diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/example/http/HttpClient.java b/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/example/http/HttpClient.java
index 1e91769139..b551e5360d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/example/http/HttpClient.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/example/http/HttpClient.java
@@ -87,7 +87,12 @@ public class HttpClient {
         // Send the HTTP request.
         HttpRequest request = new DefaultHttpRequest(HttpVersion.HTTP_1_0, HttpMethod.GET, uri);
         request.addHeader(HttpHeaders.HOST, host);
-        ChannelFuture lastWriteFuture = channel.write(request);
-        lastWriteFuture.awaitUninterruptibly();
+        channel.write(request);
+
+        // Wait for the server to close the connection.
+        channel.getCloseFuture().awaitUninterruptibly();
+
+        // Shut down executor threads to exit.
+        factory.getExternalResource().release();
     }
 }
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