diff --git a/lib/Doctrine/Connection.php b/lib/Doctrine/Connection.php
index 2b0337859..276f89e73 100644
--- a/lib/Doctrine/Connection.php
+++ b/lib/Doctrine/Connection.php
@@ -976,11 +976,15 @@ abstract class Doctrine_Connection extends Doctrine_Configurable implements Coun
      */
     public function close()
     {
-        $this->getAttribute(Doctrine::ATTR_LISTENER)->onPreClose($this);
+    	$event = new Doctrine_Event($this, Doctrine_Event::CONN_CLOSE);
+
+        $this->getAttribute(Doctrine::ATTR_LISTENER)->preClose($event);
 
         $this->clear();
+        
+        $this->dbh = null;
 
-        $this->getAttribute(Doctrine::ATTR_LISTENER)->onClose($this);
+        $this->getAttribute(Doctrine::ATTR_LISTENER)->postClose($event);
     }
     /**
      * get the current transaction nesting level
diff --git a/lib/Doctrine/Event.php b/lib/Doctrine/Event.php
index 7418a8100..5c0928808 100644
--- a/lib/Doctrine/Event.php
+++ b/lib/Doctrine/Event.php
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ class Doctrine_Event
     const CONN_EXEC          = 2;
     const CONN_PREPARE       = 3;
     const CONN_CONNECT       = 4;
+    const CONN_CLOSE         = 5;
 
     const STMT_EXECUTE       = 10;
     const STMT_FETCH         = 11;
diff --git a/lib/Doctrine/EventListener.php b/lib/Doctrine/EventListener.php
index 1d6b9d95c..a1a7ca67b 100644
--- a/lib/Doctrine/EventListener.php
+++ b/lib/Doctrine/EventListener.php
@@ -50,9 +50,9 @@ class Doctrine_EventListener implements Doctrine_EventListener_Interface
     public function onPreEvict(Doctrine_Record $record)
     { }
 
-    public function onClose(Doctrine_Event $event)
+    public function preClose(Doctrine_Event $event)
     { }
-    public function onPreClose(Doctrine_Event $event)
+    public function postClose(Doctrine_Event $event)
     { }
 
     public function onCollectionDelete(Doctrine_Collection $collection)