diff --git a/packages/rsocket-core/src/RSocketMachine.js b/packages/rsocket-core/src/RSocketMachine.js
index 3d228ac4..084edf20 100644
--- a/packages/rsocket-core/src/RSocketMachine.js
+++ b/packages/rsocket-core/src/RSocketMachine.js
@@ -598,8 +598,7 @@ class RSocketMachineImpl<D, M> implements RSocketMachine<D, M> {
   };
 
   _handleConnectionError(error: Error): void {
-    this._handleError(error);
-    this._connection.close();
+    this._connection.close(error);
     const errorHandler = this._errorHandler;
     if (errorHandler) {
       errorHandler(error);
diff --git a/packages/rsocket-core/src/RSocketResumableTransport.js b/packages/rsocket-core/src/RSocketResumableTransport.js
index cb503214..7a60d67f 100644
--- a/packages/rsocket-core/src/RSocketResumableTransport.js
+++ b/packages/rsocket-core/src/RSocketResumableTransport.js
@@ -156,8 +156,8 @@ export default class RSocketResumableTransport implements DuplexConnection {
     this._statusSubscribers = new Set();
   }
 
-  close(): void {
-    this._close();
+  close(error?: Error): void {
+    this._close(error);
   }
 
   connect(): void {
@@ -275,13 +275,18 @@ export default class RSocketResumableTransport implements DuplexConnection {
     if (this._isTerminated()) {
       return;
     }
-    if (error) {
-      this._setConnectionStatus({error, kind: 'ERROR'});
-    } else {
-      this._setConnectionStatus(CONNECTION_STATUS.CLOSED);
-    }
+
+    const status = error ? {error, kind: 'ERROR'} : CONNECTION_STATUS.CLOSED;
+    this._setConnectionStatus(status);
+
     const receivers = this._receivers;
-    receivers.forEach(r => r.onComplete());
+    receivers.forEach(subscriber => {
+      if (error) {
+        subscriber.onError(error);
+      } else {
+        subscriber.onComplete();
+      }
+    });
     receivers.clear();
 
     const senders = this._senders;
diff --git a/packages/rsocket-core/src/ReassemblyDuplexConnection.js b/packages/rsocket-core/src/ReassemblyDuplexConnection.js
index d19b5973..7d6df25b 100644
--- a/packages/rsocket-core/src/ReassemblyDuplexConnection.js
+++ b/packages/rsocket-core/src/ReassemblyDuplexConnection.js
@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@ export class ReassemblyDuplexConnection implements DuplexConnection {
       .lift(actual => new ReassemblySubscriber(actual));
   }
 
-  close(): void {
-    this._source.close();
+  close(error?: Error): void {
+    this._source.close(error);
   }
 
   connect(): void {
diff --git a/packages/rsocket-core/src/__mocks__/MockDuplexConnection.js b/packages/rsocket-core/src/__mocks__/MockDuplexConnection.js
index 04558598..86593cc9 100644
--- a/packages/rsocket-core/src/__mocks__/MockDuplexConnection.js
+++ b/packages/rsocket-core/src/__mocks__/MockDuplexConnection.js
@@ -28,8 +28,12 @@ export function genMockConnection() {
   let closed = false;
 
   const connection = {
-    close: jest.fn(() => {
-      connection.mock.close();
+    close: jest.fn(error => {
+      if (error) {
+        connection.mock.closeWithError(error);
+      } else {
+        connection.mock.close();
+      }
     }),
     connect: jest.fn(),
     connectionStatus: jest.fn(() => status),
diff --git a/packages/rsocket-core/src/__tests__/RSocketClient-test.js b/packages/rsocket-core/src/__tests__/RSocketClient-test.js
index 21c9e4c0..4768ced4 100644
--- a/packages/rsocket-core/src/__tests__/RSocketClient-test.js
+++ b/packages/rsocket-core/src/__tests__/RSocketClient-test.js
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ describe('RSocketClient', () => {
       expect(errors.values().next().value).toEqual(
         `No keep-alive acks for ${keepAliveTimeout} millis`,
       );
-      expect(status.kind).toEqual('CLOSED');
+      expect(status.kind).toEqual('ERROR');
 
       jest.advanceTimersByTime(keepAliveTimeout);
     });
diff --git a/packages/rsocket-core/src/__tests__/RSocketResumableTransport-test.js b/packages/rsocket-core/src/__tests__/RSocketResumableTransport-test.js
index 14815205..862dc4aa 100644
--- a/packages/rsocket-core/src/__tests__/RSocketResumableTransport-test.js
+++ b/packages/rsocket-core/src/__tests__/RSocketResumableTransport-test.js
@@ -687,4 +687,59 @@ describe('RSocketResumableTransport', () => {
       expect(currentTransport.sendOne.mock.calls.length).toBe(0);
     });
   });
+
+  describe('post-connect() APIs', () => {
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      resumableTransport.connect();
+      currentTransport.mock.connect();
+    });
+
+    describe('close()', () => {
+      describe('given an error', () => {
+        it('closes the transport', () => {
+          resumableTransport.close(new Error());
+          expect(currentTransport.close.mock.calls.length).toBe(1);
+        });
+
+        it('sets the status to ERROR with the given error', () => {
+          const error = new Error();
+          resumableTransport.close(error);
+          expect(resumableStatus.kind).toBe('ERROR');
+          expect(resumableStatus.error).toBe(error);
+        });
+
+        it('calls receive.onError with the given error', () => {
+          const onError = jest.fn();
+          const onSubscribe = subscription =>
+            subscription.request(Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER);
+          resumableTransport.receive().subscribe({onError, onSubscribe});
+          const error = new Error();
+          resumableTransport.close(error);
+          expect(onError.mock.calls.length).toBe(1);
+          expect(onError.mock.calls[0][0]).toBe(error);
+        });
+      });
+
+      describe('not given an error', () => {
+        it('closes the transport', () => {
+          resumableTransport.close();
+          expect(currentTransport.close.mock.calls.length).toBe(1);
+        });
+
+        it('sets the status to CLOSED', () => {
+          resumableTransport.close();
+          expect(resumableStatus.kind).toBe('CLOSED');
+        });
+
+        it('calls receive.onComplete', () => {
+          const onComplete = jest.fn();
+          const onSubscribe = subscription =>
+            subscription.request(Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER);
+          resumableTransport.receive().subscribe({onComplete, onSubscribe});
+          resumableTransport.close();
+          expect(onComplete.mock.calls.length).toBe(1);
+        });
+      });
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/rsocket-tcp-client/src/RSocketTcpClient.js b/packages/rsocket-tcp-client/src/RSocketTcpClient.js
index 8b981c0f..e2f3889f 100644
--- a/packages/rsocket-tcp-client/src/RSocketTcpClient.js
+++ b/packages/rsocket-tcp-client/src/RSocketTcpClient.js
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@ export class RSocketTcpConnection implements DuplexConnection {
     }
   }
 
-  close(): void {
-    this._close();
+  close(error?: Error): void {
+    this._close(error);
   }
 
   connect(): void {
diff --git a/packages/rsocket-tcp-client/src/__tests__/RSocketTcpClient-test.js b/packages/rsocket-tcp-client/src/__tests__/RSocketTcpClient-test.js
index a54913cd..0d27118c 100644
--- a/packages/rsocket-tcp-client/src/__tests__/RSocketTcpClient-test.js
+++ b/packages/rsocket-tcp-client/src/__tests__/RSocketTcpClient-test.js
@@ -98,29 +98,62 @@ describe('RSocketTcpClient', () => {
     });
 
     describe('close()', () => {
-      it('closes the socket', () => {
-        client.close();
-        expect(socket.end.mock.calls.length).toBe(1);
-      });
+      describe('given an error', () => {
+        it('closes the socket', () => {
+          client.close(new Error());
+          expect(socket.end.mock.calls.length).toBe(1);
+        });
 
-      it('sets the status to CLOSED', () => {
-        let status;
-        client.connectionStatus().subscribe({
-          onNext: _status => (status = _status),
-          onSubscribe: subscription =>
-            subscription.request(Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER),
+        it('sets the status to ERROR with the given error', () => {
+          let status;
+          client.connectionStatus().subscribe({
+            onNext: _status => (status = _status),
+            onSubscribe: subscription =>
+              subscription.request(Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER),
+          });
+          const error = new Error();
+          client.close(error);
+          expect(status.kind).toBe('ERROR');
+          expect(status.error).toBe(error);
+        });
+
+        it('calls receive.onError with the given error', () => {
+          const onError = jest.fn();
+          const onSubscribe = subscription =>
+            subscription.request(Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER);
+          client.receive().subscribe({onError, onSubscribe});
+          const error = new Error();
+          client.close(error);
+          expect(onError.mock.calls.length).toBe(1);
+          expect(onError.mock.calls[0][0]).toBe(error);
         });
-        client.close();
-        expect(status.kind).toBe('CLOSED');
       });
 
-      it('calls receive.onComplete', () => {
-        const onComplete = jest.fn();
-        const onSubscribe = subscription =>
-          subscription.request(Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER);
-        client.receive().subscribe({onComplete, onSubscribe});
-        client.close();
-        expect(onComplete.mock.calls.length).toBe(1);
+      describe('not given an error', () => {
+        it('closes the socket', () => {
+          client.close();
+          expect(socket.end.mock.calls.length).toBe(1);
+        });
+
+        it('sets the status to CLOSED', () => {
+          let status;
+          client.connectionStatus().subscribe({
+            onNext: _status => (status = _status),
+            onSubscribe: subscription =>
+              subscription.request(Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER),
+          });
+          client.close();
+          expect(status.kind).toBe('CLOSED');
+        });
+
+        it('calls receive.onComplete', () => {
+          const onComplete = jest.fn();
+          const onSubscribe = subscription =>
+            subscription.request(Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER);
+          client.receive().subscribe({onComplete, onSubscribe});
+          client.close();
+          expect(onComplete.mock.calls.length).toBe(1);
+        });
       });
     });
 
diff --git a/packages/rsocket-types/src/ReactiveSocketTypes.js b/packages/rsocket-types/src/ReactiveSocketTypes.js
index 34cdc99e..cca5c78d 100644
--- a/packages/rsocket-types/src/ReactiveSocketTypes.js
+++ b/packages/rsocket-types/src/ReactiveSocketTypes.js
@@ -118,10 +118,11 @@ export interface DuplexConnection {
   receive(): Flowable<Frame>,
 
   /**
-   * Close the underlying connection, emitting `onComplete` on the receive()
-   * Publisher.
+   * Close the underlying connection, optionally providing an error as reason.
+   * If an error is passed, emits `onError` on the receive() Publisher.
+   * If no error is passed, emits `onComplete` on the receive() Publisher.
    */
-  close(): void,
+  close(error?: Error): void,
 
   /**
    * Open the underlying connection. Throws if the connection is already in
diff --git a/packages/rsocket-websocket-client/src/RSocketWebSocketClient.js b/packages/rsocket-websocket-client/src/RSocketWebSocketClient.js
index 43649271..585b485f 100644
--- a/packages/rsocket-websocket-client/src/RSocketWebSocketClient.js
+++ b/packages/rsocket-websocket-client/src/RSocketWebSocketClient.js
@@ -62,8 +62,8 @@ export default class RSocketWebSocketClient implements DuplexConnection {
     this._statusSubscribers = new Set();
   }
 
-  close(): void {
-    this._close();
+  close(error?: Error): void {
+    this._close(error);
   }
 
   connect(): void {
diff --git a/packages/rsocket-websocket-client/src/__tests__/RSocketWebSocketClient-test.js b/packages/rsocket-websocket-client/src/__tests__/RSocketWebSocketClient-test.js
index 2f3a5b6a..454072be 100644
--- a/packages/rsocket-websocket-client/src/__tests__/RSocketWebSocketClient-test.js
+++ b/packages/rsocket-websocket-client/src/__tests__/RSocketWebSocketClient-test.js
@@ -93,29 +93,62 @@ describe('RSocketWebSocketClient', () => {
     });
 
     describe('close()', () => {
-      it('closes the socket', () => {
-        client.close();
-        expect(socket.close.mock.calls.length).toBe(1);
-      });
+      describe('given an error', () => {
+        it('closes the socket', () => {
+          client.close(new Error());
+          expect(socket.close.mock.calls.length).toBe(1);
+        });
 
-      it('sets the status to CLOSED', () => {
-        let status;
-        client.connectionStatus().subscribe({
-          onNext: _status => (status = _status),
-          onSubscribe: subscription =>
-            subscription.request(Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER),
+        it('sets the status to ERROR with the given error', () => {
+          let status;
+          client.connectionStatus().subscribe({
+            onNext: _status => (status = _status),
+            onSubscribe: subscription =>
+              subscription.request(Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER),
+          });
+          const error = new Error();
+          client.close(error);
+          expect(status.kind).toBe('ERROR');
+          expect(status.error).toBe(error);
+        });
+
+        it('calls receive.onError with the given error', () => {
+          const onError = jest.fn();
+          const onSubscribe = subscription =>
+            subscription.request(Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER);
+          client.receive().subscribe({onError, onSubscribe});
+          const error = new Error();
+          client.close(error);
+          expect(onError.mock.calls.length).toBe(1);
+          expect(onError.mock.calls[0][0]).toBe(error);
         });
-        client.close();
-        expect(status.kind).toBe('CLOSED');
       });
 
-      it('calls receive.onComplete', () => {
-        const onComplete = jest.fn();
-        const onSubscribe = subscription =>
-          subscription.request(Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER);
-        client.receive().subscribe({onComplete, onSubscribe});
-        client.close();
-        expect(onComplete.mock.calls.length).toBe(1);
+      describe('not given an error', () => {
+        it('closes the socket', () => {
+          client.close();
+          expect(socket.close.mock.calls.length).toBe(1);
+        });
+
+        it('sets the status to CLOSED', () => {
+          let status;
+          client.connectionStatus().subscribe({
+            onNext: _status => (status = _status),
+            onSubscribe: subscription =>
+              subscription.request(Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER),
+          });
+          client.close();
+          expect(status.kind).toBe('CLOSED');
+        });
+
+        it('calls receive.onComplete', () => {
+          const onComplete = jest.fn();
+          const onSubscribe = subscription =>
+            subscription.request(Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER);
+          client.receive().subscribe({onComplete, onSubscribe});
+          client.close();
+          expect(onComplete.mock.calls.length).toBe(1);
+        });
       });
     });
 
diff --git a/packages/rsocket-websocket-server/src/RSocketWebSocketServer.js b/packages/rsocket-websocket-server/src/RSocketWebSocketServer.js
index 4b1af0a5..a978a282 100644
--- a/packages/rsocket-websocket-server/src/RSocketWebSocketServer.js
+++ b/packages/rsocket-websocket-server/src/RSocketWebSocketServer.js
@@ -237,8 +237,13 @@ class WSDuplexConnection implements DuplexConnection {
     });
   }
 
-  close(): void {
-    this._socket.emit('close');
+  close(error?: Error): void {
+    if (error) {
+      this._socket.emit('error', error);
+    } else {
+      this._socket.emit('close');
+    }
+
     this._socket.close();
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/rsocket-websocket-server/src/__tests__/RSocketWebSocketServer-test.js b/packages/rsocket-websocket-server/src/__tests__/RSocketWebSocketServer-test.js
index 987dda3a..dbadb718 100644
--- a/packages/rsocket-websocket-server/src/__tests__/RSocketWebSocketServer-test.js
+++ b/packages/rsocket-websocket-server/src/__tests__/RSocketWebSocketServer-test.js
@@ -74,10 +74,18 @@ describe('RSocketWebSocketServer', () => {
       expect(status.error).toBe(error);
     });
 
-    it('returns CLOSED if explicitly closed', () => {
+    it('returns CLOSED if explicitly closed with no error', () => {
       connection.receive().subscribe(() => {});
       connection.close();
       expect(status.kind).toBe('CLOSED');
     });
+
+    it('returns ERROR if explicitly closed with an error', () => {
+      connection.receive().subscribe(() => {});
+      const error = new Error();
+      connection.close(error);
+      expect(status.kind).toBe('ERROR');
+      expect(status.error).toBe(error);
+    });
   });
 });