diff --git a/git_command.py b/git_command.py
index 3309f378..4ad908f6 100644
--- a/git_command.py
+++ b/git_command.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import os
 import sys
 import subprocess
 import tempfile
+from signal import SIGTERM
 from error import GitError
 from trace import REPO_TRACE, IsTrace, Trace
 
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ LAST_CWD = None
 
 _ssh_proxy_path = None
 _ssh_sock_path = None
+_ssh_clients = []
 
 def ssh_sock(create=True):
   global _ssh_sock_path
@@ -51,6 +53,24 @@ def _ssh_proxy():
       'git_ssh')
   return _ssh_proxy_path
 
+def _add_ssh_client(p):
+  _ssh_clients.append(p)
+
+def _remove_ssh_client(p):
+  try:
+    _ssh_clients.remove(p)
+  except ValueError:
+    pass
+
+def terminate_ssh_clients():
+  global _ssh_clients
+  for p in _ssh_clients:
+    try:
+      os.kill(p.pid, SIGTERM)
+      p.wait()
+    except OSError:
+      pass
+  _ssh_clients = []
 
 class _GitCall(object):
   def version(self):
@@ -188,6 +208,9 @@ class GitCommand(object):
     except Exception, e:
       raise GitError('%s: %s' % (command[1], e))
 
+    if ssh_proxy:
+      _add_ssh_client(p)
+
     self.process = p
     self.stdin = p.stdin
 
@@ -210,4 +233,8 @@ class GitCommand(object):
     else:
       p.stderr = None
 
-    return self.process.wait()
+    try:
+      rc = p.wait()
+    finally:
+      _remove_ssh_client(p)
+    return rc
diff --git a/git_config.py b/git_config.py
index a7c82107..75936d40 100644
--- a/git_config.py
+++ b/git_config.py
@@ -23,7 +23,10 @@ from signal import SIGTERM
 from urllib2 import urlopen, HTTPError
 from error import GitError, UploadError
 from trace import Trace
-from git_command import GitCommand, ssh_sock
+
+from git_command import GitCommand
+from git_command import ssh_sock
+from git_command import terminate_ssh_clients
 
 R_HEADS = 'refs/heads/'
 R_TAGS  = 'refs/tags/'
@@ -391,6 +394,8 @@ def _open_ssh(host, port):
   return True
 
 def close_ssh():
+  terminate_ssh_clients()
+
   for key,p in _ssh_cache.iteritems():
     try:
       os.kill(p.pid, SIGTERM)