diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/redis/listener/KeyspaceEventMessageListener.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/redis/listener/KeyspaceEventMessageListener.java
index e50d2caec..4b9e66b57 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/redis/listener/KeyspaceEventMessageListener.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/redis/listener/KeyspaceEventMessageListener.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2015 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2015-2016 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -75,17 +75,22 @@ public abstract class KeyspaceEventMessageListener implements MessageListener, I
 	 */
 	public void init() {
 
-		RedisConnection connection = listenerContainer.getConnectionFactory().getConnection();
-		List<String> config = connection.getConfig("notify-keyspace-events");
-
 		if (StringUtils.hasText(keyspaceNotificationsConfigParameter)) {
-			if (config.size() == 2) {
-				if (!StringUtils.hasText(config.get(1))) {
+
+			RedisConnection connection = listenerContainer.getConnectionFactory().getConnection();
+
+			try {
+
+				List<String> config = connection.getConfig("notify-keyspace-events");
+
+				if (config.size() == 2 && !StringUtils.hasText(config.get(1))) {
 					connection.setConfig("notify-keyspace-events", keyspaceNotificationsConfigParameter);
 				}
+
+			} finally {
+				connection.close();
 			}
 		}
-		connection.close();
 
 		doRegister(listenerContainer);
 	}