diff --git a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/ZkController.java b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/ZkController.java
index 8a5b3bed0ee..e4fbccb9839 100644
--- a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/ZkController.java
+++ b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/ZkController.java
@@ -247,15 +247,7 @@ public final class ZkController {
     } catch(Throwable t) {
       log.error("Error closing overseer", t);
     }
-    try {
-      zkClient.close();
-    } catch (InterruptedException e) {
-      // Restore the interrupted status
-      Thread.currentThread().interrupt();
-      log.warn("", e);
-      throw new ZooKeeperException(SolrException.ErrorCode.SERVER_ERROR,
-          "", e);
-    }
+    zkClient.close();
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/servlet/ZookeeperInfoServlet.java b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/servlet/ZookeeperInfoServlet.java
index 3cbca19efff..61890f7ecce 100644
--- a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/servlet/ZookeeperInfoServlet.java
+++ b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/servlet/ZookeeperInfoServlet.java
@@ -17,6 +17,16 @@
 
 package org.apache.solr.servlet;
 
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.io.PrintWriter;
+import java.net.URLEncoder;
+import java.util.Date;
+import java.util.List;
+
+import javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet;
+import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest;
+import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletResponse;
+
 import org.apache.lucene.util.BytesRef;
 import org.apache.noggit.CharArr;
 import org.apache.noggit.JSONWriter;
@@ -28,16 +38,6 @@ import org.apache.zookeeper.data.Stat;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 
-import javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet;
-import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest;
-import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletResponse;
-import java.io.IOException;
-import java.io.PrintWriter;
-import java.net.URLEncoder;
-import java.util.Date;
-import java.util.List;
-import java.util.concurrent.TimeoutException;
-
 
 /**
  * Zookeeper Info
@@ -148,13 +148,7 @@ public final class ZookeeperInfoServlet extends HttpServlet {
       try {
         zkClient = new SolrZkClient(addr, 10000);
         doClose = true;
-      } catch (TimeoutException e) {
-        writeError(503, "Could not connect to zookeeper at '" + addr + "'\"");
-        zkClient = null;
-        return;
-      } catch (InterruptedException e) {
-        // Restore the interrupted status
-        Thread.currentThread().interrupt();
+      } catch (Exception e) {
         writeError(503, "Could not connect to zookeeper at '" + addr + "'\"");
         zkClient = null;
         return;
@@ -163,12 +157,8 @@ public final class ZookeeperInfoServlet extends HttpServlet {
     }
 
     public void close() {
-      try {
-        if (doClose) {
-          zkClient.close();
-        }
-      } catch (InterruptedException e) {
-        // ignore exception on close
+      if (doClose) {
+        zkClient.close();
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/LeaderElectionTest.java b/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/LeaderElectionTest.java
index 38581154abb..1b12c659586 100644
--- a/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/LeaderElectionTest.java
+++ b/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/LeaderElectionTest.java
@@ -124,9 +124,21 @@ public class LeaderElectionTest extends SolrTestCaseJ4 {
       try {
         setupOnConnect();
       } catch (InterruptedException e) {
+        log.error("setup failed", e);
+        
+        if (this.zkClient != null) {
+          this.zkClient.close();
+        }
+
         return;
       } catch (Throwable e) {
-        // e.printStackTrace();
+        log.error("setup failed", e);
+        
+        if (this.zkClient != null) {
+          this.zkClient.close();
+        }
+        
+        return;
       }
         
       while (!stop) {
@@ -221,76 +233,77 @@ public class LeaderElectionTest extends SolrTestCaseJ4 {
     
     for (int i = 0; i < 15; i++) {
       ClientThread thread = new ClientThread(i);
-      
       threads.add(thread);
     }
-    
-    for (Thread thread : threads) {
-      thread.start();
-    }
-    
-    
-    while(true) { //wait for election to complete
-      int doneCount = 0;
-      for (ClientThread thread : threads) {
-        if(thread.electionDone) {
-          doneCount++;
+    try {
+      for (Thread thread : threads) {
+        thread.start();
+      }
+      
+      while (true) { // wait for election to complete
+        int doneCount = 0;
+        for (ClientThread thread : threads) {
+          if (thread.electionDone) {
+            doneCount++;
+          }
         }
+        if (doneCount == 15) {
+          break;
+        }
+        Thread.sleep(100);
       }
-      if(doneCount==15) {
-        break;
+      
+      int leaderThread = getLeaderThread();
+      
+      // whoever the leader is, should be the n_0 seq
+      assertEquals(0, threads.get(leaderThread).seq);
+      
+      // kill n_0, 1, 3 and 4
+      ((ClientThread) seqToThread.get(0)).close();
+      
+      waitForLeader(threads, 1);
+      
+      leaderThread = getLeaderThread();
+      
+      // whoever the leader is, should be the n_1 seq
+      
+      assertEquals(1, threads.get(leaderThread).seq);
+      
+      ((ClientThread) seqToThread.get(4)).close();
+      ((ClientThread) seqToThread.get(1)).close();
+      ((ClientThread) seqToThread.get(3)).close();
+      
+      // whoever the leader is, should be the n_2 seq
+      
+      waitForLeader(threads, 2);
+      
+      leaderThread = getLeaderThread();
+      assertEquals(2, threads.get(leaderThread).seq);
+      
+      // kill n_5, 2, 6, 7, and 8
+      ((ClientThread) seqToThread.get(5)).close();
+      ((ClientThread) seqToThread.get(2)).close();
+      ((ClientThread) seqToThread.get(6)).close();
+      ((ClientThread) seqToThread.get(7)).close();
+      ((ClientThread) seqToThread.get(8)).close();
+      
+      waitForLeader(threads, 9);
+      leaderThread = getLeaderThread();
+      
+      // whoever the leader is, should be the n_9 seq
+      assertEquals(9, threads.get(leaderThread).seq);
+      
+    } finally {
+      // cleanup any threads still running
+      for (ClientThread thread : threads) {
+        thread.close();
+        thread.interrupt();
+        
+      }
+      
+      for (Thread thread : threads) {
+        thread.join();
       }
-      Thread.sleep(100);
-    }
-    
-    int leaderThread = getLeaderThread();
-    
-    // whoever the leader is, should be the n_0 seq
-    assertEquals(0, threads.get(leaderThread).seq);
-    
-    // kill n_0, 1, 3 and 4
-    ((ClientThread) seqToThread.get(0)).close();
-    
-    waitForLeader(threads, 1);
-    
-    leaderThread = getLeaderThread();
-    
-    // whoever the leader is, should be the n_1 seq
-    
-    assertEquals(1, threads.get(leaderThread).seq);
-    
-    ((ClientThread) seqToThread.get(4)).close();
-    ((ClientThread) seqToThread.get(1)).close();
-    ((ClientThread) seqToThread.get(3)).close();
-    
-    // whoever the leader is, should be the n_2 seq
-    
-    waitForLeader(threads, 2);
-    
-    leaderThread = getLeaderThread();
-    assertEquals(2, threads.get(leaderThread).seq);
-    
-    // kill n_5, 2, 6, 7, and 8
-    ((ClientThread) seqToThread.get(5)).close();
-    ((ClientThread) seqToThread.get(2)).close();
-    ((ClientThread) seqToThread.get(6)).close();
-    ((ClientThread) seqToThread.get(7)).close();
-    ((ClientThread) seqToThread.get(8)).close();
-    
-    waitForLeader(threads, 9);
-    leaderThread = getLeaderThread();
-    
-    // whoever the leader is, should be the n_9 seq
-    assertEquals(9, threads.get(leaderThread).seq);
-    
-    // cleanup any threads still running
-    for (ClientThread thread : threads) {
-      thread.close();
-      thread.interrupt();
-    }
-    
-    for (Thread thread : threads) {
-      thread.join();
     }
     
   }
diff --git a/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/OverseerTest.java b/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/OverseerTest.java
index 3dfabeec985..32ed58f65e5 100644
--- a/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/OverseerTest.java
+++ b/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/OverseerTest.java
@@ -95,13 +95,9 @@ public class OverseerTest extends SolrTestCaseJ4 {
       }
     }
 
-    public void close(){
-      try {
-        deleteNode(ZkStateReader.LIVE_NODES_ZKNODE + "/" + nodeName);
-        zkClient.close();
-      } catch (InterruptedException e) {
-        //e.printStackTrace();
-      }
+    public void close() {
+      deleteNode(ZkStateReader.LIVE_NODES_ZKNODE + "/" + nodeName);
+      zkClient.close();
     }
     
     public void publishState(String coreName, String stateName, int numShards)
diff --git a/solr/solrj/src/java/org/apache/solr/common/cloud/ConnectionManager.java b/solr/solrj/src/java/org/apache/solr/common/cloud/ConnectionManager.java
index bea6221d2a6..d9eefc69ac8 100644
--- a/solr/solrj/src/java/org/apache/solr/common/cloud/ConnectionManager.java
+++ b/solr/solrj/src/java/org/apache/solr/common/cloud/ConnectionManager.java
@@ -92,11 +92,22 @@ class ConnectionManager implements Watcher {
                 synchronized (connectionStrategy) {
                   try {
                     waitForConnected(SolrZkClient.DEFAULT_CLIENT_CONNECT_TIMEOUT);
+                  } catch (InterruptedException e1) {
+                    closeKeeper(keeper);
+                    Thread.currentThread().interrupt();
+                    throw new RuntimeException("Giving up on connecting - we were interrupted", e1);
+                  } catch (Exception e1) {
+                    closeKeeper(keeper);
+                    throw new RuntimeException(e1);
+                  }
+                  
+                  try {
                     client.updateKeeper(keeper);
                   } catch (InterruptedException e) {
                     closeKeeper(keeper);
+                    Thread.currentThread().interrupt();
                     // we must have been asked to stop
-                    throw new RuntimeException("Giving up on connecting - we were interrupted");
+                    throw new RuntimeException(e);
                   } catch(Throwable t) {
                     closeKeeper(keeper);
                     throw new RuntimeException(t);
@@ -142,12 +153,12 @@ class ConnectionManager implements Watcher {
   public synchronized void waitForConnected(long waitForConnection)
       throws InterruptedException, TimeoutException {
     long expire = System.currentTimeMillis() + waitForConnection;
-    long left = waitForConnection;
+    long left = 1;
     while (!connected && left > 0) {
-      wait(left);
       if (isClosed) {
         break;
       }
+      wait(500);
       left = expire - System.currentTimeMillis();
     }
     if (!connected) {
diff --git a/solr/solrj/src/java/org/apache/solr/common/cloud/SolrZkClient.java b/solr/solrj/src/java/org/apache/solr/common/cloud/SolrZkClient.java
index 38297ac4549..730de649ddc 100644
--- a/solr/solrj/src/java/org/apache/solr/common/cloud/SolrZkClient.java
+++ b/solr/solrj/src/java/org/apache/solr/common/cloud/SolrZkClient.java
@@ -82,11 +82,11 @@ public class SolrZkClient {
    * @throws TimeoutException
    * @throws IOException
    */
-  public SolrZkClient(String zkServerAddress, int zkClientTimeout) throws InterruptedException, TimeoutException, IOException {
+  public SolrZkClient(String zkServerAddress, int zkClientTimeout) {
     this(zkServerAddress, zkClientTimeout, new DefaultConnectionStrategy(), null);
   }
   
-  public SolrZkClient(String zkServerAddress, int zkClientTimeout, int zkClientConnectTimeout, OnReconnect onReonnect) throws InterruptedException, TimeoutException, IOException {
+  public SolrZkClient(String zkServerAddress, int zkClientTimeout, int zkClientConnectTimeout, OnReconnect onReonnect) {
     this(zkServerAddress, zkClientTimeout, new DefaultConnectionStrategy(), onReonnect, zkClientConnectTimeout);
   }
 
@@ -100,8 +100,7 @@ public class SolrZkClient {
    * @throws IOException
    */
   public SolrZkClient(String zkServerAddress, int zkClientTimeout,
-      ZkClientConnectionStrategy strat, final OnReconnect onReconnect) throws InterruptedException,
-      TimeoutException, IOException {
+      ZkClientConnectionStrategy strat, final OnReconnect onReconnect) {
     this(zkServerAddress, zkClientTimeout, strat, onReconnect, DEFAULT_CLIENT_CONNECT_TIMEOUT);
   }
 
@@ -116,42 +115,46 @@ public class SolrZkClient {
    * @throws IOException
    */
   public SolrZkClient(String zkServerAddress, int zkClientTimeout,
-      ZkClientConnectionStrategy strat, final OnReconnect onReconnect, int clientConnectTimeout) throws InterruptedException,
-      TimeoutException, IOException {
+      ZkClientConnectionStrategy strat, final OnReconnect onReconnect, int clientConnectTimeout) {
     connManager = new ConnectionManager("ZooKeeperConnection Watcher:"
         + zkServerAddress, this, zkServerAddress, zkClientTimeout, strat, onReconnect);
-    strat.connect(zkServerAddress, zkClientTimeout, connManager,
-        new ZkUpdate() {
-          @Override
-          public void update(SolrZooKeeper zooKeeper) {
-            SolrZooKeeper oldKeeper = keeper;
-            keeper = zooKeeper;
-            if (oldKeeper != null) {
+    try {
+      strat.connect(zkServerAddress, zkClientTimeout, connManager,
+          new ZkUpdate() {
+            @Override
+            public void update(SolrZooKeeper zooKeeper) {
+              SolrZooKeeper oldKeeper = keeper;
+              keeper = zooKeeper;
               try {
-                oldKeeper.close();
-              } catch (InterruptedException e) {
-                // Restore the interrupted status
-                Thread.currentThread().interrupt();
-                log.error("", e);
-                throw new ZooKeeperException(SolrException.ErrorCode.SERVER_ERROR,
-                    "", e);
+                closeKeeper(oldKeeper);
+              } finally {
+                if (isClosed) {
+                  // we may have been closed
+                  closeKeeper(SolrZkClient.this.keeper);
+                }
               }
             }
-            if (isClosed) {
-              // we may have been closed
-              try {
-                SolrZkClient.this.keeper.close();
-              } catch (InterruptedException e) {
-                // Restore the interrupted status
-                Thread.currentThread().interrupt();
-                log.error("", e);
-                throw new ZooKeeperException(SolrException.ErrorCode.SERVER_ERROR,
-                    "", e);
-              }
-            }
-          }
-        });
-    connManager.waitForConnected(clientConnectTimeout);
+          });
+    } catch (IOException e) {
+      connManager.close();
+      throw new RuntimeException();
+    } catch (InterruptedException e) {
+      connManager.close();
+      throw new RuntimeException();
+    } catch (TimeoutException e) {
+      connManager.close();
+      throw new RuntimeException();
+    }
+    try {
+      connManager.waitForConnected(clientConnectTimeout);
+    } catch (InterruptedException e) {
+      Thread.currentThread().interrupt();
+      connManager.close();
+      throw new RuntimeException();
+    } catch (TimeoutException e) {
+      connManager.close();
+      throw new RuntimeException();
+    }
     numOpens.incrementAndGet();
   }
 
@@ -663,11 +666,11 @@ public class SolrZkClient {
   /**
    * @throws InterruptedException
    */
-  public void close() throws InterruptedException {
+  public void close() {
     if (isClosed) return; // it's okay if we over close - same as solrcore
     isClosed = true;
     try {
-      keeper.close();
+      closeKeeper(keeper);
     } finally {
       connManager.close();
     }
@@ -685,18 +688,32 @@ public class SolrZkClient {
    * @throws InterruptedException 
    */
   void updateKeeper(SolrZooKeeper keeper) throws InterruptedException {
-   if (isClosed) throw new RuntimeException("client is closed");
    SolrZooKeeper oldKeeper = this.keeper;
    this.keeper = keeper;
    if (oldKeeper != null) {
      oldKeeper.close();
    }
+   // we might have been closed already
    if (isClosed) this.keeper.close();
   }
   
   public SolrZooKeeper getSolrZooKeeper() {
     return keeper;
   }
+  
+  private void closeKeeper(SolrZooKeeper keeper) {
+    if (keeper != null) {
+      try {
+        keeper.close();
+      } catch (InterruptedException e) {
+        // Restore the interrupted status
+        Thread.currentThread().interrupt();
+        log.error("", e);
+        throw new ZooKeeperException(SolrException.ErrorCode.SERVER_ERROR, "",
+            e);
+      }
+    }
+  }
 
   // yeah, it's recursive :(
   public void clean(String path) throws InterruptedException, KeeperException {
diff --git a/solr/solrj/src/java/org/apache/solr/common/cloud/ZkStateReader.java b/solr/solrj/src/java/org/apache/solr/common/cloud/ZkStateReader.java
index f1b80162916..3dee5b503ca 100644
--- a/solr/solrj/src/java/org/apache/solr/common/cloud/ZkStateReader.java
+++ b/solr/solrj/src/java/org/apache/solr/common/cloud/ZkStateReader.java
@@ -373,15 +373,7 @@ public class ZkStateReader {
 
   public void close() {
     if (closeClient) {
-      try {
-        zkClient.close();
-      } catch (InterruptedException e) {
-        // Restore the interrupted status
-        Thread.currentThread().interrupt();
-        log.error("", e);
-        throw new ZooKeeperException(SolrException.ErrorCode.SERVER_ERROR, "",
-            e);
-      }
+      zkClient.close();
     }
   }