diff --git a/Lib/logging/handlers.py b/Lib/logging/handlers.py
index 5837f4e..c4b8746 100644
--- a/Lib/logging/handlers.py
+++ b/Lib/logging/handlers.py
@@ -856,6 +856,7 @@
                 try:
                     self.socket.send(msg)
                 except socket.error:
+                    self.socket.close() # See issue 17981
                     self._connect_unixsocket(self.address)
                     self.socket.send(msg)
             elif self.socktype == socket.SOCK_DGRAM:
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index c8dc24b..394b08b 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 Library
 -------
 
+- Issue #17981: Closed socket on error in SysLogHandler.
+
 - Issue #17754: Make ctypes.util.find_library() independent of the locale.
 
 - Fix typos in the multiprocessing module.