diff --git a/pymongo/command_cursor.py b/pymongo/command_cursor.py
index d99a5fe1a..513913c53 100644
--- a/pymongo/command_cursor.py
+++ b/pymongo/command_cursor.py
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ class CommandCursor(object):
             # Don't send kill cursors to another server after a "not master"
             # error. It's completely pointless.
             self.__killed = True
-            client.disconnect()
+            client._disconnect()
             raise
         self.__id = response["cursor_id"]
         if self.__id == 0:
diff --git a/pymongo/cursor.py b/pymongo/cursor.py
index fff51834d..64b3e1a15 100644
--- a/pymongo/cursor.py
+++ b/pymongo/cursor.py
@@ -1038,7 +1038,7 @@ class Cursor(object):
             self.__killed = True
             # Make sure exhaust socket is returned immediately, if necessary.
             self.__die()
-            client.disconnect()
+            client._disconnect()
             raise
 
         self.__id = response["cursor_id"]
diff --git a/pymongo/database.py b/pymongo/database.py
index 1f725b22c..09f2ff0d3 100644
--- a/pymongo/database.py
+++ b/pymongo/database.py
@@ -436,8 +436,8 @@ class Database(common.BaseObject):
         if check:
             msg = "command %s on namespace %s failed: %%s" % (
                 repr(command).replace("%", "%%"), self.name + '.$cmd')
-            helpers._check_command_response(result, self.connection.disconnect,
-                                            msg, allowable_errors)
+            helpers._check_command_response(
+                result, self.connection._disconnect, msg, allowable_errors)
 
         return result, cursor.conn_id
 
@@ -756,7 +756,7 @@ class Database(common.BaseObject):
         if error_msg is None:
             return None
         if error_msg.startswith("not master"):
-            self.__connection.disconnect()
+            self.__connection._disconnect()
         return error
 
     def last_status(self):
diff --git a/pymongo/master_slave_connection.py b/pymongo/master_slave_connection.py
index 5fb862cd0..7ba70387c 100644
--- a/pymongo/master_slave_connection.py
+++ b/pymongo/master_slave_connection.py
@@ -197,6 +197,10 @@ class MasterSlaveConnection(BaseObject):
         .. seealso:: Module :mod:`~pymongo.mongo_client`
         .. versionadded:: 1.10.1
         """
+        self._disconnect()
+
+    def _disconnect(self):
+        """Internal disconnect helper."""
         self.__master.disconnect()
         for slave in self.__slaves:
             slave.disconnect()
@@ -207,7 +211,7 @@ class MasterSlaveConnection(BaseObject):
         .. seealso:: :meth:`end_request`
         .. versionadded:: 2.8
         """
-        self.disconnect()
+        self._disconnect()
 
     def set_cursor_manager(self, manager_class):
         """Set the cursor manager for this connection.
diff --git a/pymongo/mongo_client.py b/pymongo/mongo_client.py
index 406f8b3fc..da5b00729 100644
--- a/pymongo/mongo_client.py
+++ b/pymongo/mongo_client.py
@@ -1089,7 +1089,7 @@ class MongoClient(common.BaseObject):
         warnings.warn("disconnect is deprecated in this version of PyMongo "
                       "and removed in PyMongo 3. Use close() instead.",
                       DeprecationWarning, stacklevel=2)
-        self.close()
+        self._disconnect()
 
     def close(self):
         """Disconnect from MongoDB.
@@ -1103,6 +1103,10 @@ class MongoClient(common.BaseObject):
         .. seealso:: :meth:`end_request`
         .. versionadded:: 2.1
         """
+        self._disconnect()
+
+    def _disconnect(self):
+        """Internal disconnect helper."""
         self.__connecting_lock.acquire()
         member, self.__member = self.__member, None
         self.__connecting_lock.release()
diff --git a/pymongo/mongo_replica_set_client.py b/pymongo/mongo_replica_set_client.py
index bc139faea..568a35595 100644
--- a/pymongo/mongo_replica_set_client.py
+++ b/pymongo/mongo_replica_set_client.py
@@ -1439,6 +1439,10 @@ class MongoReplicaSetClient(common.BaseObject):
         """Disconnect from the replica set primary, unpin all members, and
         refresh our view of the replica set.
         """
+        self._disconnect()
+
+    def _disconnect(self):
+        """Internal disconnect helper."""
         rs_state = self.__rs_state
         if rs_state.primary_member:
             rs_state.primary_member.reset()
@@ -1523,7 +1527,7 @@ class MongoReplicaSetClient(common.BaseObject):
         assert response["number_returned"] == 1
         result = response["data"][0]
 
-        helpers._check_command_response(result, self.disconnect)
+        helpers._check_command_response(result, self._disconnect)
 
         # write commands - skip getLastError checking
         if is_command:
@@ -1534,7 +1538,7 @@ class MongoReplicaSetClient(common.BaseObject):
         if error_msg is None:
             return result
         if error_msg.startswith("not master"):
-            self.disconnect()
+            self._disconnect()
             raise AutoReconnect(error_msg)
 
         code = result.get("code")
@@ -1645,7 +1649,7 @@ class MongoReplicaSetClient(common.BaseObject):
             except(ConnectionFailure, socket.error), why:
                 member.discard_socket(sock_info)
                 if _connection_to_use in (None, -1):
-                    self.disconnect()
+                    self._disconnect()
                 raise AutoReconnect(str(why))
             except:
                 sock_info.close()
@@ -1758,7 +1762,7 @@ class MongoReplicaSetClient(common.BaseObject):
         except AutoReconnect:
             if _connection_to_use in (-1, rs_state.writer):
                 # Primary's down. Refresh.
-                self.disconnect()
+                self._disconnect()
             raise
 
         # To provide some monotonic consistency, we use the same member as
@@ -1780,7 +1784,7 @@ class MongoReplicaSetClient(common.BaseObject):
                     self.__try_read(pinned_member, msg, **kwargs))
             except AutoReconnect, why:
                 if _must_use_master or mode == ReadPreference.PRIMARY:
-                    self.disconnect()
+                    self._disconnect()
                     raise
                 else:
                     errors.append(str(why))