diff --git a/Lib/idlelib/PyShell.py b/Lib/idlelib/PyShell.py
index 33deb457a4b..ea3a5d9a8e1 100644
--- a/Lib/idlelib/PyShell.py
+++ b/Lib/idlelib/PyShell.py
@@ -459,6 +459,10 @@ class ModifiedInterpreter(InteractiveInterpreter):
         threading.Thread(target=self.__request_interrupt).start()
 
     def kill_subprocess(self):
+        try:
+            self.rpcclt.listening_sock.close()
+        except AttributeError:  # no socket
+            pass
         try:
             self.rpcclt.close()
         except AttributeError:  # no socket
diff --git a/Lib/idlelib/rpc.py b/Lib/idlelib/rpc.py
index ddb36bde440..def43945aee 100644
--- a/Lib/idlelib/rpc.py
+++ b/Lib/idlelib/rpc.py
@@ -534,10 +534,6 @@ class RPCClient(SocketIO):
     def get_remote_proxy(self, oid):
         return RPCProxy(self, oid)
 
-    def close(self):
-        self.listening_sock.close()
-        SocketIO.close(self)
-
 class RPCProxy(object):
 
     __methods = None