diff --git a/src/libCom/osi/os/WIN32/osdSock.c b/src/libCom/osi/os/WIN32/osdSock.c
index 19b542494..d18f49ebe 100644
--- a/src/libCom/osi/os/WIN32/osdSock.c
+++ b/src/libCom/osi/os/WIN32/osdSock.c
@@ -212,3 +212,16 @@ epicsShareFunc const char * epicsShareAPI convertSocketErrorToString (int errnoI
 #endif
 }
 
+/*
+ * WINSOCK II shutdown() function does not wake up threads blocking in TCP recv()
+ */
+epicsShareFunc enum osiSockShutdownReturn epicsShareAPI osiSocketShutdown ( SOCKET sock )
+{
+    int status = socket_close ( sock );
+    if ( status ) {
+        errlogPrintf ("TCP WIN32 socket close (for shutdown purposes) error was %s\n", 
+            SOCKERRSTR (SOCKERRNO) );
+        return ossrSocketNoChange;
+    }
+    return ossrSocketClosed;
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/libCom/osi/os/default/osdSock.c b/src/libCom/osi/os/default/osdSock.c
index 9b614496b..70cc90615 100644
--- a/src/libCom/osi/os/default/osdSock.c
+++ b/src/libCom/osi/os/default/osdSock.c
@@ -128,3 +128,28 @@ epicsShareFunc int epicsShareAPI hostToIPAddr
 	unlockInfo ();
 	return ret;
 }
+
+/*
+ * typically the shutdown() function will wake up threads blocking in TCP recv()
+ * and this is a more graceful way to shutdown
+ */
+epicsShareFunc enum osiSockShutdownReturn epicsShareAPI osiSocketShutdown ( SOCKET sock )
+{
+    status = shutdown ( this->sock, SD_BOTH );
+    if ( status ) {
+        errlogPrintf ( "TCP socket shutdown error (for shutdown purposes) was %s\n", 
+            SOCKERRSTR (SOCKERRNO) );
+        status = socket_close ( this->sock );
+        if ( status ) {
+            errlogPrintf ("TCP socket close error (for shutdown purposes) was %s\n", 
+                SOCKERRSTR (SOCKERRNO) );
+            return ossrSocketNoChange;
+        }
+        else {
+            return ossrSocketClosed;
+        }
+    }
+    else { 
+        return ossrSocketShutdown;
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/libCom/osi/os/vxWorks/osdSock.c b/src/libCom/osi/os/vxWorks/osdSock.c
index c88eee15c..4fe34c499 100644
--- a/src/libCom/osi/os/vxWorks/osdSock.c
+++ b/src/libCom/osi/os/vxWorks/osdSock.c
@@ -86,3 +86,28 @@ epicsShareFunc int epicsShareAPI hostToIPAddr
 	 */
 	return 0;
 }
+
+/*
+ * typically the shutdown() function will wake up threads blocking in TCP recv()
+ * and this is a more graceful way to shutdown
+ */
+epicsShareFunc enum osiSockShutdownReturn epicsShareAPI osiSocketShutdown ( SOCKET sock )
+{
+    status = shutdown ( this->sock, SD_BOTH );
+    if ( status ) {
+        errlogPrintf ( "TCP socket shutdown error (for shutdown purposes) was %s\n", 
+            SOCKERRSTR (SOCKERRNO) );
+        status = socket_close ( this->sock );
+        if ( status ) {
+            errlogPrintf ("TCP socket close error (for shutdown purposes) was %s\n", 
+                SOCKERRSTR (SOCKERRNO) );
+            return ossrSocketNoChange;
+        }
+        else {
+            return ossrSocketClosed;
+        }
+    }
+    else { 
+        return ossrSocketShutdown;
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/libCom/osi/osiSock.h b/src/libCom/osi/osiSock.h
index 6d76e4da5..f517874fb 100644
--- a/src/libCom/osi/osiSock.h
+++ b/src/libCom/osi/osiSock.h
@@ -175,6 +175,13 @@ epicsShareFunc void epicsShareAPI osiSockDiscoverBroadcastAddresses
  */
 epicsShareFunc osiSockAddr epicsShareAPI osiLocalAddr (SOCKET socket);
 
+/*
+ * WINSOCK shutdown() function does not wake up threads blocking 
+ * in TCP recv()
+ */
+enum osiSockShutdownReturn { ossrSocketClosed, ossrSocketShutdown, ossrSocketNoChange };
+epicsShareFunc enum osiSockShutdownReturn epicsShareAPI osiSocketShutdown ( SOCKET sock );
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif