diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index edeaee5b7..52510ed52 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ type Proxy struct {
 	AuthSchemes           map[string]AuthScheme
 	GRPCMaxRxMsgSize      int
 	GRPCMaxTxMsgSize      int
+	GRPCGShutdownTimeout  time.Duration
 }
 
 type STSHeader struct {
diff --git a/config/default.go b/config/default.go
index 4487dea44..abe915d76 100644
--- a/config/default.go
+++ b/config/default.go
@@ -43,18 +43,19 @@ var defaultConfig = &Config{
 		},
 	},
 	Proxy: Proxy{
-		MaxConn:             10000,
-		Strategy:            "rnd",
-		Matcher:             "prefix",
-		NoRouteStatus:       404,
-		DialTimeout:         30 * time.Second,
-		FlushInterval:       time.Second,
-		GlobalFlushInterval: 0,
-		LocalIP:             LocalIPString(),
-		AuthSchemes:         map[string]AuthScheme{},
-		IdleConnTimeout:     15 * time.Second,
-		GRPCMaxRxMsgSize:    4 * 1024 * 1024, // 4M
-		GRPCMaxTxMsgSize:    4 * 1024 * 1024, // 4M
+		MaxConn:              10000,
+		Strategy:             "rnd",
+		Matcher:              "prefix",
+		NoRouteStatus:        404,
+		DialTimeout:          30 * time.Second,
+		FlushInterval:        time.Second,
+		GlobalFlushInterval:  0,
+		LocalIP:              LocalIPString(),
+		AuthSchemes:          map[string]AuthScheme{},
+		IdleConnTimeout:      15 * time.Second,
+		GRPCMaxRxMsgSize:     4 * 1024 * 1024, // 4M
+		GRPCMaxTxMsgSize:     4 * 1024 * 1024, // 4M
+		GRPCGShutdownTimeout: time.Second * 2,
 	},
 	Registry: Registry{
 		Backend: "consul",
diff --git a/config/load.go b/config/load.go
index cccd982eb..9754e9a66 100644
--- a/config/load.go
+++ b/config/load.go
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ func load(cmdline, environ, envprefix []string, props *properties.Properties) (c
 	f.BoolVar(&cfg.Proxy.STSHeader.Preload, "proxy.header.sts.preload", defaultConfig.Proxy.STSHeader.Preload, "direct HSTS to pass the preload directive")
 	f.IntVar(&cfg.Proxy.GRPCMaxRxMsgSize, "proxy.grpcmaxrxmsgsize", defaultConfig.Proxy.GRPCMaxRxMsgSize, "max grpc receive message size (in bytes)")
 	f.IntVar(&cfg.Proxy.GRPCMaxTxMsgSize, "proxy.grpcmaxtxmsgsize", defaultConfig.Proxy.GRPCMaxTxMsgSize, "max grpc transmit message size (in bytes)")
+	f.DurationVar(&cfg.Proxy.GRPCGShutdownTimeout, "proxy.grpcshutdowntimeout", defaultConfig.Proxy.GRPCGShutdownTimeout, "amount of time to wait for graceful shutdown of grpc backend")
 	f.StringVar(&gzipContentTypesValue, "proxy.gzip.contenttype", defaultValues.GZIPContentTypesValue, "regexp of content types to compress")
 	f.StringVar(&listenerValue, "proxy.addr", defaultValues.ListenerValue, "listener config")
 	f.StringVar(&certSourcesValue, "proxy.cs", defaultValues.CertSourcesValue, "certificate sources")
diff --git a/docs/content/ref/proxy.grpcmaxrxmsgsize.md b/docs/content/ref/proxy.grpcmaxrxmsgsize.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8135c2451
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/content/ref/proxy.grpcmaxrxmsgsize.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+---
+title: "proxy.grpcmaxrxmsgsize"
+---
+
+`proxy.grpcmaxrxmsgsize` configures the grpc max receive message size in bytes.  The default
+value is
+
+    proxy.grpcmaxrxmsgsize = 4194304
+
+which is 4MB
diff --git a/docs/content/ref/proxy.grpcmaxtxmsgsize.md b/docs/content/ref/proxy.grpcmaxtxmsgsize.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c7e6ab4b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/content/ref/proxy.grpcmaxtxmsgsize.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+---
+title: "proxy.grpcmaxtxmsgsize"
+---
+
+`proxy.grpcmaxtxmsgsize` configures the grpc max transmit message size in bytes.  The default
+value is
+
+    proxy.grpcmaxtxmsgsize = 4194304
+
+which is 4MB
diff --git a/docs/content/ref/proxy.grpcshutdowntimeout.md b/docs/content/ref/proxy.grpcshutdowntimeout.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..12e17435e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/content/ref/proxy.grpcshutdowntimeout.md
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+title: "proxy.grpcshutdowntimeout"
+---
+
+`proxy.grpcshutdowntimeout` configures the amount of time fabio will wait to attempt
+to close the connection while waiting for grpc traffic to finish to a backend that's been
+deregistered.  The default value is
+
+    proxy.grpcshutdowntimeout = 2s
diff --git a/fabio.properties b/fabio.properties
index 814b42132..e5b8648f9 100644
--- a/fabio.properties
+++ b/fabio.properties
@@ -561,6 +561,12 @@
 # The default is
 # proxy.grpcmaxtxmsgsize = 4194304
 #
+#
+# proxy.grpcshutdowntimeout configures the amount of time fabio will wait to attempt
+# to close the connection while waiting for grpc traffic to finish to a backend that's been
+# deregistered.  Default value is
+# proxy.grpcshutdowntimeout = 2s
+# setting to 0s disables the wait.
 
 # log.access.format configures the format of the access log.
 #
diff --git a/proxy/grpc_handler.go b/proxy/grpc_handler.go
index 050660437..c161171e9 100644
--- a/proxy/grpc_handler.go
+++ b/proxy/grpc_handler.go
@@ -299,14 +299,21 @@ func (p *grpcConnectionPool) cleanup() {
 		p.lock.Lock()
 		table := route.GetTable()
 		for tKey, cs := range p.connections {
-			if cs.GetState() == connectivity.Shutdown {
+			state := cs.GetState()
+			if state == connectivity.Shutdown {
 				delete(p.connections, tKey)
 				continue
 			}
 
 			if !hasTarget(tKey, table) {
 				log.Println("[DEBUG] grpc: cleaning up connection to", tKey)
-				cs.Close()
+				go func(cs *grpc.ClientConn, state connectivity.State) {
+					ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), p.cfg.Proxy.GRPCGShutdownTimeout)
+					defer cancel()
+					// wait for state to change, or timeout, before closing, in case it's still handling traffic.
+					cs.WaitForStateChange(ctx, state)
+					cs.Close()
+				}(cs, state)
 				delete(p.connections, tKey)
 			}
 		}