diff --git a/mongoengine/connection.py b/mongoengine/connection.py
index cb1a731f..5f62d6cf 100644
--- a/mongoengine/connection.py
+++ b/mongoengine/connection.py
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ def disconnect(alias=DEFAULT_CONNECTION_NAME):
     global _dbs
 
     if alias in _connections:
-        get_connection(alias=alias).disconnect()
+        get_connection(alias=alias).close()
         del _connections[alias]
     if alias in _dbs:
         del _dbs[alias]
diff --git a/tests/test_connection.py b/tests/test_connection.py
index e9477b79..1b7b7a22 100644
--- a/tests/test_connection.py
+++ b/tests/test_connection.py
@@ -51,6 +51,14 @@ class ConnectionTest(unittest.TestCase):
         conn = get_connection('testdb')
         self.assertTrue(isinstance(conn, pymongo.mongo_client.MongoClient))
 
+    def test_disconnect(self):
+        """Ensure that the disconnect() method works properly
+        """
+        conn1 = connect('mongoenginetest')
+        mongoengine.connection.disconnect()
+        conn2 = connect('mongoenginetest')
+        self.assertTrue(conn1 is not conn2)
+
     def test_sharing_connections(self):
         """Ensure that connections are shared when the connection settings are exactly the same
         """