diff -r 8f85262fbe8a Lib/nntplib.py
--- a/Lib/nntplib.py	Sun Jul 06 02:24:24 2014 -0400
+++ b/Lib/nntplib.py	Sun Jul 13 11:45:28 2014 -0700
@@ -122,6 +122,9 @@
     """Error in response data"""
     pass
 
+class NNTPConnectError(NNTPError, EOFError):
+    """Error during connection establishment."""
+    pass
 
 # Standard port used by NNTP servers
 NNTP_PORT = 119
@@ -365,7 +368,7 @@
         if is_connected():
             try:
                 self.quit()
-            except (OSError, EOFError):
+            except (OSError, NNTPConnectError):
                 pass
             finally:
                 if is_connected():
@@ -435,7 +438,8 @@
             raise NNTPDataError('line too long')
         if self.debugging > 1:
             print('*get*', repr(line))
-        if not line: raise EOFError
+        if not line: 
+            raise NNTPConnectError('Connection is closed.')
         if strip_crlf:
             if line[-2:] == _CRLF:
                 line = line[:-2]
diff -r 8f85262fbe8a Lib/test/test_nntplib.py
--- a/Lib/test/test_nntplib.py	Sun Jul 06 02:24:24 2014 -0400
+++ b/Lib/test/test_nntplib.py	Sun Jul 13 11:45:28 2014 -0700
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import datetime
 import textwrap
 import unittest
+from io import StringIO
 import functools
 import contextlib
 from test import support
@@ -260,13 +261,26 @@
             # value
             setattr(cls, name, wrap_meth(meth))
 
+    def test_NNTPConnectError(self):
+        server_obj = self.server.file
+        self.server.file = StringIO()
+        self.assertRaises(nntplib.NNTPConnectError, self.server._getresp)
+        self.server.file = server_obj
+
+    def test_EOFError(self):
+        """Testing for backwards compatiblity"""
+        server_obj = self.server.file
+        self.server.file = StringIO()
+        self.assertRaises(EOFError, self.server._getresp)
+        self.server.file = server_obj
+
     def test_with_statement(self):
         def is_connected():
             if not hasattr(server, 'file'):
                 return False
             try:
                 server.help()
-            except (OSError, EOFError):
+            except (OSError, nntplib.NNTPConnectError):
                 return False
             return True