diff --git a/paramiko/sftp_client.py b/paramiko/sftp_client.py
index 3beee67..329667c 100644
--- a/paramiko/sftp_client.py
+++ b/paramiko/sftp_client.py
@@ -74,6 +74,14 @@ class SFTPClient (BaseSFTP):
         return selfclass(chan)
     from_transport = classmethod(from_transport)
 
+    def close(self):
+        """
+        Close the SFTP session and its underlying channel.
+        
+        @since: 1.4
+        """
+        self.sock.close()
+
     def listdir(self, path):
         """
         Return a list containing the names of the entries in the given C{path}.
diff --git a/tests/test_sftp.py b/tests/test_sftp.py
index 79a52c2..5d4d921 100755
--- a/tests/test_sftp.py
+++ b/tests/test_sftp.py
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ decreased compared with chicken.
 FOLDER = os.environ.get('TEST_FOLDER', 'temp-testing')
 
 sftp = None
+tc = None
 g_big_file_test = True
 
 
@@ -101,7 +102,7 @@ class SFTPTest (unittest.TestCase):
     init = staticmethod(init)
 
     def init_loopback():
-        global sftp
+        global sftp, tc
 
         socks = LoopSocket()
         sockc = LoopSocket()
@@ -144,6 +145,20 @@ class SFTPTest (unittest.TestCase):
         finally:
             sftp.remove(FOLDER + '/test')
 
+    def test_1a_close(self):
+        """
+        verify that closing the sftp session doesn't do anything bad, and that
+        a new one can be opened.
+        """
+        global sftp
+        sftp.close()
+        try:
+            sftp.open(FOLDER + '/test2', 'w')
+            self.fail('expected exception')
+        except:
+            pass
+        sftp = paramiko.SFTP.from_transport(tc)
+
     def test_2_write(self):
         """
         verify that a file can be created and written, and the size is correct.