diff --git a/src/cascadia/TerminalApp/TerminalPage.cpp b/src/cascadia/TerminalApp/TerminalPage.cpp
index e73ba93193b..007619f19b9 100644
--- a/src/cascadia/TerminalApp/TerminalPage.cpp
+++ b/src/cascadia/TerminalApp/TerminalPage.cpp
@@ -1362,6 +1362,7 @@ namespace winrt::TerminalApp::implementation
         return connection;
     }
 
+    // use _replaceConnectionForRestart instead of using this function directly. _replaceConnectionForRestart will close the old connection.
     TerminalConnection::ITerminalConnection TerminalPage::_duplicateConnectionForRestart(const TerminalApp::TerminalPaneContent& paneContent)
     {
         if (paneContent == nullptr)
@@ -1405,6 +1406,15 @@ namespace winrt::TerminalApp::implementation
         return _CreateConnectionFromSettings(profile, controlSettings.DefaultSettings(), true);
     }
 
+    void TerminalPage::_replaceConnectionForRestart(const TerminalApp::TerminalPaneContent& paneContent) {
+        if (const auto& connection{ _duplicateConnectionForRestart(paneContent) }) {
+            auto previousConnection = paneContent.GetTermControl().Connection();
+            paneContent.GetTermControl().Connection(connection);
+            connection.Start();
+            previousConnection.Close();
+        }
+    }
+
     // Method Description:
     // - Called when the settings button is clicked. Launches a background
     //   thread to open the settings file in the default JSON editor.
@@ -3471,11 +3481,7 @@ namespace winrt::TerminalApp::implementation
         // the TermControl.RestartTerminalRequested event doesn't actually pass
         // any args upwards itself. If we ever change this, make sure you check
         // for nulls
-        if (const auto& connection{ _duplicateConnectionForRestart(paneContent) })
-        {
-            paneContent.GetTermControl().Connection(connection);
-            connection.Start();
-        }
+        _replaceConnectionForRestart(paneContent);
     }
 
     // Method Description:
diff --git a/src/cascadia/TerminalApp/TerminalPage.h b/src/cascadia/TerminalApp/TerminalPage.h
index 87e7b17437b..13ac949893b 100644
--- a/src/cascadia/TerminalApp/TerminalPage.h
+++ b/src/cascadia/TerminalApp/TerminalPage.h
@@ -310,6 +310,7 @@ namespace winrt::TerminalApp::implementation
         std::wstring _evaluatePathForCwd(std::wstring_view path);
 
         winrt::Microsoft::Terminal::TerminalConnection::ITerminalConnection _CreateConnectionFromSettings(Microsoft::Terminal::Settings::Model::Profile profile, Microsoft::Terminal::Settings::Model::TerminalSettings settings, const bool inheritCursor);
+        void _replaceConnectionForRestart(const TerminalApp::TerminalPaneContent& paneContent);
         winrt::Microsoft::Terminal::TerminalConnection::ITerminalConnection _duplicateConnectionForRestart(const TerminalApp::TerminalPaneContent& paneContent);
         void _restartPaneConnection(const TerminalApp::TerminalPaneContent&, const winrt::Windows::Foundation::IInspectable&);