diff --git a/scripts/generate/templates/configuration_docs.tmpl b/scripts/generate/templates/configuration_docs.tmpl
index 75a4071e0..9ef8d13e2 100644
--- a/scripts/generate/templates/configuration_docs.tmpl
+++ b/scripts/generate/templates/configuration_docs.tmpl
@@ -128,22 +128,29 @@ Default::: `60000`
 Default::: `3000`
 
 
+`maxSockets`[[config-keep-alive-max-sockets]]:: `Number` -- Maximum number of sockets to allow per host.
+
+Default::: `Infinity`
+
 
 `keepAlive`[[config-keep-alive]]:: `Boolean` -- Should the connections to the node be kept open forever? This behavior is recommended when you are connecting directly to Elasticsearch.
 
 Default::: `true`
 
 
+`keepAliveInterval`[[config-keep-alive-interval]]:: `Number` -- How often, in milliseconds, should TCP KeepAlive packets be sent over sockets being kept alive. Only relevant if `keepAlive` is set to `true`.
 
-`maxSockets`[[config-max-sockets]]:: `Number` -- Maximum number of concurrent requests that can be made to any node.
-
-Default::: `10`
+Default::: `1000`
 
 
+`keepAliveMaxFreeSockets`[[config-keep-alive-max-free-sockets]]:: `Number` -- Maximum number of inactive sockets to keep connected to a node. Only relevant if `keepAlive` is set to `true`.
 
-`minSockets`[[config-min-sockets]]:: `Number` -- Minimum number of sockets to keep connected to a node, only applies when `keepAlive` is true
+Default::: `256`
 
-Default::: `10`
+
+`keepAliveFreeSocketTimeout`[[config-keep-alive-free-socket-timeout]]:: `Number` -- Sets inactive sockets to timeout after milliseconds of inactivity. Only relevant if `keepAlive` is set to `true`.
+
+Default::: `60000`
 
 
 `suggestCompression`[[config-suggest-compression]]:: `Boolean` -- The client should inform Elasticsearch, on each request, that it can accept compressed responses. In order for the responses to actually be compressed, you must enable `http.compression` in Elasticsearch. See http://www.elasticsearch.org/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/modules-http.html[these docs] for additional info.
diff --git a/src/lib/connectors/http.js b/src/lib/connectors/http.js
index 269c64f80..4368f1b2d 100644
--- a/src/lib/connectors/http.js
+++ b/src/lib/connectors/http.js
@@ -38,11 +38,11 @@ function HttpConnector(host, config) {
   this.useSsl = this.host.protocol === 'https';
 
   config = _.defaults(config || {}, {
+    maxSockets: Infinity,
     keepAlive: true,
-    minSockets: 10,
-    // 10 makes sense but 11 actually keeps 10 sockets around
-    // https://github.com/mikeal/forever-agent/issues/8
-    maxSockets: 11
+    keepAliveInterval: 1000,
+    keepAliveMaxFreeSockets: 256,
+    keepAliveFreeSocketTimeout: 60000
   });
 
   this.agent = config.createNodeAgent ? config.createNodeAgent(this, config) : this.createAgent(config);
@@ -90,8 +90,10 @@ HttpConnector.prototype.createAgent = function (config) {
 HttpConnector.prototype.makeAgentConfig = function (config) {
   var agentConfig = {
     keepAlive: config.keepAlive,
+    keepAliveMsecs: config.keepAliveInterval,
     maxSockets: config.maxSockets,
-    minSockets: config.minSockets
+    maxFreeSockets: config.keepAliveMaxFreeSockets,
+    freeSocketKeepAliveTimeout: config.keepAliveFreeSocketTimeout
   };
 
   if (this.useSsl) {