diff --git a/lib/fake_web.rb b/lib/fake_web.rb
index 1539441..8b57d39 100644
--- a/lib/fake_web.rb
+++ b/lib/fake_web.rb
@@ -68,6 +68,12 @@ def self.allow_net_connect?(uri = nil)
     end
   end
 
+  # Returns +true+ if requests to all URIs are passed through to Net::HTTP
+  # for normal processing (the default), otherwise, returns +false+.
+  def self.allow_all_connections?
+    Registry.instance.passthrough_uri_map.empty? && Registry.instance.uri_map.empty? && @allow_all_connections
+  end
+
   # This exception is raised if you set <tt>FakeWeb.allow_net_connect =
   # false</tt> and subsequently try to make a request to a URI you haven't
   # stubbed.
diff --git a/lib/fake_web/ext/net_http.rb b/lib/fake_web/ext/net_http.rb
index fa00b17..8a1e7e8 100644
--- a/lib/fake_web/ext/net_http.rb
+++ b/lib/fake_web/ext/net_http.rb
@@ -45,8 +45,15 @@ def request_with_fakeweb(request, body = nil, &block)
         FakeWeb::Utility.produce_side_effects_of_net_http_request(request, body)
         FakeWeb.response_for(method, uri, &block)
       elsif FakeWeb.allow_net_connect?(uri)
-        connect_without_fakeweb
-        request_without_fakeweb(request, body, &block)
+        unless FakeWeb.allow_all_connections?
+          connect_without_fakeweb
+        end
+        begin
+          @in_request_without_fakeweb = true
+          request_without_fakeweb(request, body, &block)
+        ensure
+          @in_request_without_fakeweb = nil
+        end
       else
         uri = FakeWeb::Utility.strip_default_port_from_uri(uri)
         raise FakeWeb::NetConnectNotAllowedError,
@@ -62,7 +69,9 @@ def connect_with_fakeweb
         FakeWeb::Utility.puts_warning_for_net_http_replacement_libs_if_needed
         @@alredy_checked_for_net_http_replacement_libs = true
       end
-      nil
+      if FakeWeb.allow_all_connections? || @in_request_without_fakeweb
+        connect_without_fakeweb
+      end
     end
     alias_method :connect_without_fakeweb, :connect
     alias_method :connect, :connect_with_fakeweb
diff --git a/test/test_allow_all_connections.rb b/test/test_allow_all_connections.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..50c8c8b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test_allow_all_connections.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+require 'test_helper'
+
+class TestAllowAllConnections < Test::Unit::TestCase
+  def test_net_http_can_reconnect_on_keep_alive_timeout_when_allow_all_connections
+    FakeWeb.allow_net_connect = true
+    uri = URI.parse("http://images.apple.com/main/rss/hotnews/hotnews.rss")
+    req = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri)
+    Net::HTTP.new(uri.host, uri.port).start do |http|
+      http.keep_alive_timeout = 0
+      http.request(req)
+      http.request(req)
+    end
+  end if RUBY_VERSION >= "2.0.0"
+
+  def test_net_http_can_reconnect_on_keep_alive_timeout_for_passthrough_uris
+    uri = URI.parse("http://images.apple.com/main/rss/hotnews/hotnews.rss")
+    FakeWeb.allow_net_connect = uri
+    req = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri)
+    Net::HTTP.new(uri.host, uri.port).start do |http|
+      http.keep_alive_timeout = 0
+      http.request(req)
+      http.request(req)
+    end
+  end if RUBY_VERSION >= "2.0.0"
+
+  def test_allow_all_connections_returns_true_without_registered_uris_or_passthroughs
+    FakeWeb.allow_net_connect = true
+    assert_equal true, FakeWeb.allow_all_connections?
+  end
+
+  def test_allow_all_connections_returns_false_with_passthrough
+    FakeWeb.allow_net_connect = "http://example.com"
+    assert_equal false, FakeWeb.allow_all_connections?
+  end
+
+  def test_allow_all_connections_returns_false_without_allow_net_connect
+    FakeWeb.allow_net_connect = false
+    assert_equal false, FakeWeb.allow_all_connections?
+  end
+
+  def test_allow_all_connections_returns_false_registered_uris
+    FakeWeb.allow_net_connect = true
+    FakeWeb.register_uri(:get, "http://example.com", :status => [404, "Not Found"])
+    assert_equal false, FakeWeb.allow_all_connections?
+  end
+end