diff --git a/helix-lock/src/main/java/org/apache/helix/lock/DistributedLock.java b/helix-lock/src/main/java/org/apache/helix/lock/DistributedLock.java
index 87247c208d..3adbb75c40 100644
--- a/helix-lock/src/main/java/org/apache/helix/lock/DistributedLock.java
+++ b/helix-lock/src/main/java/org/apache/helix/lock/DistributedLock.java
@@ -49,4 +49,10 @@ public interface DistributedLock {
    * false if the user is not the lock owner or the lock doesn't have a owner
    */
   boolean isCurrentOwner();
+
+  /**
+   * Call this method to close the lock's zookeeper connection
+   * The lock has to be unlocked or expired before this method can be called
+   */
+  void close();
 }
diff --git a/helix-lock/src/main/java/org/apache/helix/lock/helix/ZKDistributedNonblockingLock.java b/helix-lock/src/main/java/org/apache/helix/lock/helix/ZKDistributedNonblockingLock.java
index d5ad3a29f9..4b322e273e 100644
--- a/helix-lock/src/main/java/org/apache/helix/lock/helix/ZKDistributedNonblockingLock.java
+++ b/helix-lock/src/main/java/org/apache/helix/lock/helix/ZKDistributedNonblockingLock.java
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@
  * Helix nonblocking lock implementation based on Zookeeper
  */
 public class ZKDistributedNonblockingLock implements DistributedLock {
-
   private static final Logger LOG = Logger.getLogger(ZKDistributedNonblockingLock.class);
 
   private final String _lockPath;
@@ -50,12 +49,12 @@ public class ZKDistributedNonblockingLock implements DistributedLock {
    * Initialize the lock with user provided information, e.g.,cluster, scope, etc.
    * @param scope the scope to lock
    * @param zkAddress the zk address the cluster connects to
-   * @param timeout the timeout period of the lcok
+   * @param timeout the timeout period of the lock
    * @param lockMsg the reason for having this lock
    * @param userId a universal unique userId for lock owner identity
    */
-  public ZKDistributedNonblockingLock(LockScope scope, String zkAddress, Long timeout, String lockMsg,
-      String userId) {
+  public ZKDistributedNonblockingLock(LockScope scope, String zkAddress, Long timeout,
+      String lockMsg, String userId) {
     this(scope.getPath(), zkAddress, timeout, lockMsg, userId);
   }
 
@@ -63,12 +62,12 @@ public ZKDistributedNonblockingLock(LockScope scope, String zkAddress, Long time
    * Initialize the lock with user provided information, e.g., lock path under zookeeper, etc.
    * @param lockPath the path of the lock under Zookeeper
    * @param zkAddress the zk address of the cluster
-   * @param timeout the timeout period of the lcok
+   * @param timeout the timeout period of the lock
    * @param lockMsg the reason for having this lock
    * @param userId a universal unique userId for lock owner identity
    */
-  private ZKDistributedNonblockingLock(String lockPath, String zkAddress, Long timeout, String lockMsg,
-      String userId) {
+  private ZKDistributedNonblockingLock(String lockPath, String zkAddress, Long timeout,
+      String lockMsg, String userId) {
     _lockPath = lockPath;
     if (timeout < 0) {
       throw new IllegalArgumentException("The expiration time cannot be negative.");
@@ -81,7 +80,6 @@ private ZKDistributedNonblockingLock(String lockPath, String zkAddress, Long tim
 
   @Override
   public boolean tryLock() {
-
     // Set lock information fields
     long deadline;
     // Prevent value overflow
@@ -115,6 +113,14 @@ public boolean isCurrentOwner() {
         .getTimeout());
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public void close() {
+    if (isCurrentOwner()) {
+      throw new HelixException("Please unlock the lock before closing it.");
+    }
+    _baseDataAccessor.close();
+  }
+
   /**
    * Class that specifies how a lock node should be updated with another lock node
    */
diff --git a/helix-lock/src/test/java/org/apache/helix/lock/helix/TestZKHelixNonblockingLock.java b/helix-lock/src/test/java/org/apache/helix/lock/helix/TestZKHelixNonblockingLock.java
index 758c72902e..ef80cf879e 100644
--- a/helix-lock/src/test/java/org/apache/helix/lock/helix/TestZKHelixNonblockingLock.java
+++ b/helix-lock/src/test/java/org/apache/helix/lock/helix/TestZKHelixNonblockingLock.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 
 package org.apache.helix.lock.helix;
 
+import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Date;
 import java.util.List;
@@ -26,12 +27,14 @@
 import java.util.UUID;
 import java.util.concurrent.Callable;
 
+import org.apache.helix.HelixException;
 import org.apache.helix.TestHelper;
 import org.apache.helix.common.ZkTestBase;
 import org.apache.helix.lock.LockInfo;
 import org.apache.helix.zookeeper.datamodel.ZNRecord;
 import org.apache.zookeeper.CreateMode;
 import org.testng.Assert;
+import org.testng.annotations.AfterSuite;
 import org.testng.annotations.BeforeClass;
 import org.testng.annotations.BeforeMethod;
 import org.testng.annotations.Test;
@@ -48,7 +51,6 @@ public class TestZKHelixNonblockingLock extends ZkTestBase {
 
   @BeforeClass
   public void beforeClass() throws Exception {
-
     System.out.println("START " + _clusterName + " at " + new Date(System.currentTimeMillis()));
 
     TestHelper.setupCluster(_clusterName, ZK_ADDR, 12918, "localhost", "TestDB", 1, 10, 5, 3,
@@ -61,8 +63,9 @@ public void beforeClass() throws Exception {
 
     _participantScope = new HelixLockScope(HelixLockScope.LockScopeProperty.CLUSTER, pathKeys);
     _lockPath = _participantScope.getPath();
-    _lock = new ZKDistributedNonblockingLock(_participantScope, ZK_ADDR, Long.MAX_VALUE, _lockMessage,
-        _userId);
+    _lock =
+        new ZKDistributedNonblockingLock(_participantScope, ZK_ADDR, Long.MAX_VALUE, _lockMessage,
+            _userId);
   }
 
   @BeforeMethod
@@ -71,9 +74,14 @@ public void beforeMethod() {
     Assert.assertFalse(_gZkClient.exists(_lockPath));
   }
 
+  @AfterSuite
+  public void afterSuite() throws IOException {
+    _lock.close();
+    super.afterSuite();
+  }
+
   @Test
   public void testAcquireLock() {
-
     // Acquire lock
     _lock.tryLock();
     Assert.assertTrue(_gZkClient.exists(_lockPath));
@@ -93,7 +101,6 @@ public void testAcquireLock() {
 
   @Test
   public void testAcquireLockWhenExistingLockNotExpired() {
-
     // Fake condition when the lock owner is not current user
     String fakeUserID = UUID.randomUUID().toString();
     ZNRecord fakeRecord = new ZNRecord(fakeUserID);
@@ -115,7 +122,6 @@ public void testAcquireLockWhenExistingLockNotExpired() {
 
   @Test
   public void testAcquireLockWhenExistingLockExpired() {
-
     // Fake condition when the current lock already expired
     String fakeUserID = UUID.randomUUID().toString();
     ZNRecord fakeRecord = new ZNRecord(fakeUserID);
@@ -159,5 +165,33 @@ public Boolean call() throws Exception {
       return _lock.tryLock();
     }
   }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testCloseLockedLock() {
+    _lock.tryLock();
+    Assert.assertTrue(_lock.isCurrentOwner());
+    try {
+      _lock.close();
+      Assert.fail("Should throw exception here.");
+    } catch (HelixException e) {
+      Assert.assertEquals(e.getMessage(), "Please unlock the lock before closing it.");
+    }
+    Assert.assertTrue(_lock.isCurrentOwner());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testCloseUnlockedLock() {
+    Assert.assertFalse(_lock.isCurrentOwner());
+    try {
+      _lock.close();
+      _lock.getCurrentLockInfo();
+      Assert.fail("Should throw exception here");
+    } catch (IllegalStateException e) {
+      Assert.assertEquals(e.getMessage(), "ZkClient already closed!");
+    }
+    _lock =
+        new ZKDistributedNonblockingLock(_participantScope, ZK_ADDR, Long.MAX_VALUE, _lockMessage,
+            _userId);
+  }
 }