diff --git a/sql/connect/client/jdbc/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/connect/client/jdbc/SparkConnectStatement.scala b/sql/connect/client/jdbc/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/connect/client/jdbc/SparkConnectStatement.scala
index 3df1ff65498d..d1947ae93a40 100644
--- a/sql/connect/client/jdbc/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/connect/client/jdbc/SparkConnectStatement.scala
+++ b/sql/connect/client/jdbc/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/connect/client/jdbc/SparkConnectStatement.scala
@@ -35,14 +35,21 @@ class SparkConnectStatement(conn: SparkConnectConnection) extends Statement {
   override def close(): Unit = synchronized {
     if (!closed) {
       if (operationId != null) {
-        conn.spark.interruptOperation(operationId)
+        try {
+          conn.spark.interruptOperation(operationId)
+        } catch {
+          case _: java.net.ConnectException =>
+            // Ignore ConnectExceptions during cleanup as the operation may have already completed
+            // or the server may be unavailable. The important part is marking this statement
+            // as closed to prevent further use.
+        }
         operationId = null
       }
       if (resultSet != null) {
         resultSet.close()
         resultSet = null
       }
-      closed = false
+      closed = true
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/sql/connect/client/jvm/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/connect/test/RemoteSparkSession.scala b/sql/connect/client/jvm/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/connect/test/RemoteSparkSession.scala
index efac3bc7561f..6229e6e299db 100644
--- a/sql/connect/client/jvm/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/connect/test/RemoteSparkSession.scala
+++ b/sql/connect/client/jvm/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/connect/test/RemoteSparkSession.scala
@@ -93,6 +93,11 @@ object SparkConnectServerUtils {
     if (isDebug) {
       builder.redirectError(Redirect.INHERIT)
       builder.redirectOutput(Redirect.INHERIT)
+    } else {
+      // If output is not consumed, the stdout/stderr pipe buffers will fill up,
+      // causing the server process to block on write() calls
+      builder.redirectError(Redirect.DISCARD)
+      builder.redirectOutput(Redirect.DISCARD)
     }
 
     val process = builder.start()