking goroutine.
-func (p *Proxy) close()     { p.probe.Stop() }
+func (p *Proxy) stop()      { p.probe.Stop() }
 func (p *Proxy) finalizer() { p.transport.Stop() }
 
 // start starts the proxy's healthchecking.
diff --git a/plugin/forward/proxy_test.go b/plugin/forward/proxy_test.go
index 7075e1133..b962f561b 100644
--- a/plugin/forward/proxy_test.go
+++ b/plugin/forward/proxy_test.go
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ func TestProxyClose(t *testing.T) {
 		go func() { p.Connect(ctx, state, options{}) }()
 		go func() { p.Connect(ctx, state, options{forceTCP: true}) }()
 
-		p.close()
+		p.stop()
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/plugin/forward/setup.go b/plugin/forward/setup.go
index 3bfee9f01..d45756693 100644
--- a/plugin/forward/setup.go
+++ b/plugin/forward/setup.go
@@ -54,14 +54,11 @@ func (f *Forward) OnStartup() (err error) {
 // OnShutdown stops all configured proxies.
 func (f *Forward) OnShutdown() error {
 	for _, p := range f.proxies {
-		p.close()
+		p.stop()
 	}
 	return nil
 }
 
-// Close is a synonym for OnShutdown().
-func (f *Forward) Close() { f.OnShutdown() }
-
 func parseForward(c *caddy.Controller) (*Forward, error) {
 	var (
 		f   *Forward