diff --git a/cmd/ipfs/main.go b/cmd/ipfs/main.go
index 09e87e194..955198d66 100644
--- a/cmd/ipfs/main.go
+++ b/cmd/ipfs/main.go
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ var log = logging.Logger("cmd/ipfs")
 var (
 	errUnexpectedApiOutput = errors.New("api returned unexpected output")
 	errApiVersionMismatch  = errors.New("api version mismatch")
+	errRequestCanceled     = errors.New("request canceled")
 )
 
 const (
@@ -328,7 +329,7 @@ func callCommand(ctx context.Context, req cmds.Request, root *cmds.Command, cmd
 			if isConnRefused(err) {
 				err = repo.ErrApiNotRunning
 			}
-			return nil, err
+			return nil, wrapContextCanceled(err)
 		}
 
 	} else {
@@ -625,3 +626,10 @@ func isConnRefused(err error) bool {
 
 	return netoperr.Op == "dial"
 }
+
+func wrapContextCanceled(err error) error {
+	if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "request canceled") {
+		err = errRequestCanceled
+	}
+	return err
+}
diff --git a/commands/http/client.go b/commands/http/client.go
index 99a9f131f..8489bf9b6 100644
--- a/commands/http/client.go
+++ b/commands/http/client.go
@@ -34,20 +34,13 @@ type Client interface {
 
 type client struct {
 	serverAddress string
-	httpClient    http.Client
+	httpClient    *http.Client
 }
 
 func NewClient(address string) Client {
-	// We cannot use the default transport because of a bug in go's connection reuse
-	// code. It causes random failures in the connection including io.EOF and connection
-	// refused on 'client.Do'
 	return &client{
 		serverAddress: address,
-		httpClient: http.Client{
-			Transport: &http.Transport{
-				DisableKeepAlives: true,
-			},
-		},
+		httpClient:    http.DefaultClient,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -101,46 +94,28 @@ func (c *client) Send(req cmds.Request) (cmds.Response, error) {
 	}
 	httpReq.Header.Set(uaHeader, config.ApiVersion)
 
-	ec := make(chan error, 1)
-	rc := make(chan cmds.Response, 1)
-	dc := req.Context().Done()
+	httpReq.Cancel = req.Context().Done()
+	httpReq.Close = true
 
-	go func() {
-		httpRes, err := c.httpClient.Do(httpReq)
-		if err != nil {
-			ec <- err
-			return
-		}
-
-		// using the overridden JSON encoding in request
-		res, err := getResponse(httpRes, req)
-		if err != nil {
-			ec <- err
-			return
-		}
-
-		rc <- res
-	}()
-
-	for {
-		select {
-		case <-dc:
-			log.Debug("Context cancelled, cancelling HTTP request...")
-			tr := http.DefaultTransport.(*http.Transport)
-			tr.CancelRequest(httpReq)
-			dc = nil // Wait for ec or rc
-		case err := <-ec:
-			return nil, err
-		case res := <-rc:
-			if found && len(previousUserProvidedEncoding) > 0 {
-				// reset to user provided encoding after sending request
-				// NB: if user has provided an encoding but it is the empty string,
-				// still leave it as JSON.
-				req.SetOption(cmds.EncShort, previousUserProvidedEncoding)
-			}
-			return res, nil
-		}
+	httpRes, err := c.httpClient.Do(httpReq)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
+
+	// using the overridden JSON encoding in request
+	res, err := getResponse(httpRes, req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	if found && len(previousUserProvidedEncoding) > 0 {
+		// reset to user provided encoding after sending request
+		// NB: if user has provided an encoding but it is the empty string,
+		// still leave it as JSON.
+		req.SetOption(cmds.EncShort, previousUserProvidedEncoding)
+	}
+
+	return res, nil
 }
 
 func getQuery(req cmds.Request) (string, error) {