diff --git a/src/command_download.cc b/src/command_download.cc
index cb208307..36aee870 100644
--- a/src/command_download.cc
+++ b/src/command_download.cc
@@ -718,7 +718,7 @@ initialize_command_download() {
   CMD2_DL_V       ("d.pause",      std::bind(&core::DownloadList::pause_default, control->core()->download_list(), std::placeholders::_1));
   CMD2_DL_V       ("d.open",       std::bind(&core::DownloadList::open_throw, control->core()->download_list(), std::placeholders::_1));
   CMD2_DL_V       ("d.close",      std::bind(&core::DownloadList::close_throw, control->core()->download_list(), std::placeholders::_1));
-  CMD2_DL_V       ("d.close.directly", std::bind(&core::DownloadList::close_directly, control->core()->download_list(), std::placeholders::_1));
+  CMD2_DL_V       ("d.close.directly", std::bind(&core::DownloadList::close_files, control->core()->download_list(), std::placeholders::_1));
   CMD2_DL_V       ("d.erase",      std::bind(&core::DownloadList::erase_ptr, control->core()->download_list(), std::placeholders::_1));
   CMD2_DL_V       ("d.check_hash", std::bind(&core::DownloadList::check_hash, control->core()->download_list(), std::placeholders::_1));
 
diff --git a/src/core/download.cc b/src/core/download.cc
index c28badc8..4dabdc70 100644
--- a/src/core/download.cc
+++ b/src/core/download.cc
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ Download::set_root_directory(const std::string& path) {
     throw torrent::input_error("Cannot change the directory of an open download after the files have been moved.");
   }
 
-  control->core()->download_list()->close_directly(this);
+  control->core()->download_list()->close_files(this);
   file_list->set_root_dir(expand_path(path));
 
   bencode()->get_key("rtorrent").insert_key("directory", path);
diff --git a/src/core/download_list.cc b/src/core/download_list.cc
index a0acb4b2..3a4b3214 100644
--- a/src/core/download_list.cc
+++ b/src/core/download_list.cc
@@ -254,9 +254,11 @@ DownloadList::close(Download* download) {
   }
 }
 
+// Releases the files without changing the download's state, for callers that
+// need the files closed and will keep using the download.
 void
-DownloadList::close_directly(Download* download) {
-  lt_log_print_info(torrent::LOG_TORRENT_INFO, download->info(), "download_list", "Closing download directly.");
+DownloadList::close_files(Download* download) {
+  lt_log_print_info(torrent::LOG_TORRENT_INFO, download->info(), "download_list", "Closing download files.");
 
   if (download->download()->info()->is_active()) {
     download->download()->stop(torrent::Download::stop_skip_tracker);
@@ -269,6 +271,13 @@ DownloadList::close_directly(Download* download) {
     download->download()->close();
 }
 
+void
+DownloadList::close_directly(Download* download) {
+  lt_log_print_info(torrent::LOG_TORRENT_INFO, download->info(), "download_list", "Closing download directly.");
+
+  close_files(download);
+}
+
 void
 DownloadList::close_quick(Download* download) {
   lt_log_print_info(torrent::LOG_TORRENT_INFO, download->info(), "download_list", "Closing download quickly.");
diff --git a/src/core/download_list.h b/src/core/download_list.h
index e860876c..f3fe5b5f 100644
--- a/src/core/download_list.h
+++ b/src/core/download_list.h
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ public:
 
   void                close(Download* d);
   void                close_directly(Download* d);
+  void                close_files(Download* d);
   void                close_quick(Download* d);
   void                close_throw(Download* d);