diff --git a/src/main/java/com/rethinkdb/model/Backtrace.java b/src/main/java/com/rethinkdb/model/Backtrace.java
index beeb1cb..6f671a2 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/rethinkdb/model/Backtrace.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/rethinkdb/model/Backtrace.java
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ private Backtrace(List<Object> raw) {
     }
 
     public static @Nullable Backtrace fromList(List<Object> raw) {
-        if (raw == null || raw.size() == 0) {
+        if (raw == null || raw.isEmpty()) {
             return null;
         }
         return new Backtrace(raw);
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/rethinkdb/model/Profile.java b/src/main/java/com/rethinkdb/model/Profile.java
index b77d518..b6a6f2c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/rethinkdb/model/Profile.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/rethinkdb/model/Profile.java
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ private Profile(List<Object> raw) {
     }
 
     public static @Nullable Profile fromList(List<Object> raw) {
-        if (raw == null || raw.size() == 0) {
+        if (raw == null || raw.isEmpty()) {
             return null;
         }
         return new Profile(raw);
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/rethinkdb/net/DefaultConnectionFactory.java b/src/main/java/com/rethinkdb/net/DefaultConnectionFactory.java
index 6cb4c30..b5e600c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/rethinkdb/net/DefaultConnectionFactory.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/rethinkdb/net/DefaultConnectionFactory.java
@@ -75,18 +75,23 @@ SocketWrapper connect() {
 
                 // should we secure the connection?
                 if (sslContext != null) {
-                    SSLSocket sslSocket = (SSLSocket) sslContext.getSocketFactory().createSocket(
-                        socket,
-                        socket.getInetAddress().getHostAddress(),
-                        socket.getPort(),
-                        true);
+                    try (
+                      SSLSocket sslSocket = (SSLSocket) sslContext.getSocketFactory()
+                        .createSocket(
+                          socket,
+                          socket.getInetAddress().getHostAddress(),
+                          socket.getPort(),
+                          true
+                        )
+                    ) {
 
-                    // replace input/output streams
-                    inputStream = new DataInputStream(sslSocket.getInputStream());
-                    outputStream = sslSocket.getOutputStream();
+                        // replace input/output streams
+                        inputStream = new DataInputStream(sslSocket.getInputStream());
+                        outputStream = sslSocket.getOutputStream();
 
-                    // execute SSL handshake
-                    sslSocket.startHandshake();
+                        // execute SSL handshake
+                        sslSocket.startHandshake();
+                    }
                 } else {
                     outputStream = socket.getOutputStream();
                     inputStream = socket.getInputStream();
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/rethinkdb/net/Response.java b/src/main/java/com/rethinkdb/net/Response.java
index 8875a02..0aae5ef 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/rethinkdb/net/Response.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/rethinkdb/net/Response.java
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ public Response(long token, ResponseType responseType) {
     }
 
     public ReqlError makeError(Query query) {
-        String msg = data.size() > 0 ?
+        String msg = !data.isEmpty() ?
             (String) data.get(0)
             : "Unknown error message";
         return new ErrorBuilder(msg, type)