diff --git a/neo4j/io/__init__.py b/neo4j/io/__init__.py
index d7ed2323..dd47538f 100644
--- a/neo4j/io/__init__.py
+++ b/neo4j/io/__init__.py
@@ -695,7 +695,7 @@ def time_remaining():
                     try:
                         connection = self.opener(address, timeout)
                     except ServiceUnavailable:
-                        self.remove(address)
+                        self.deactivate(address)
                         raise
                     else:
                         connection.pool = self
@@ -772,30 +772,22 @@ def deactivate(self, address):
                 connections = self.connections[address]
             except KeyError:  # already removed from the connection pool
                 return
-            for conn in list(connections):
-                if not conn.in_use:
-                    connections.remove(conn)
-                    try:
-                        conn.close()
-                    except OSError:
-                        pass
-            if not connections:
-                self.remove(address)
+            closable_connections = [
+                conn for conn in connections if not conn.in_use
+            ]
+            # First remove all connections in question, then try to close them.
+            # If closing of a connection fails, we will end up in this method
+            # again.
+            for conn in closable_connections:
+                connections.remove(conn)
+            for conn in closable_connections:
+                conn.close()
+            if not self.connections[address]:
+                del self.connections[address]
 
     def on_write_failure(self, address):
         raise WriteServiceUnavailable("No write service available for pool {}".format(self))
 
-    def remove(self, address):
-        """ Remove an address from the connection pool, if present, closing
-        all connections to that address.
-        """
-        with self.lock:
-            for connection in self.connections.pop(address, ()):
-                try:
-                    connection.close()
-                except OSError:
-                    pass
-
     def close(self):
         """ Close all connections and empty the pool.
         This method is thread safe.
@@ -803,7 +795,11 @@ def close(self):
         try:
             with self.lock:
                 for address in list(self.connections):
-                    self.remove(address)
+                    for connection in self.connections.pop(address, ()):
+                        try:
+                            connection.close()
+                        except OSError:
+                            pass
         except TypeError:
             pass
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/io/test_neo4j_pool.py b/tests/unit/io/test_neo4j_pool.py
index a5df0a90..5aba030a 100644
--- a/tests/unit/io/test_neo4j_pool.py
+++ b/tests/unit/io/test_neo4j_pool.py
@@ -35,6 +35,10 @@
     RoutingConfig,
     WorkspaceConfig
 )
+from neo4j.exceptions import (
+    ServiceUnavailable,
+    SessionExpired
+)
 from neo4j.io import Neo4jPool
 
 
@@ -226,3 +230,44 @@ def test_release_does_not_resets_defunct_connections(opener):
     cx1.defunct.assert_called_once()
     cx1.is_reset_mock.asset_not_called()
     cx1.reset.asset_not_called()
+
+
+def test_multiple_broken_connections_on_close(opener):
+    def mock_connection_breaks_on_close(cx):
+        def close_side_effect():
+            cx.closed.return_value = True
+            cx.defunct.return_value = True
+            pool.deactivate(READER_ADDRESS)
+
+        cx.attach_mock(Mock(side_effect=close_side_effect), "close")
+
+    # create pool with 2 idle connections
+    pool = Neo4jPool(opener, PoolConfig(), WorkspaceConfig(), ROUTER_ADDRESS)
+    cx1 = pool.acquire(READ_ACCESS, 30, "test_db", None)
+    cx2 = pool.acquire(READ_ACCESS, 30, "test_db", None)
+    pool.release(cx1)
+    pool.release(cx2)
+
+    # both will loose connection
+    mock_connection_breaks_on_close(cx1)
+    mock_connection_breaks_on_close(cx2)
+
+    # force pool to close cx1, which will make it realize that the server is
+    # unreachable
+    cx1.stale.return_value = True
+
+    cx3 = pool.acquire(READ_ACCESS, 30, "test_db", None)
+
+    assert cx3 is not cx1
+    assert cx3 is not cx2
+
+
+def test_failing_opener_leaves_connections_in_use_alone(opener):
+    pool = Neo4jPool(opener, PoolConfig(), WorkspaceConfig(), ROUTER_ADDRESS)
+    cx1 = pool.acquire(READ_ACCESS, 30, "test_db", None)
+
+    opener.side_effect = ServiceUnavailable("Server overloaded")
+    with pytest.raises((ServiceUnavailable, SessionExpired)):
+        pool.acquire(READ_ACCESS, 30, "test_db", None)
+
+    assert not cx1.closed()