diff --git a/include/maxscale/config.hh b/include/maxscale/config.hh
index 98deca3dd..9f72106eb 100644
--- a/include/maxscale/config.hh
+++ b/include/maxscale/config.hh
@@ -85,63 +85,66 @@ class SERVICE;
  */
 extern const char CN_ACCOUNT[];
 extern const char CN_ADDRESS[];
-extern const char CN_ARG_MAX[];
-extern const char CN_ARG_MIN[];
 extern const char CN_ADMIN_AUTH[];
 extern const char CN_ADMIN_ENABLED[];
-extern const char CN_ADMIN_LOG_AUTH_FAILURES[];
 extern const char CN_ADMIN_HOST[];
+extern const char CN_ADMIN_LOG_AUTH_FAILURES[];
 extern const char CN_ADMIN_PORT[];
-extern const char CN_ADMIN_SSL_KEY[];
-extern const char CN_ADMIN_SSL_CERT[];
 extern const char CN_ADMIN_SSL_CA_CERT[];
+extern const char CN_ADMIN_SSL_CERT[];
+extern const char CN_ADMIN_SSL_KEY[];
+extern const char CN_ARG_MAX[];
+extern const char CN_ARG_MIN[];
 extern const char CN_ARGUMENTS[];
 extern const char CN_ATTRIBUTES[];
-extern const char CN_AUTHENTICATOR[];
-extern const char CN_AUTHENTICATOR_DIAGNOSTICS[];
-extern const char CN_AUTHENTICATOR_OPTIONS[];
 extern const char CN_AUTH_ALL_SERVERS[];
 extern const char CN_AUTH_CONNECT_TIMEOUT[];
 extern const char CN_AUTH_READ_TIMEOUT[];
 extern const char CN_AUTH_WRITE_TIMEOUT[];
+extern const char CN_AUTHENTICATOR_DIAGNOSTICS[];
+extern const char CN_AUTHENTICATOR_OPTIONS[];
+extern const char CN_AUTHENTICATOR[];
 extern const char CN_AUTO[];
-extern const char CN_CACHE[];
 extern const char CN_CACHE_SIZE[];
-extern const char CN_CLASSIFY[];
+extern const char CN_CACHE[];
 extern const char CN_CLASSIFICATION[];
+extern const char CN_CLASSIFY[];
 extern const char CN_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT[];
-extern const char CN_DUMP_LAST_STATEMENTS[];
 extern const char CN_DATA[];
 extern const char CN_DEFAULT[];
 extern const char CN_DESCRIPTION[];
 extern const char CN_DISK_SPACE_THRESHOLD[];
+extern const char CN_DUMP_LAST_STATEMENTS[];
 extern const char CN_ENABLE_ROOT_USER[];
+extern const char CN_EXTRA_PORT[];
 extern const char CN_FIELDS[];
-extern const char CN_FILTERS[];
-extern const char CN_FILTER[];
 extern const char CN_FILTER_DIAGNOSTICS[];
+extern const char CN_FILTER[];
+extern const char CN_FILTERS[];
+extern const char CN_FORCE[];
 extern const char CN_FUNCTIONS[];
 extern const char CN_GATEWAY[];
 extern const char CN_HAS_WHERE_CLAUSE[];
 extern const char CN_HITS[];
 extern const char CN_ID[];
 extern const char CN_INET[];
+extern const char CN_LINKS[];
 extern const char CN_LISTENER[];
 extern const char CN_LISTENERS[];
 extern const char CN_LOCALHOST_MATCH_WILDCARD_HOST[];
 extern const char CN_LOG_AUTH_WARNINGS[];
 extern const char CN_LOG_THROTTLING[];
-extern const char CN_MAXSCALE[];
 extern const char CN_MAX_CONNECTIONS[];
 extern const char CN_MAX_RETRY_INTERVAL[];
+extern const char CN_MAXSCALE[];
 extern const char CN_META[];
 extern const char CN_METHOD[];
+extern const char CN_MODULE_COMMAND[];
 extern const char CN_MODULE[];
 extern const char CN_MODULES[];
-extern const char CN_MODULE_COMMAND[];
-extern const char CN_MONITORS[];
-extern const char CN_MONITOR[];
 extern const char CN_MONITOR_DIAGNOSTICS[];
+extern const char CN_MONITOR[];
+extern const char CN_MONITORS[];
 extern const char CN_MS_TIMESTAMP[];
 extern const char CN_NAME[];
 extern const char CN_NON_BLOCKING_POLLS[];
@@ -153,47 +156,45 @@ extern const char CN_PASSIVE[];
 extern const char CN_PASSWORD[];
 extern const char CN_POLL_SLEEP[];
 extern const char CN_PORT[];
-extern const char CN_EXTRA_PORT[];
 extern const char CN_PROTOCOL[];
-extern const char CN_QUERY_CLASSIFIER[];
 extern const char CN_QUERY_CLASSIFIER_ARGS[];
 extern const char CN_QUERY_CLASSIFIER_CACHE_SIZE[];
+extern const char CN_QUERY_CLASSIFIER[];
 extern const char CN_QUERY_RETRIES[];
 extern const char CN_QUERY_RETRY_TIMEOUT[];
 extern const char CN_RELATIONSHIPS[];
-extern const char CN_LINKS[];
 extern const char CN_REQUIRED[];
 extern const char CN_RETAIN_LAST_STATEMENTS[];
 extern const char CN_RETRY_ON_FAILURE[];
-extern const char CN_ROUTER[];
 extern const char CN_ROUTER_DIAGNOSTICS[];
 extern const char CN_ROUTER_OPTIONS[];
+extern const char CN_ROUTER[];
 extern const char CN_SELF[];
-extern const char CN_SERVERS[];
 extern const char CN_SERVER[];
-extern const char CN_SERVICES[];
+extern const char CN_SERVERS[];
 extern const char CN_SERVICE[];
-extern const char CN_SESSIONS[];
+extern const char CN_SERVICES[];
 extern const char CN_SESSION_TRACK_TRX_STATE[];
+extern const char CN_SESSIONS[];
 extern const char CN_SKIP_PERMISSION_CHECKS[];
 extern const char CN_SOCKET[];
-extern const char CN_STATE[];
-extern const char CN_SSL[];
 extern const char CN_SSL_CA_CERT[];
-extern const char CN_SSL_CERT[];
 extern const char CN_SSL_CERT_VERIFY_DEPTH[];
-extern const char CN_SSL_VERIFY_PEER_CERTIFICATE[];
+extern const char CN_SSL_CERT[];
 extern const char CN_SSL_KEY[];
+extern const char CN_SSL_VERIFY_PEER_CERTIFICATE[];
 extern const char CN_SSL_VERSION[];
+extern const char CN_SSL[];
+extern const char CN_STATE[];
 extern const char CN_STATEMENT[];
 extern const char CN_STATEMENTS[];
 extern const char CN_STRIP_DB_ESC[];
 extern const char CN_SUBSTITUTE_VARIABLES[];
-extern const char CN_THREADS[];
 extern const char CN_THREAD_STACK_SIZE[];
+extern const char CN_THREADS[];
 extern const char CN_TICKS[];
-extern const char CN_TYPE[];
 extern const char CN_TYPE_MASK[];
+extern const char CN_TYPE[];
 extern const char CN_UNIX[];
 extern const char CN_USER[];
 extern const char CN_USERS[];
@@ -201,6 +202,7 @@ extern const char CN_VERSION_STRING[];
 extern const char CN_WEIGHTBY[];
 extern const char CN_WRITEQ_HIGH_WATER[];
 extern const char CN_WRITEQ_LOW_WATER[];
+extern const char CN_YES[];
 
 /*
  * Global configuration items that are read (or pre_parsed) to be available for
diff --git a/maxctrl/lib/set.js b/maxctrl/lib/set.js
index af230b93f..72fc75836 100644
--- a/maxctrl/lib/set.js
+++ b/maxctrl/lib/set.js
@@ -17,6 +17,12 @@ exports.desc = 'Set object state'
 exports.handler = function() {}
 exports.builder = function(yargs) {
     yargs
+        .group(['force'], 'Set options:')
+        .option('force', {
+            describe: 'Forcefully close all connections to the target server',
+            type: 'boolean',
+            default: false
+        })
         .command('server <server> <state>', 'Set server state', function(yargs) {
             return yargs.epilog('If <server> is monitored by a monitor, this command should ' +
                                 'only be used to set the server into the `maintenance` state. ' +
@@ -27,6 +33,9 @@ exports.builder = function(yargs) {
                 .usage('Usage: set server <server> <state>')
         }, function(argv) {
             var target = 'servers/' + argv.server + '/set?state=' + argv.state
+            if (argv.force) {
+                target += '&force=yes'
+            }
             maxctrl(argv, function(host) {
                 return doRequest(host, target, null, {method: 'PUT'})
             })
diff --git a/server/core/config.cc b/server/core/config.cc
index d841b09d1..9a461dfad 100644
--- a/server/core/config.cc
+++ b/server/core/config.cc
@@ -72,17 +72,17 @@ using maxscale::Monitor;
 
 const char CN_ACCOUNT[] = "account";
 const char CN_ADDRESS[] = "address";
-const char CN_ARG_MAX[] = "arg_max";
-const char CN_ARG_MIN[] = "arg_min";
 const char CN_ADMIN_AUTH[] = "admin_auth";
 const char CN_ADMIN_ENABLED[] = "admin_enabled";
-const char CN_ADMIN_LOG_AUTH_FAILURES[] = "admin_log_auth_failures";
 const char CN_ADMIN_HOST[] = "admin_host";
+const char CN_ADMIN_LOG_AUTH_FAILURES[] = "admin_log_auth_failures";
 const char CN_ADMIN_PORT[] = "admin_port";
-const char CN_ADMIN_SSL_KEY[] = "admin_ssl_key";
-const char CN_ADMIN_SSL_CERT[] = "admin_ssl_cert";
 const char CN_ADMIN_SSL_CA_CERT[] = "admin_ssl_ca_cert";
+const char CN_ADMIN_SSL_CERT[] = "admin_ssl_cert";
+const char CN_ADMIN_SSL_KEY[] = "admin_ssl_key";
 const char CN_ARGUMENTS[] = "arguments";
+const char CN_ARG_MAX[] = "arg_max";
+const char CN_ARG_MIN[] = "arg_min";
 const char CN_ATTRIBUTES[] = "attributes";
 const char CN_AUTHENTICATOR[] = "authenticator";
 const char CN_AUTHENTICATOR_DIAGNOSTICS[] = "authenticator_diagnostics";
@@ -94,8 +94,8 @@ const char CN_AUTH_WRITE_TIMEOUT[] = "auth_write_timeout";
 const char CN_AUTO[] = "auto";
 const char CN_CACHE[] = "cache";
 const char CN_CACHE_SIZE[] = "cache_size";
-const char CN_CLASSIFY[] = "classify";
 const char CN_CLASSIFICATION[] = "classification";
+const char CN_CLASSIFY[] = "classify";
 const char CN_CLUSTER[] = "cluster";
 const char CN_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT[] = "connection_timeout";
 const char CN_DATA[] = "data";
@@ -104,19 +104,23 @@ const char CN_DESCRIPTION[] = "description";
 const char CN_DISK_SPACE_THRESHOLD[] = "disk_space_threshold";
 const char CN_DUMP_LAST_STATEMENTS[] = "dump_last_statements";
 const char CN_ENABLE_ROOT_USER[] = "enable_root_user";
+const char CN_EXTRA_PORT[] = "extra_port";
 const char CN_FIELDS[] = "fields";
 const char CN_FILTERS[] = "filters";
 const char CN_FILTER[] = "filter";
 const char CN_FILTER_DIAGNOSTICS[] = "filter_diagnostics";
+const char CN_FORCE[] = "force";
 const char CN_FUNCTIONS[] = "functions";
 const char CN_GATEWAY[] = "gateway";
 const char CN_HAS_WHERE_CLAUSE[] = "has_where_clause";
 const char CN_HITS[] = "hits";
 const char CN_ID[] = "id";
 const char CN_INET[] = "inet";
-const char CN_LISTENER[] = "listener";
+const char CN_LINKS[] = "links";
 const char CN_LISTENERS[] = "listeners";
+const char CN_LISTENER[] = "listener";
 const char CN_LOCALHOST_MATCH_WILDCARD_HOST[] = "localhost_match_wildcard_host";
+const char CN_LOCAL_ADDRESS[] = "local_address";
 const char CN_LOG_AUTH_WARNINGS[] = "log_auth_warnings";
 const char CN_LOG_THROTTLING[] = "log_throttling";
 const char CN_MAXSCALE[] = "maxscale";
@@ -124,8 +128,8 @@ const char CN_MAX_CONNECTIONS[] = "max_connections";
 const char CN_MAX_RETRY_INTERVAL[] = "max_retry_interval";
 const char CN_META[] = "meta";
 const char CN_METHOD[] = "method";
-const char CN_MODULE[] = "module";
 const char CN_MODULES[] = "modules";
+const char CN_MODULE[] = "module";
 const char CN_MODULE_COMMAND[] = "module_command";
 const char CN_MONITORS[] = "monitors";
 const char CN_MONITOR[] = "monitor";
@@ -141,7 +145,6 @@ const char CN_PASSIVE[] = "passive";
 const char CN_PASSWORD[] = "password";
 const char CN_POLL_SLEEP[] = "poll_sleep";
 const char CN_PORT[] = "port";
-const char CN_EXTRA_PORT[] = "extra_port";
 const char CN_PROTOCOL[] = "protocol";
 const char CN_QUERY_CLASSIFIER[] = "query_classifier";
 const char CN_QUERY_CLASSIFIER_ARGS[] = "query_classifier_args";
@@ -149,8 +152,6 @@ const char CN_QUERY_CLASSIFIER_CACHE_SIZE[] = "query_classifier_cache_size";
 const char CN_QUERY_RETRIES[] = "query_retries";
 const char CN_QUERY_RETRY_TIMEOUT[] = "query_retry_timeout";
 const char CN_RELATIONSHIPS[] = "relationships";
-const char CN_LINKS[] = "links";
-const char CN_LOCAL_ADDRESS[] = "local_address";
 const char CN_REQUIRED[] = "required";
 const char CN_RETAIN_LAST_STATEMENTS[] = "retain_last_statements";
 const char CN_RETRY_ON_FAILURE[] = "retry_on_failure";
@@ -167,16 +168,16 @@ const char CN_SESSION_TRACK_TRX_STATE[] = "session_track_trx_state";
 const char CN_SKIP_PERMISSION_CHECKS[] = "skip_permission_checks";
 const char CN_SOCKET[] = "socket";
 const char CN_SQL_MODE[] = "sql_mode";
-const char CN_STATE[] = "state";
-const char CN_STATEMENT[] = "statement";
-const char CN_STATEMENTS[] = "statements";
 const char CN_SSL[] = "ssl";
 const char CN_SSL_CA_CERT[] = "ssl_ca_cert";
 const char CN_SSL_CERT[] = "ssl_cert";
 const char CN_SSL_CERT_VERIFY_DEPTH[] = "ssl_cert_verify_depth";
-const char CN_SSL_VERIFY_PEER_CERTIFICATE[] = "ssl_verify_peer_certificate";
 const char CN_SSL_KEY[] = "ssl_key";
+const char CN_SSL_VERIFY_PEER_CERTIFICATE[] = "ssl_verify_peer_certificate";
 const char CN_SSL_VERSION[] = "ssl_version";
+const char CN_STATEMENTS[] = "statements";
+const char CN_STATEMENT[] = "statement";
+const char CN_STATE[] = "state";
 const char CN_STRIP_DB_ESC[] = "strip_db_esc";
 const char CN_SUBSTITUTE_VARIABLES[] = "substitute_variables";
 const char CN_THREADS[] = "threads";
@@ -185,13 +186,14 @@ const char CN_TICKS[] = "ticks";
 const char CN_TYPE[] = "type";
 const char CN_TYPE_MASK[] = "type_mask";
 const char CN_UNIX[] = "unix";
-const char CN_USER[] = "user";
 const char CN_USERS[] = "users";
 const char CN_USERS_REFRESH_TIME[] = "users_refresh_time";
+const char CN_USER[] = "user";
 const char CN_VERSION_STRING[] = "version_string";
 const char CN_WEIGHTBY[] = "weightby";
 const char CN_WRITEQ_HIGH_WATER[] = "writeq_high_water";
 const char CN_WRITEQ_LOW_WATER[] = "writeq_low_water";
+const char CN_YES[] = "yes";
 
 
 extern const char CN_LOGDIR[] = "logdir";
diff --git a/server/core/resource.cc b/server/core/resource.cc
index 4084050a2..e1a5baa0b 100644
--- a/server/core/resource.cc
+++ b/server/core/resource.cc
@@ -787,6 +787,11 @@ HttpResponse cb_set_server(const HttpRequest& request)
         string errmsg;
         if (mxs::server_set_status(server, opt, &errmsg))
         {
+            if (status_is_in_maint(opt) && request.get_option(CN_FORCE) == CN_YES)
+            {
+                dcb_hangup_foreach(server);
+            }
+
             return HttpResponse(MHD_HTTP_NO_CONTENT);
         }
         else