diff --git a/contrib/pylightning/lightning/lightning.py b/contrib/pylightning/lightning/lightning.py
index 8def7a861..9ffcc10f4 100644
--- a/contrib/pylightning/lightning/lightning.py
+++ b/contrib/pylightning/lightning/lightning.py
@@ -480,12 +480,13 @@ class LightningRpc(UnixDomainSocketRpc):
             payload={"id": peerid, "force": force}
         )
 
-    def disconnect(self, peer_id):
+    def disconnect(self, peer_id, force=False):
         """
-        Disconnect from peer with {peer_id}
+        Disconnect from peer with {peer_id}, optional {force} even if has active channel
         """
         payload = {
             "id": peer_id,
+            "force": force,
         }
         return self.call("disconnect", payload)
 
diff --git a/lightningd/peer_control.c b/lightningd/peer_control.c
index 2984e4a52..d210f618a 100644
--- a/lightningd/peer_control.c
+++ b/lightningd/peer_control.c
@@ -1044,9 +1044,11 @@ static void json_disconnect(struct command *cmd,
 	struct pubkey *id;
 	struct peer *peer;
 	struct channel *channel;
+	bool *force;
 
 	if (!param(cmd, buffer, params,
 		   p_req("id", json_tok_pubkey, &id),
+		   p_opt_def("force", json_tok_bool, &force, false),
 		   NULL))
 		return;
 
@@ -1057,6 +1059,12 @@ static void json_disconnect(struct command *cmd,
 	}
 	channel = peer_active_channel(peer);
 	if (channel) {
+		if (*force) {
+			channel_fail_transient(channel,
+					       "disconnect command force=true");
+			command_success(cmd, null_response(cmd));
+			return;
+		}
 		command_fail(cmd, LIGHTNINGD, "Peer is in state %s",
 			     channel_state_name(channel));
 		return;
@@ -1073,7 +1081,7 @@ static void json_disconnect(struct command *cmd,
 static const struct json_command disconnect_command = {
 	"disconnect",
 	json_disconnect,
-	"Disconnect from {id} that has previously been connected to using connect"
+	"Disconnect from {id} that has previously been connected to using connect; with {force} set, even if it has a current channel"
 };
 AUTODATA(json_command, &disconnect_command);