diff --git a/test/e2e/pkg/infra/digitalocean/digitalocean.go b/test/e2e/pkg/infra/digitalocean/digitalocean.go
index 40823bd85..cdc18d28e 100644
--- a/test/e2e/pkg/infra/digitalocean/digitalocean.go
+++ b/test/e2e/pkg/infra/digitalocean/digitalocean.go
@@ -44,15 +44,13 @@ func (p Provider) KillTendermint(ctx context.Context, n *e2e.Node) error {
 }
 func (p Provider) Disconnect(ctx context.Context, n *e2e.Node) error {
 	return e2essh.MultiExec(p.SSHConfig, fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", n.IP, sshPort),
-		"iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --destination-port 26656 -j DROP",
-		"iptables -A OUTPUT -p tcp --destination-port 26656 -j DROP",
-		"service iptables save",
+		"iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --destination-port 26656 -j REJECT --reject-with tcp-reset",
+		"iptables -A OUTPUT -p tcp --destination-port 26656 -j REJECT --reject-with tcp-reset",
 	)
 }
 func (p Provider) Connect(ctx context.Context, n *e2e.Node) error {
 	return e2essh.MultiExec(p.SSHConfig, fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", n.IP, sshPort),
-		"iptables -D INPUT -p tcp --destination-port 26656 -j DROP",
-		"iptables -D OUTPUT -p tcp --destination-port 26656 -j DROP",
-		"service iptables save",
+		"iptables -D INPUT -p tcp --destination-port 26656 -j REJECT --reject-with tcp-reset",
+		"iptables -D OUTPUT -p tcp --destination-port 26656 -j REJECT --reject-with tcp-reset",
 	)
 }
diff --git a/test/e2e/pkg/ssh/ssh.go b/test/e2e/pkg/ssh/ssh.go
index cdca8d087..bd3924627 100644
--- a/test/e2e/pkg/ssh/ssh.go
+++ b/test/e2e/pkg/ssh/ssh.go
@@ -18,7 +18,11 @@ func Exec(cfg *ssh.ClientConfig, addr, cmd string) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	defer c.Close()
 	s, err := c.NewSession()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	defer s.Close()
 	err = s.Run(cmd)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -29,16 +33,21 @@ func Exec(cfg *ssh.ClientConfig, addr, cmd string) error {
 
 func MultiExec(cfg *ssh.ClientConfig, addr string, cmds ...string) error {
 	c, err := ssh.Dial("tcp", addr, cfg)
-	s, err := c.NewSession()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	defer s.Close()
+	defer c.Close()
 	for _, cmd := range cmds {
-		err := s.Run(cmd)
+		s, err := c.NewSession()
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
+		err = s.Run(cmd)
+		if err != nil {
+			s.Close()
+			return err
+		}
+		s.Close()
 	}
 	return nil
 }