try:
    import http.server
    httpmodule = http.server
except:
    import BaseHTTPServer
    httpmodule = BaseHTTPServer

class BreakageRequest(httpmodule.BaseHTTPRequestHandler):

    def __init__(self, request, client_address, server):
        self.dummy = self     # COMMENT THIS OUT to see the connection become unstuck
        httpmodule.BaseHTTPRequestHandler.__init__(self, request, client_address, server)

    def do_GET(self):
        self.send_response(200)
        self.send_header("Content-Type", "application/xml")
        self.end_headers()
        self.wfile.write("<is_it_stuck/>".encode('utf-8'))

srv = httpmodule.HTTPServer(('', 8123), BreakageRequest)
srv.serve_forever()