diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/boot/registry/BootstrapServiceRegistryBuilder.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/boot/registry/BootstrapServiceRegistryBuilder.java
index ce59202409..f6c2a67f6e 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/boot/registry/BootstrapServiceRegistryBuilder.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/boot/registry/BootstrapServiceRegistryBuilder.java
@@ -51,10 +51,13 @@ import org.hibernate.integrator.spi.Integrator;
  */
 public class BootstrapServiceRegistryBuilder {
 	private final LinkedHashSet<Integrator> providedIntegrators = new LinkedHashSet<Integrator>();
+
 	private List<ClassLoader> providedClassLoaders;
 	private ClassLoaderService providedClassLoaderService;
 	private StrategySelectorBuilder strategySelectorBuilder = new StrategySelectorBuilder();
-	
+
+	private boolean autoCloseRegistry = true;
+
 	/**
 	 * Add an {@link Integrator} to be applied to the bootstrap registry.
 	 *
@@ -190,6 +193,35 @@ public class BootstrapServiceRegistryBuilder {
 		return this;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * By default, when a ServiceRegistry is no longer referenced by any other
+	 * registries as a parent it will be closed.
+	 * <p/>
+	 * Some applications that explicitly build "shared registries" may want to
+	 * circumvent that behavior.
+	 * <p/>
+	 * This method indicates that the registry being built should not be
+	 * automatically closed.  The caller agrees to take responsibility to
+	 * close it themselves.
+	 *
+	 * @return this, for method chaining
+	 */
+	public BootstrapServiceRegistryBuilder disableAutoClose() {
+		this.autoCloseRegistry = false;
+		return this;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * See the discussion on {@link #disableAutoClose}.  This method enables
+	 * the auto-closing.
+	 *
+	 * @return this, for method chaining
+	 */
+	public BootstrapServiceRegistryBuilder enableAutoClose() {
+		this.autoCloseRegistry = true;
+		return this;
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Build the bootstrap registry.
 	 *
@@ -219,6 +251,7 @@ public class BootstrapServiceRegistryBuilder {
 
 
 		return new BootstrapServiceRegistryImpl(
+				autoCloseRegistry,
 				classLoaderService,
 				strategySelectorBuilder.buildSelector( classLoaderService ),
 				integratorService
diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/boot/registry/StandardServiceRegistryBuilder.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/boot/registry/StandardServiceRegistryBuilder.java
index 949be8967b..1223af06b9 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/boot/registry/StandardServiceRegistryBuilder.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/boot/registry/StandardServiceRegistryBuilder.java
@@ -61,6 +61,8 @@ public class StandardServiceRegistryBuilder {
 	private final List<StandardServiceInitiator> initiators = standardInitiatorList();
 	private final List<ProvidedService> providedServices = new ArrayList<ProvidedService>();
 
+	private boolean autoCloseRegistry = true;
+
 	private final BootstrapServiceRegistry bootstrapServiceRegistry;
 	private final ConfigLoader configLoader;
 
@@ -202,6 +204,35 @@ public class StandardServiceRegistryBuilder {
 		return this;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * By default, when a ServiceRegistry is no longer referenced by any other
+	 * registries as a parent it will be closed.
+	 * <p/>
+	 * Some applications that explicitly build "shared registries" may want to
+	 * circumvent that behavior.
+	 * <p/>
+	 * This method indicates that the registry being built should not be
+	 * automatically closed.  The caller agrees to take responsibility to
+	 * close it themselves.
+	 *
+	 * @return this, for method chaining
+	 */
+	public StandardServiceRegistryBuilder disableAutoClose() {
+		this.autoCloseRegistry = false;
+		return this;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * See the discussion on {@link #disableAutoClose}.  This method enables
+	 * the auto-closing.
+	 *
+	 * @return this, for method chaining
+	 */
+	public StandardServiceRegistryBuilder enableAutoClose() {
+		this.autoCloseRegistry = true;
+		return this;
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Build the StandardServiceRegistry.
 	 *
@@ -217,7 +248,13 @@ public class StandardServiceRegistryBuilder {
 		applyServiceContributingIntegrators();
 		applyServiceContributors();
 
-		return new StandardServiceRegistryImpl( bootstrapServiceRegistry, initiators, providedServices, settingsCopy );
+		return new StandardServiceRegistryImpl(
+				autoCloseRegistry,
+				bootstrapServiceRegistry,
+				initiators,
+				providedServices,
+				settingsCopy
+		);
 	}
 
 	@SuppressWarnings("deprecation")
diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/boot/registry/internal/BootstrapServiceRegistryImpl.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/boot/registry/internal/BootstrapServiceRegistryImpl.java
index d0515a7937..539048174c 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/boot/registry/internal/BootstrapServiceRegistryImpl.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/boot/registry/internal/BootstrapServiceRegistryImpl.java
@@ -45,8 +45,6 @@ import org.hibernate.service.spi.ServiceInitiator;
 import org.hibernate.service.spi.ServiceRegistryImplementor;
 import org.hibernate.service.spi.Stoppable;
 
-import org.jboss.logging.Logger;
-
 /**
  * {@link ServiceRegistry} implementation containing specialized "bootstrap" services, specifically:<ul>
  *     <li>{@link ClassLoaderService}</li>
@@ -66,6 +64,7 @@ public class BootstrapServiceRegistryImpl
 
 	private static final CoreMessageLogger LOG = CoreLogging.messageLogger( BootstrapServiceRegistryImpl.class );
 
+	private final boolean autoCloseRegistry;
 	private boolean active = true;
 
 	private static final LinkedHashSet<Integrator> NO_INTEGRATORS = new LinkedHashSet<Integrator>();
@@ -87,7 +86,6 @@ public class BootstrapServiceRegistryImpl
 	public BootstrapServiceRegistryImpl() {
 		this( new ClassLoaderServiceImpl(), NO_INTEGRATORS );
 	}
-
 	/**
 	 * Constructs a BootstrapServiceRegistryImpl.
 	 *
@@ -102,6 +100,28 @@ public class BootstrapServiceRegistryImpl
 	public BootstrapServiceRegistryImpl(
 			ClassLoaderService classLoaderService,
 			LinkedHashSet<Integrator> providedIntegrators) {
+		this( true, classLoaderService, providedIntegrators );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Constructs a BootstrapServiceRegistryImpl.
+	 *
+	 * Do not use directly generally speaking.  Use {@link org.hibernate.boot.registry.BootstrapServiceRegistryBuilder}
+	 * instead.
+	 *
+	 * @param autoCloseRegistry See discussion on
+	 * {@link org.hibernate.boot.registry.BootstrapServiceRegistryBuilder#disableAutoClose}
+	 * @param classLoaderService The ClassLoaderService to use
+	 * @param providedIntegrators The group of explicitly provided integrators
+	 *
+	 * @see org.hibernate.boot.registry.BootstrapServiceRegistryBuilder
+	 */
+	public BootstrapServiceRegistryImpl(
+			boolean autoCloseRegistry,
+			ClassLoaderService classLoaderService,
+			LinkedHashSet<Integrator> providedIntegrators) {
+		this.autoCloseRegistry = autoCloseRegistry;
+
 		this.classLoaderServiceBinding = new ServiceBinding<ClassLoaderService>(
 				this,
 				ClassLoaderService.class,
@@ -139,6 +159,31 @@ public class BootstrapServiceRegistryImpl
 			ClassLoaderService classLoaderService,
 			StrategySelector strategySelector,
 			IntegratorService integratorService) {
+		this( true, classLoaderService, strategySelector, integratorService );
+	}
+
+
+	/**
+	 * Constructs a BootstrapServiceRegistryImpl.
+	 *
+	 * Do not use directly generally speaking.  Use {@link org.hibernate.boot.registry.BootstrapServiceRegistryBuilder}
+	 * instead.
+	 *
+	 * @param autoCloseRegistry See discussion on
+	 * {@link org.hibernate.boot.registry.BootstrapServiceRegistryBuilder#disableAutoClose}
+	 * @param classLoaderService The ClassLoaderService to use
+	 * @param strategySelector The StrategySelector to use
+	 * @param integratorService The IntegratorService to use
+	 *
+	 * @see org.hibernate.boot.registry.BootstrapServiceRegistryBuilder
+	 */
+	public BootstrapServiceRegistryImpl(
+			boolean autoCloseRegistry,
+			ClassLoaderService classLoaderService,
+			StrategySelector strategySelector,
+			IntegratorService integratorService) {
+		this.autoCloseRegistry = autoCloseRegistry;
+
 		this.classLoaderServiceBinding = new ServiceBinding<ClassLoaderService>(
 				this,
 				ClassLoaderService.class,
@@ -259,11 +304,19 @@ public class BootstrapServiceRegistryImpl
 		}
 		childRegistries.remove( child );
 		if ( childRegistries.isEmpty() ) {
-			LOG.debug(
-					"Implicitly destroying Boot-strap registry on de-registration " +
-							"of all child ServiceRegistries"
-			);
-			destroy();
+			if ( autoCloseRegistry ) {
+				LOG.debug(
+						"Implicitly destroying Boot-strap registry on de-registration " +
+								"of all child ServiceRegistries"
+				);
+				destroy();
+			}
+			else {
+				LOG.debug(
+						"Skipping implicitly destroying Boot-strap registry on de-registration " +
+								"of all child ServiceRegistries"
+				);
+			}
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/boot/registry/internal/StandardServiceRegistryImpl.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/boot/registry/internal/StandardServiceRegistryImpl.java
index 137d35b2ee..607fc4820e 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/boot/registry/internal/StandardServiceRegistryImpl.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/boot/registry/internal/StandardServiceRegistryImpl.java
@@ -61,7 +61,30 @@ public class StandardServiceRegistryImpl extends AbstractServiceRegistryImpl imp
 			List<StandardServiceInitiator> serviceInitiators,
 			List<ProvidedService> providedServices,
 			Map<?, ?> configurationValues) {
-		super( bootstrapServiceRegistry );
+		this( true, bootstrapServiceRegistry, serviceInitiators, providedServices, configurationValues );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Constructs a StandardServiceRegistryImpl.  Should not be instantiated directly; use
+	 * {@link org.hibernate.boot.registry.StandardServiceRegistryBuilder} instead
+	 *
+	 * @param autoCloseRegistry See discussion on
+	 * {@link org.hibernate.boot.registry.StandardServiceRegistryBuilder#disableAutoClose}
+	 * @param bootstrapServiceRegistry The bootstrap service registry.
+	 * @param serviceInitiators Any StandardServiceInitiators provided by the user to the builder
+	 * @param providedServices Any standard services provided directly to the builder
+	 * @param configurationValues Configuration values
+	 *
+	 * @see org.hibernate.boot.registry.StandardServiceRegistryBuilder
+	 */
+	@SuppressWarnings( {"unchecked"})
+	public StandardServiceRegistryImpl(
+			boolean autoCloseRegistry,
+			BootstrapServiceRegistry bootstrapServiceRegistry,
+			List<StandardServiceInitiator> serviceInitiators,
+			List<ProvidedService> providedServices,
+			Map<?, ?> configurationValues) {
+		super( bootstrapServiceRegistry, autoCloseRegistry );
 
 		this.configurationValues = configurationValues;
 
diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/service/internal/AbstractServiceRegistryImpl.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/service/internal/AbstractServiceRegistryImpl.java
index ca7716d8b0..23af9653ab 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/service/internal/AbstractServiceRegistryImpl.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/service/internal/AbstractServiceRegistryImpl.java
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractServiceRegistryImpl
 	// assume 20 services for initial sizing
 	private final List<ServiceBinding> serviceBindingList = CollectionHelper.arrayList( 20 );
 
+	private boolean autoCloseRegistry;
 	private Set<ServiceRegistryImplementor> childRegistries;
 
 	@SuppressWarnings( {"UnusedDeclaration"})
@@ -79,20 +80,39 @@ public abstract class AbstractServiceRegistryImpl
 		this( (ServiceRegistryImplementor) null );
 	}
 
+	@SuppressWarnings( {"UnusedDeclaration"})
+	protected AbstractServiceRegistryImpl(boolean autoCloseRegistry) {
+		this( (ServiceRegistryImplementor) null, autoCloseRegistry );
+	}
+
 	protected AbstractServiceRegistryImpl(ServiceRegistryImplementor parent) {
+		this( parent, true );
+	}
+
+	protected AbstractServiceRegistryImpl(
+			ServiceRegistryImplementor parent,
+			boolean autoCloseRegistry) {
 		this.parent = parent;
 		this.allowCrawling = ConfigurationHelper.getBoolean( ALLOW_CRAWLING, Environment.getProperties(), true );
 
+		this.autoCloseRegistry = autoCloseRegistry;
 		this.parent.registerChild( this );
 	}
 
 	public AbstractServiceRegistryImpl(BootstrapServiceRegistry bootstrapServiceRegistry) {
+		this( bootstrapServiceRegistry, true );
+	}
+
+	public AbstractServiceRegistryImpl(
+			BootstrapServiceRegistry bootstrapServiceRegistry,
+			boolean autoCloseRegistry) {
 		if ( ! ServiceRegistryImplementor.class.isInstance( bootstrapServiceRegistry ) ) {
 			throw new IllegalArgumentException( "ServiceRegistry parent needs to implement ServiceRegistryImplementor" );
 		}
 		this.parent = (ServiceRegistryImplementor) bootstrapServiceRegistry;
 		this.allowCrawling = ConfigurationHelper.getBoolean( ALLOW_CRAWLING, Environment.getProperties(), true );
 
+		this.autoCloseRegistry = autoCloseRegistry;
 		this.parent.registerChild( this );
 	}
 
@@ -382,11 +402,19 @@ public abstract class AbstractServiceRegistryImpl
 		}
 		childRegistries.remove( child );
 		if ( childRegistries.isEmpty() ) {
-			log.debug(
-					"Implicitly destroying ServiceRegistry on de-registration " +
-							"of all child ServiceRegistries"
-			);
-			destroy();
+			if ( autoCloseRegistry ) {
+				log.debug(
+						"Implicitly destroying ServiceRegistry on de-registration " +
+								"of all child ServiceRegistries"
+				);
+				destroy();
+			}
+			else {
+				log.debug(
+						"Skipping implicitly destroying ServiceRegistry on de-registration " +
+								"of all child ServiceRegistries"
+				);
+			}
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/connection/ConnectionCreatorTest.java b/hibernate-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/connection/ConnectionCreatorTest.java
index 26b86905a3..4b12f148d6 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/connection/ConnectionCreatorTest.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/connection/ConnectionCreatorTest.java
@@ -38,10 +38,9 @@ import org.hibernate.exception.JDBCConnectionException;
 import org.hibernate.service.Service;
 import org.hibernate.service.internal.ProvidedService;
 
-import org.junit.Test;
-
 import org.hibernate.testing.TestForIssue;
 import org.hibernate.testing.junit4.BaseUnitTestCase;
+import org.junit.Test;
 
 import static org.junit.Assert.fail;
 
@@ -55,6 +54,7 @@ public class ConnectionCreatorTest extends BaseUnitTestCase {
 		DriverConnectionCreator connectionCreator = new DriverConnectionCreator(
 				(Driver) Class.forName( "org.h2.Driver" ).newInstance(),
 				new StandardServiceRegistryImpl(
+						true,
 						new BootstrapServiceRegistryImpl(),
 						Collections.<StandardServiceInitiator>emptyList(),
 						Collections.<ProvidedService>emptyList(),