diff --git a/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql_fallback_adapter.rb b/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql_fallback_adapter.rb
index ce2dfbb3e27..e16136bc1e0 100644
--- a/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql_fallback_adapter.rb
+++ b/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql_fallback_adapter.rb
@@ -119,7 +119,14 @@ module ActiveRecord
 
     def verify_replica(connection)
       value = connection.raw_connection.exec("SELECT pg_is_in_recovery()").values[0][0]
-      raise "Replica database server is not in recovery mode." if value == 'f'
+
+      if !value
+        begin
+          raise "Replica database server is not in recovery mode."
+        ensure
+          connection.close
+        end
+      end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/components/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql_fallback_adapter_spec.rb b/spec/components/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql_fallback_adapter_spec.rb
index 607faaab394..c40eaf73dd0 100644
--- a/spec/components/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql_fallback_adapter_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/components/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql_fallback_adapter_spec.rb
@@ -96,8 +96,15 @@ describe ActiveRecord::ConnectionHandling do
 
         expect(ActiveRecord::Base.connection_pool.connections.count).to eq(0)
 
-        expect(ActiveRecord::Base.connection)
-          .to be_an_instance_of(ActiveRecord::ConnectionAdapters::PostgreSQLAdapter)
+        ActiveRecord::Base.connection_handler.clear_active_connections!
+        connection = ActiveRecord::Base.connection
+
+        begin
+          expect(connection)
+            .to be_an_instance_of(ActiveRecord::ConnectionAdapters::PostgreSQLAdapter)
+        ensure
+          connection.close
+        end
       end
     end
 
@@ -115,6 +122,16 @@ describe ActiveRecord::ConnectionHandling do
     end
   end
 
+  describe '.verify_replica' do
+    describe 'when database is not in recovery' do
+      it 'should raise the right error' do
+        expect do
+          ActiveRecord::Base.send(:verify_replica, ActiveRecord::Base.connection)
+        end.to raise_error(RuntimeError, "Replica database server is not in recovery mode.")
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
   def with_multisite_db(dbname)
     RailsMultisite::ConnectionManagement.expects(:current_db).returns(dbname).at_least_once
     yield