--- nntp.el~	2007-07-18 12:07:39 +0000
+++ nntp.el	2007-07-31 02:54:25 +0000
@@ -978,8 +978,12 @@
       (or (nntp-find-connection nntp-server-buffer)
 	  (nntp-open-connection nntp-server-buffer)))))
 
+(defvar nntp-force-close-server nil
+  "Non-nil means force server to close if it doesn't respond immediately.")
+
 (deffoo nntp-close-server (&optional server)
-  (nntp-possibly-change-group nil server t)
+  (let ((nntp-force-close-server t))
+    (nntp-possibly-change-group nil server t))
   (let ((process (nntp-find-connection nntp-server-buffer)))
     (while process
       (when (memq (process-status process) '(open run))
@@ -1728,7 +1732,10 @@
     (while (and (setq proc (get-buffer-process buf))
 		(memq (process-status proc) '(open run))
 		(not (re-search-forward regexp nil t)))
-      (accept-process-output proc)
+      (if nntp-force-close-server
+	  (unless (accept-process-output proc 1)
+	    (delete-process proc))
+	(accept-process-output proc))
       (set-buffer buf)
       (goto-char (point-min)))))