diff --git a/src/_bentoml_impl/client/proxy2.py b/src/_bentoml_impl/client/proxy2.py
index 602d10b9344..1fbfcb9ff00 100644
--- a/src/_bentoml_impl/client/proxy2.py
+++ b/src/_bentoml_impl/client/proxy2.py
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ def _make_client(self) -> aiohttp.ClientSession:
             base_url = "http://127.0.0.1:3000"
         elif self._parsed_url.scheme == "tcp":
             base_url = f"http://{self._parsed_url.netloc}"
+            connector = aiohttp.TCPConnector(keepalive_timeout=4.0)
         else:
             base_url = self._parsed_url.geturl()
 
@@ -353,7 +354,14 @@ async def _call(
         try:
             headers = CIMultiDict({"Content-Type": self.media_type, **(headers or {})})
             body = self._build_payload(endpoint, args, kwargs, headers)
-            resp = await client.post(endpoint.route, data=body, headers=headers)
+            try:
+                resp = await client.post(endpoint.route, data=body, headers=headers)
+            except (aiohttp.ClientConnectionError, aiohttp.ServerDisconnectedError):
+                client = await self._session_manager.get_session()
+                retry_body = self._build_payload(endpoint, args, kwargs, headers)
+                resp = await client.post(
+                    endpoint.route, data=retry_body, headers=headers
+                )
             if not resp.ok:
                 raise await map_exception(resp)
             if endpoint.stream_output:
diff --git a/tests/unit/_internal/client/test_session_manager.py b/tests/unit/_internal/client/test_session_manager.py
index 29a97f1d53a..cdef2176611 100644
--- a/tests/unit/_internal/client/test_session_manager.py
+++ b/tests/unit/_internal/client/test_session_manager.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import aiohttp
 import pytest
 from starlette.applications import Starlette
 from starlette.responses import JSONResponse
@@ -28,3 +29,24 @@ async def test_session_refresh_creates_new_connector() -> None:
             assert resp.status == 200
     finally:
         await manager.close()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_tcp_connector_has_explicit_keepalive_timeout() -> None:
+    # Regression test for #4971: the tcp-scheme branch of _make_client
+    # previously left connector=None, so aiohttp fell back to its default
+    # keepalive_timeout (15s), which could exceed the server's uvicorn
+    # timeout_keep_alive default (5s) and cause intermittent
+    # ServerDisconnectedError/RemoteProtocolError under load.
+    manager = SessionManager(
+        url="tcp://127.0.0.1:3000",
+        timeout=30.0,
+        headers={},
+    )
+    try:
+        session = await manager.get_session()
+        connector = session.connector
+        assert isinstance(connector, aiohttp.TCPConnector)
+        assert connector._keepalive_timeout == 4.0
+    finally:
+        await manager.close()