diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/connection/network_cli.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/connection/network_cli.py
index 1b3bccc476b..b96fb1917cb 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/connection/network_cli.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/connection/network_cli.py
@@ -368,8 +368,11 @@ class Connection(ConnectionBase):
                 self._ssh_shell.close()
                 self._ssh_shell = None
                 display.debug("cli session is now closed")
+
+                self.paramiko_conn.close()
+                self.paramiko_conn = None
+                display.debug("ssh connection has been closed successfully")
             self._connected = False
-            display.debug("ssh connection has been closed successfully")
 
     def receive(self, command=None, prompts=None, answer=None, newline=True, prompt_retry_check=False):
         '''
diff --git a/test/units/plugins/connection/test_network_cli.py b/test/units/plugins/connection/test_network_cli.py
index fd8f27a0d0a..aae1c3c9889 100644
--- a/test/units/plugins/connection/test_network_cli.py
+++ b/test/units/plugins/connection/test_network_cli.py
@@ -93,11 +93,13 @@ class TestConnectionClass(unittest.TestCase):
         terminal = MagicMock(supports_multiplexing=False)
         conn._terminal = terminal
         conn._ssh_shell = MagicMock()
+        conn.paramiko_conn = MagicMock()
         conn._connected = True
 
         conn.close()
         self.assertTrue(terminal.on_close_shell.called)
         self.assertIsNone(conn._ssh_shell)
+        self.assertIsNone(conn.paramiko_conn)
 
     @patch("ansible.plugins.connection.paramiko_ssh.Connection._connect")
     def test_network_cli_exec_command(self, mocked_super):