diff --git a/cmd/server/main.go b/cmd/server/main.go
index 5df6342cf..0d8cdecec 100644
--- a/cmd/server/main.go
+++ b/cmd/server/main.go
@@ -284,7 +284,11 @@ func main() {
 			homeCfg.DisableClusterDiscovery = true
 		}
 		homeClient = home.New(homeCfg)
-		defer homeClient.Close()
+		defer func() {
+			if homeClient != nil {
+				homeClient.Close()
+			}
+		}()
 
 		ctxHomeConfig, cancelHomeConfig := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 30*time.Second)
 		raw, errGetConfig := homeClient.GetConfig(ctxHomeConfig)
@@ -622,6 +626,12 @@ func main() {
 			return
 		}
 	}
+	if homeClient != nil {
+		// The bootstrap client is not owned by the runtime service. Close it after
+		// the final startup report so it cannot retain an idle RESP connection.
+		homeClient.Close()
+		homeClient = nil
+	}
 	if pluginHost.HasTriggeredCommandLineFlags() {
 		if exitCode, handled := pluginHost.ExecuteCommandLine(context.Background(), os.Args[0], os.Args[1:], configFilePath, flag.CommandLine); handled {
 			if exitCode != 0 {