diff --git a/include/haproxy/mux_h1-t.h b/include/haproxy/mux_h1-t.h
index dcc547ab6..abe5cb87b 100644
--- a/include/haproxy/mux_h1-t.h
+++ b/include/haproxy/mux_h1-t.h
@@ -131,5 +131,33 @@ static forceinline char *h1s_show_flags(char *buf, size_t len, const char *delim
 #undef _
 }
 
+/* H1 connection state, in h1c->state */
+enum h1_cs {
+	H1_CS_IDLE,        /* IDLE connection. A freashly open or a reusable connection (H1S is NULL) */
+	H1_CS_EMBRYONIC,   /* Connection is waiting for the message headers (H1S is not NULL, not attached to a SC - Frontend connection only) */
+	H1_CS_UPGRADING,   /* TCP>H1 upgrade in-progress (H1S is not NULL and attached to a SC - Frontend connection only) */
+	H1_CS_RUNNING,     /* Connection fully established and the H1S is processing data (H1S is not NULL and attached to a SC) */
+	H1_CS_CLOSING,     /* Send pending outgoing data and close the connection ASAP  (H1S may be NULL) */
+	H1_CS_CLOSED,      /* Connection must be closed now and H1C must be released (H1S is NULL) */
+	H1_CS_ENTRIES,
+} __attribute__((packed));
+
+
+/**** tiny state decoding functions for debug helpers ****/
+
+/* returns a h1c state as an abbreviated 3-letter string, or "???" if unknown */
+static inline const char *h1c_st_to_str(enum h1_cs st)
+{
+	switch (st) {
+	case H1_CS_IDLE:      return "IDL";
+	case H1_CS_EMBRYONIC: return "EMB";
+	case H1_CS_UPGRADING: return "UPG";
+	case H1_CS_RUNNING:   return "RUN";
+	case H1_CS_CLOSING:   return "CLI";
+	case H1_CS_CLOSED:    return "CLD";
+	default:              return "???";
+	}
+}
+
 
 #endif /* _HAPROXY_MUX_H1_T_H */
diff --git a/src/mux_h1.c b/src/mux_h1.c
index 2d8ef24b7..6fd4836cc 100644
--- a/src/mux_h1.c
+++ b/src/mux_h1.c
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ struct h1c {
 	struct task *task;               /* timeout management task */
 
 	uint32_t flags;                  /* Connection flags: H1C_F_* */
+	enum h1_cs state;                /* Connection state */
+
 
 	struct buffer ibuf;              /* Input buffer to store data before parsing */
 	struct buffer obuf;              /* Output buffer to store data after reformatting */
@@ -331,7 +333,7 @@ static void h1_trace(enum trace_level level, uint64_t mask, const struct trace_s
 		return;
 
 	/* Display frontend/backend info by default */
-	chunk_appendf(&trace_buf, " : [%c]", ((h1c->flags & H1C_F_IS_BACK) ? 'B' : 'F'));
+	chunk_appendf(&trace_buf, " : [%c,%s]", ((h1c->flags & H1C_F_IS_BACK) ? 'B' : 'F'), h1c_st_to_str(h1c->state));
 
 	/* Display request and response states if h1s is defined */
 	if (h1s) {
@@ -518,6 +520,23 @@ static inline void h1_release_buf(struct h1c *h1c, struct buffer *bptr)
 	}
 }
 
+/* Returns 1 if the H1 connection is alive (IDLE, EMBRYONIC, RUNNING or
+ * RUNNING). Ortherwise 0 is returned.
+ */
+static inline int h1_is_alive(const struct h1c *h1c)
+{
+	return (h1c->state <= H1_CS_RUNNING);
+}
+
+/* Switch the H1 connection to CLOSING or CLOSED mode, depending on the output
+ * buffer state and if there is still a H1 stream or not. If there are sill
+ * pending outgoing data or if there is still a H1 stream, it is set to CLOSING
+ * state. Otherwise it is set to CLOSED mode. */
+static inline void h1_close(struct h1c *h1c)
+{
+	h1c->state = ((h1c->h1s || b_data(&h1c->obuf)) ? H1_CS_CLOSING : H1_CS_CLOSED);
+}
+
 /* returns the number of streams in use on a connection to figure if it's idle
  * or not. We rely on H1C_F_ST_IDLE to know if the connection is in-use or
  * not. This flag is only set when no H1S is attached and when the previous
@@ -888,6 +907,7 @@ static int h1_init(struct connection *conn, struct proxy *proxy, struct session
 	h1c->conn = conn;
 	h1c->px   = proxy;
 
+	h1c->state = H1_CS_IDLE;
 	h1c->flags = H1C_F_ST_IDLE;
 	h1c->errcode = 0;
 	h1c->ibuf  = *input;