diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 293586f..4962753 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 ### Changed
 
-- Change pooling mechanism.
+- Change pooling mechanism and add garbage collection of empty pools.
 - Update dependencies.
 
 ## 0.9.4 (2026-05-17)
diff --git a/src/entrypoint.rs b/src/entrypoint.rs
index b46c716..e80ef37 100644
--- a/src/entrypoint.rs
+++ b/src/entrypoint.rs
@@ -678,6 +678,17 @@ pub async fn entrypoint(config: ApplicationConfig) -> color_eyre::Result<()> {
             .log_format(log_format)
             .build(),
     );
+    let proxy_data = Arc::clone(&aliasing_proxy_data);
+    tokio::spawn(async move {
+        let mut cleanup_interval = interval(Duration::from_secs(300));
+        cleanup_interval.tick().await;
+        loop {
+            cleanup_interval.tick().await;
+            proxy_data
+                .keepalive_http11_pool_map
+                .retain(|_, pool| pool.status().available == 0);
+        }
+    });
     let mut sandhole = Arc::new(SandholeServer {
         session_id: AtomicUsize::new(0),
         sessions_password: Mutex::default(),
@@ -787,6 +798,17 @@ pub async fn entrypoint(config: ApplicationConfig) -> color_eyre::Result<()> {
                 .log_format(log_format)
                 .build(),
         );
+        let proxy_data = Arc::clone(&http_proxy_data);
+        tokio::spawn(async move {
+            let mut cleanup_interval = interval(Duration::from_secs(300));
+            cleanup_interval.tick().await;
+            loop {
+                cleanup_interval.tick().await;
+                proxy_data
+                    .keepalive_http11_pool_map
+                    .retain(|_, pool| pool.status().available == 0);
+            }
+        });
         DroppableHandle(tokio::spawn(async move {
             loop {
                 let proxy_data = Arc::clone(&http_proxy_data);
@@ -870,6 +892,17 @@ pub async fn entrypoint(config: ApplicationConfig) -> color_eyre::Result<()> {
                 .log_format(log_format)
                 .build(),
         );
+        let proxy_data = Arc::clone(&https_proxy_data);
+        tokio::spawn(async move {
+            let mut cleanup_interval = interval(Duration::from_secs(300));
+            cleanup_interval.tick().await;
+            loop {
+                cleanup_interval.tick().await;
+                proxy_data
+                    .keepalive_http11_pool_map
+                    .retain(|_, pool| pool.status().available == 0);
+            }
+        });
         let sandhole_clone = Arc::clone(&sandhole);
         let ssh_config_clone = Arc::clone(&ssh_config);
         DroppableHandle(tokio::spawn(async move {
diff --git a/src/http/http11.rs b/src/http/http11.rs
index f3da99a..4bc8d28 100644
--- a/src/http/http11.rs
+++ b/src/http/http11.rs
@@ -306,14 +306,6 @@ where
             // Create entry for pool
             let key_clone = key.clone();
             let pool_size = proxy_data.http_pool_size;
-            let pool = {
-                let pool_ref = proxy_data
-                    .keepalive_http11_pool_map
-                    .entry(key_clone)
-                    .or_insert_with(|| deadpool::unmanaged::Pool::new(pool_size))
-                    .downgrade();
-                pool_ref.clone()
-            };
 
             let response = match proxy_data.http_request_timeout {
                 // Await for a response under the given duration.
@@ -374,11 +366,14 @@ where
                         proxy_data.log_format,
                     );
                     // Return sender to pool
-                    tokio::spawn(async move {
-                        let pooled = PooledConnection::new(sender, tx);
-                        let _ = pool.add(pooled).await;
-                        drop(_guard);
-                    });
+                    let pooled = PooledConnection::new(sender, tx);
+                    let pool_ref = proxy_data
+                        .keepalive_http11_pool_map
+                        .entry(key_clone)
+                        .or_insert_with(|| deadpool::unmanaged::Pool::new(pool_size))
+                        .downgrade();
+                    let _ = pool_ref.try_add(pooled);
+                    drop(_guard);
                 })),
             }));
         }
diff --git a/src/http/http2.rs b/src/http/http2.rs
index ac2e356..5964ea3 100644
--- a/src/http/http2.rs
+++ b/src/http/http2.rs
@@ -150,14 +150,6 @@ where
         // Create entry for pool
         let key_clone = key.clone();
         let pool_size = proxy_data.http_pool_size;
-        let pool = {
-            let pool_ref = proxy_data
-                .keepalive_http2_pool_map
-                .entry(key_clone)
-                .or_insert_with(|| deadpool::unmanaged::Pool::new(pool_size))
-                .downgrade();
-            pool_ref.clone()
-        };
 
         // Create an HTTP/2 handshake over the selected channel
         let mut uri_parts = request.uri().clone().into_parts();
@@ -231,11 +223,14 @@ where
                     proxy_data.log_format,
                 );
                 // Send sender to pool
-                tokio::spawn(async move {
-                    let pooled = PooledConnection::new(sender, tx);
-                    let _ = pool.add(pooled).await;
-                    drop(_guard);
-                });
+                let pooled = PooledConnection::new(sender, tx);
+                let pool_ref = proxy_data
+                    .keepalive_http2_pool_map
+                    .entry(key_clone)
+                    .or_insert_with(|| deadpool::unmanaged::Pool::new(pool_size))
+                    .downgrade();
+                let _ = pool_ref.try_add(pooled);
+                drop(_guard);
             })),
         }));
     }
diff --git a/src/http/mod.rs b/src/http/mod.rs
index cc714f7..43ab9ed 100644
--- a/src/http/mod.rs
+++ b/src/http/mod.rs
@@ -383,10 +383,12 @@ where
 {
     // Keep-alive pool for opened HTTP/1.1 connections.
     #[builder(default = Arc::default())]
-    keepalive_http11_pool_map: Arc<DashMap<KeepaliveAlias, Http11KeepalivePool<B>, RandomState>>,
+    pub(crate) keepalive_http11_pool_map:
+        Arc<DashMap<KeepaliveAlias, Http11KeepalivePool<B>, RandomState>>,
     // Keep-alive pool for opened HTTP/2 connections.
     #[builder(default = Arc::default())]
-    keepalive_http2_pool_map: Arc<DashMap<KeepaliveAlias, Http2KeepalivePool<B>, RandomState>>,
+    pub(crate) keepalive_http2_pool_map:
+        Arc<DashMap<KeepaliveAlias, Http2KeepalivePool<B>, RandomState>>,
     // Whether the server supports a queue pool for handlers.
     has_pool_queue: bool,
     // Maximum size for each connection pool.