diff --git a/rethinkstuff/__init__.py b/rethinkstuff/__init__.py
index d248c59..bcc985c 100644
--- a/rethinkstuff/__init__.py
+++ b/rethinkstuff/__init__.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import time
 import types
 
 class RethinkerWrapper:
+    logger = logging.getLogger('rethinkstuff.RethinkerWrapper')
     def __init__(self, rethinker, wrapped):
         self.rethinker = rethinker
         self.wrapped = wrapped
@@ -22,23 +23,32 @@ class RethinkerWrapper:
             try:
                 result = self.wrapped.run(conn, db=db or self.rethinker.db)
                 if hasattr(result, "__next__"):
+                    is_iter = True
                     def gen():
                         try:
+                            yield  # empty yield, see comment below
                             for x in result:
                                 yield x
                         finally:
+                            self.logger.info("iterator finished, closing connection %s", conn)
                             conn.close()
-                    return gen()
+                    g = gen()
+                    # Start executing the generator, leaving off after the
+                    # empty yield. If we didn't do this, and the caller never
+                    # started the generator, the finally block would never run
+                    # and the connection would stay open.
+                    next(g)
+                    return g
                 else:
                     return result
             except (r.ReqlAvailabilityError, r.ReqlTimeoutError) as e:
                 pass
             finally:
                 if not is_iter:
+                    self.logger.info("closing connection %s", conn)
                     conn.close(noreply_wait=False)
 
-
-class Rethinker:
+class Rethinker(object):
     """
     >>> r = Rethinker(db="my_db")
     >>> doc = r.table("my_table").get(1).run()
diff --git a/tests/test_rethinker.py b/tests/test_rethinker.py
index 34d8c02..f00b0d8 100644
--- a/tests/test_rethinker.py
+++ b/tests/test_rethinker.py
@@ -2,26 +2,64 @@ import rethinkstuff
 import logging
 import sys
 import types
+import gc
 
 logging.basicConfig(stream=sys.stderr, level=logging.INFO,
         format="%(asctime)s %(process)d %(levelname)s %(threadName)s %(name)s.%(funcName)s(%(filename)s:%(lineno)d) %(message)s")
 
+class RethinkerForTesting(rethinkstuff.Rethinker):
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        super(RethinkerForTesting, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+
+    def _random_server_connection(self):
+        self.last_conn = super(RethinkerForTesting, self)._random_server_connection()
+        logging.info("self.last_conn=%s", self.last_conn)
+        return self.last_conn
+
 def test_rethinker():
-    r = rethinkstuff.Rethinker()
+    r = RethinkerForTesting()
     result = r.db_create("my_db").run()
+    assert not r.last_conn.is_open()
     assert result["dbs_created"] == 1
 
-    r = rethinkstuff.Rethinker(db="my_db")
+    r = RethinkerForTesting(db="my_db")
     assert r.table_list().run() == []
     result = r.table_create("my_table").run()
+    assert not r.last_conn.is_open()
     assert result["tables_created"] == 1
 
     assert r.table("my_table").index_create("foo").run() == {"created": 1}
+    assert not r.last_conn.is_open()
 
     result = r.table("my_table").insert(({"foo":i,"bar":"repeat"*i} for i in range(2000))).run()
+    assert not r.last_conn.is_open()
     assert len(result["generated_keys"]) == 2000
     assert result["inserted"] == 2000
 
     result = r.table("my_table").run()
+    assert r.last_conn.is_open() # should still be open this time
     assert isinstance(result, types.GeneratorType)
+    n = 0
+    for x in result:
+        n += 1
+        pass
+    # connection should be closed after finished iterating over results
+    assert not r.last_conn.is_open()
+    assert n == 2000
+
+    result = r.table("my_table").run()
+    assert r.last_conn.is_open() # should still be open this time
+    assert isinstance(result, types.GeneratorType)
+    next(result)
+    result = None
+    gc.collect()
+    # connection should be closed after result is garbage-collected
+    assert not r.last_conn.is_open()
+
+    result = r.table("my_table").run()
+    assert r.last_conn.is_open() # should still be open this time
+    assert isinstance(result, types.GeneratorType)
+    result = None
+    gc.collect()
+    assert not r.last_conn.is_open()