diff --git a/plugins/outputs/socket_writer/socket_writer.go b/plugins/outputs/socket_writer/socket_writer.go
index 32baa40c4..503130c62 100644
--- a/plugins/outputs/socket_writer/socket_writer.go
+++ b/plugins/outputs/socket_writer/socket_writer.go
@@ -124,6 +124,16 @@ func (sw *SocketWriter) Write(metrics []telegraf.Metric) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// Close closes the connection. Noop if already closed.
+func (sw *SocketWriter) Close() error {
+	if sw.Conn == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	err := sw.Conn.Close()
+	sw.Conn = nil
+	return err
+}
+
 func newSocketWriter() *SocketWriter {
 	s, _ := serializers.NewInfluxSerializer()
 	return &SocketWriter{
diff --git a/plugins/outputs/socket_writer/socket_writer_test.go b/plugins/outputs/socket_writer/socket_writer_test.go
index 6be2b0905..0c5747d31 100644
--- a/plugins/outputs/socket_writer/socket_writer_test.go
+++ b/plugins/outputs/socket_writer/socket_writer_test.go
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ func TestSocketWriter_Write_err(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// close the socket to generate an error
 	lconn.Close()
-	sw.Close()
+	sw.Conn.Close()
 	err = sw.Write(metrics)
 	require.Error(t, err)
 	assert.Nil(t, sw.Conn)