diff --git a/src/HostBridge.test.ts b/src/HostBridge.test.ts
index 2ddee9890..e93fcfb1e 100644
--- a/src/HostBridge.test.ts
+++ b/src/HostBridge.test.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import { type WidgetApi } from "matrix-widget-api";
 import EventEmitter from "events";
 
 import { createWidgetHostBridge, nullHostBridge } from "./HostBridge";
-import { type WidgetHelpers } from "./widget";
+import { ElementWidgetActions, type WidgetHelpers } from "./widget";
 
 function mockWidget(api: Partial<WidgetApi>): WidgetHelpers {
   return {
@@ -60,6 +60,36 @@ describe("createWidgetHostBridge", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  describe("close", () => {
+    test("asks the host to close, then stops the transport", async () => {
+      const transport = {
+        send: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+        stop: vi.fn(),
+      };
+      const bridge = createWidgetHostBridge(mockWidget({ transport } as never));
+
+      await bridge.close!();
+
+      expect(transport.send).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        ElementWidgetActions.Close,
+        {},
+      );
+      expect(transport.stop).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    });
+
+    test("stops the transport even when the host refuses to close", async () => {
+      const transport = {
+        send: vi.fn().mockRejectedValue(new Error("no")),
+        stop: vi.fn(),
+      };
+      const bridge = createWidgetHostBridge(mockWidget({ transport } as never));
+
+      // Leaving the messaging live would leave the close affordance dead
+      await expect(bridge.close!()).rejects.toThrow("no");
+      expect(transport.stop).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    });
+  });
+
   describe("supportsReactions", () => {
     const capabilities = [
       "org.matrix.msc2762.send.event:m.reaction",
diff --git a/src/HostBridge.ts b/src/HostBridge.ts
index f31b5a4af..bb078672d 100644
--- a/src/HostBridge.ts
+++ b/src/HostBridge.ts
@@ -163,8 +163,14 @@ export function createWidgetHostBridge(widget: WidgetHelpers): HostBridge {
     notifyDeviceMute: async (state) =>
       send(ElementWidgetActions.DeviceMute, state),
     close: async () => {
-      await send(ElementWidgetActions.Close);
-      widget.api.transport.stop();
+      try {
+        await send(ElementWidgetActions.Close);
+      } finally {
+        // Stop regardless of whether the host acknowledged the request. A host
+        // that rejects or never answers would otherwise leave the messaging
+        // live, and the close affordance doing nothing at all.
+        widget.api.transport.stop();
+      }
     },
     themeChange$: requests(WidgetApiToWidgetAction.ThemeChange),
     join$: requests(ElementWidgetActions.JoinCall),