diff --git a/conn.go b/conn.go
index b9ea999b..2cfc87cc 100644
--- a/conn.go
+++ b/conn.go
@@ -602,39 +602,26 @@ func (c *Conn) Deallocate(name string) (err error) {
 }
 
 // Listen establishes a PostgreSQL listen/notify to channel
-func (c *Conn) Listen(channel string) (err error) {
-	_, err = c.Exec("listen " + channel)
+func (c *Conn) Listen(channel string) error {
+	_, err := c.Exec("listen " + channel)
 	if err != nil {
-		return
+		return err
 	}
-	var s struct{}
-	c.channels[channel] = s
-	return
+
+	c.channels[channel] = struct{}{}
+
+	return nil
 }
 
 // Unlisten unsubscribes from a listen channel
-// If channel is empty then unsubscribe from all channels
-func (c *Conn) Unlisten(channel string) (err error) {
-	if channel != "" {
-		err = c.unlisten(channel)
-	} else {
-		for s, _ := range c.channels {
-			err = c.unlisten(s)
-			if err != nil {
-				return
-			}
-		}
-	}
-	return
-}
-
-func (c *Conn) unlisten(channel string) (err error) {
-	_, err = c.Exec("unlisten " + channel)
+func (c *Conn) Unlisten(channel string) error {
+	_, err := c.Exec("unlisten " + channel)
 	if err != nil {
-		return
+		return err
 	}
+
 	delete(c.channels, channel)
-	return
+	return nil
 }
 
 // WaitForNotification waits for a PostgreSQL notification for up to timeout.
diff --git a/conn_pool.go b/conn_pool.go
index 1dcf9b8e..2c316779 100644
--- a/conn_pool.go
+++ b/conn_pool.go
@@ -118,7 +118,13 @@ func (p *ConnPool) Release(conn *Conn) {
 	if conn.TxStatus != 'I' {
 		conn.Exec("rollback")
 	}
-	conn.Unlisten("")
+
+	if len(conn.channels) > 0 {
+		if err := conn.Unlisten("*"); err != nil {
+			conn.die(err)
+		}
+		conn.channels = make(map[string]struct{})
+	}
 
 	p.cond.L.Lock()
 	if conn.IsAlive() {