diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 9742150a3..1f6993076 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ Status: unreleased.
 
 ### Fixes
 - Web UI: improve WebChat image paste previews and allow image-only sends. (#1925) Thanks @smartprogrammer93.
+- Gateway: fix server resource leak in canBindToHost error handler.
 
 ## 2026.1.24-3
 
diff --git a/src/gateway/net.ts b/src/gateway/net.ts
index 608ec872f..a743140c9 100644
--- a/src/gateway/net.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/net.ts
@@ -140,6 +140,7 @@ export async function canBindToHost(host: string): Promise<boolean> {
   return new Promise((resolve) => {
     const testServer = net.createServer();
     testServer.once("error", () => {
+      testServer.close();
       resolve(false);
     });
     testServer.once("listening", () => {