diff --git a/django/test/client.py b/django/test/client.py
index 77d4de05248..6bdc1cf3d37 100644
--- a/django/test/client.py
+++ b/django/test/client.py
@@ -16,7 +16,9 @@ from django.conf import settings
 from django.contrib.auth import authenticate, login
 from django.core.handlers.base import BaseHandler
 from django.core.handlers.wsgi import WSGIRequest
-from django.core.signals import got_request_exception
+from django.core.signals import (request_started, request_finished,
+    got_request_exception)
+from django.db import close_connection
 from django.http import SimpleCookie, HttpRequest, QueryDict
 from django.template import TemplateDoesNotExist
 from django.test import signals
@@ -76,7 +78,9 @@ def closing_iterator_wrapper(iterable, close):
         for item in iterable:
             yield item
     finally:
-        close()
+        request_finished.disconnect(close_connection)
+        close()                                 # will fire request_finished
+        request_finished.connect(close_connection)
 
 
 class ClientHandler(BaseHandler):
@@ -91,14 +95,13 @@ class ClientHandler(BaseHandler):
 
     def __call__(self, environ):
         from django.conf import settings
-        from django.core import signals
 
         # Set up middleware if needed. We couldn't do this earlier, because
         # settings weren't available.
         if self._request_middleware is None:
             self.load_middleware()
 
-        signals.request_started.send(sender=self.__class__)
+        request_started.send(sender=self.__class__)
         request = WSGIRequest(environ)
         # sneaky little hack so that we can easily get round
         # CsrfViewMiddleware.  This makes life easier, and is probably
@@ -112,7 +115,9 @@ class ClientHandler(BaseHandler):
             response.streaming_content = closing_iterator_wrapper(
                 response.streaming_content, response.close)
         else:
-            response.close()
+            request_finished.disconnect(close_connection)
+            response.close()                    # will fire request_finished
+            request_finished.connect(close_connection)
 
         return response
 
diff --git a/django/test/testcases.py b/django/test/testcases.py
index bb555fbecb0..5ba87caed26 100644
--- a/django/test/testcases.py
+++ b/django/test/testcases.py
@@ -641,8 +641,6 @@ class TransactionTestCase(SimpleTestCase):
         else:
             content = response.content
         content = content.decode(response._charset)
-        # Avoid ResourceWarning about unclosed files.
-        response.close()
         if html:
             content = assert_and_parse_html(self, content, None,
                 "Response's content is not valid HTML:")
diff --git a/django/test/utils.py b/django/test/utils.py
index a1ff826d6ea..8114ae0e6a0 100644
--- a/django/test/utils.py
+++ b/django/test/utils.py
@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@ from xml.dom.minidom import parseString, Node
 
 from django.conf import settings, UserSettingsHolder
 from django.core import mail
-from django.core.signals import request_finished
-from django.db import close_connection
 from django.test.signals import template_rendered, setting_changed
 from django.template import Template, loader, TemplateDoesNotExist
 from django.template.loaders import cached
@@ -70,10 +68,8 @@ def setup_test_environment():
     """Perform any global pre-test setup. This involves:
 
         - Installing the instrumented test renderer
-        - Setting the email backend to the locmem email backend.
+        - Set the email backend to the locmem email backend.
         - Setting the active locale to match the LANGUAGE_CODE setting.
-        - Disconnecting the request_finished signal to avoid closing
-          the database connection within tests.
     """
     Template.original_render = Template._render
     Template._render = instrumented_test_render
@@ -85,8 +81,6 @@ def setup_test_environment():
 
     deactivate()
 
-    request_finished.disconnect(close_connection)
-
 
 def teardown_test_environment():
     """Perform any global post-test teardown. This involves:
diff --git a/tests/regressiontests/handlers/tests.py b/tests/regressiontests/handlers/tests.py
index 3cab2aca574..3557a63fd50 100644
--- a/tests/regressiontests/handlers/tests.py
+++ b/tests/regressiontests/handlers/tests.py
@@ -56,6 +56,5 @@ class SignalsTests(TestCase):
     def test_request_signals_streaming_response(self):
         response = self.client.get('/streaming/')
         self.assertEqual(self.signals, ['started'])
-        # Avoid self.assertContains, because it explicitly calls response.close()
         self.assertEqual(b''.join(response.streaming_content), b"streaming content")
         self.assertEqual(self.signals, ['started', 'finished'])