diff --git a/hdfs/CHANGES.txt b/hdfs/CHANGES.txt
index f3acf8f4486..5cae67db234 100644
--- a/hdfs/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/hdfs/CHANGES.txt
@@ -1218,6 +1218,9 @@ Release 0.22.0 - Unreleased
 
     HDFS-988. saveNamespace race can corrupt the edits log. (eli)
 
+    HDFS-2071. Use of isConnected() in DataXceiver is invalid. (Kihwal Lee
+    via todd)
+
 Release 0.21.1 - Unreleased
     HDFS-1466. TestFcHdfsSymlink relies on /tmp/test not existing. (eli)
 
diff --git a/hdfs/src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/datanode/DataXceiver.java b/hdfs/src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/datanode/DataXceiver.java
index 098f151d4af..76a00d565c7 100644
--- a/hdfs/src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/datanode/DataXceiver.java
+++ b/hdfs/src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/datanode/DataXceiver.java
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ class DataXceiver extends Receiver implements Runnable, FSConstants {
         opStartTime = now();
         processOp(op, in);
         ++opsProcessed;
-      } while (s.isConnected() && socketKeepaliveTimeout > 0);
+      } while (!s.isClosed() && socketKeepaliveTimeout > 0);
     } catch (Throwable t) {
       LOG.error(datanode.getMachineName() + ":DataXceiver, at " +
         s.toString(), t);