diff --git a/lib/net/http.rb b/lib/net/http.rb
index 41b8357a..27b46237 100644
--- a/lib/net/http.rb
+++ b/lib/net/http.rb
@@ -2341,7 +2341,6 @@ def send_request(name, path, data = nil, header = nil)
     def request(req, body = nil, &block)  # :yield: +response+
       unless started?
         start {
-          req['connection'] ||= 'close'
           return request(req, body, &block)
         }
       end