diff --git a/ndn-cpp/face.cpp b/ndn-cpp/face.cpp
index 4fa2325..d5c174b 100644
--- a/ndn-cpp/face.cpp
+++ b/ndn-cpp/face.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,11 @@
   transport_->send(*encoding);
 }
     
+void Face::shutdown()
+{
+  transport_->close();
+}
+
 void Face::onReceivedElement(unsigned char *element, unsigned int elementLength)
 {
   BinaryXmlDecoder decoder(element, elementLength);
diff --git a/ndn-cpp/face.hpp b/ndn-cpp/face.hpp
index ed30050..b00314b 100644
--- a/ndn-cpp/face.hpp
+++ b/ndn-cpp/face.hpp
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@
     expressInterest(name, closure, 0);
   }
   
+  void shutdown();
+  
   const char *getHost() const { return host_.c_str(); }
   
   unsigned short getPort() const { return port_; }