diff --git a/.github/dependabot.yml b/.github/dependabot.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index f4538d3c7..000000000
--- a/.github/dependabot.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
-# To get started with Dependabot version updates, you'll need to specify which
-# package ecosystems to update and where the package manifests are located.
-# Please see the documentation for all configuration options:
-# https://docs.github.com/code-security/dependabot/dependabot-version-updates/configuration-options-for-the-dependabot.yml-file
-
-version: 2
-updates:
-  - package-ecosystem: "maven"
-    directories:
-      - "/"
-    schedule:
-      interval: "daily"
-  - package-ecosystem: "github-actions"
-    directories:
-      - "/"
-    schedule:
-      interval: "daily"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 4a462dc99..b175fa865 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ jobs:
             }]
 
       - name: Import GPG
-        uses: crazy-max/ghaction-import-gpg@v6.2.0
+        uses: crazy-max/ghaction-import-gpg@v6.3.0
         with:
           gpg_private_key: ${{ secrets.GPG_PRIVATE_KEY }}
           passphrase: ${{ secrets.GPG_PASSPHRASE }}
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4ae651b75..0272134ed 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ Maven:
     <dependency>
         <groupId>org.asynchttpclient</groupId>
         <artifactId>async-http-client</artifactId>
-        <version>3.0.1</version>
+        <version>3.0.2</version>
     </dependency>
 </dependencies>
 ```
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ Maven:
 Gradle:
 ```groovy
 dependencies {
-    implementation 'org.asynchttpclient:async-http-client:3.0.1'
+    implementation 'org.asynchttpclient:async-http-client:3.0.2'
 }
 ```
 
diff --git a/client/pom.xml b/client/pom.xml
index 58dcd0aad..749a98ddb 100644
--- a/client/pom.xml
+++ b/client/pom.xml
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.asynchttpclient</groupId>
         <artifactId>async-http-client-project</artifactId>
-        <version>3.0.1</version>
+        <version>3.0.2</version>
     </parent>
 
     <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
         <javaModuleName>org.asynchttpclient.client</javaModuleName>
 
         <jetty.version>11.0.24</jetty.version>
-        <tomcat.version>10.1.33</tomcat.version>
+        <tomcat.version>10.1.39</tomcat.version>
         <commons-io.version>2.18.0</commons-io.version>
         <mockito.version>4.11.0</mockito.version>
         <hamcrest.version>3.0</hamcrest.version>
diff --git a/client/src/main/java/org/asynchttpclient/netty/handler/HttpHandler.java b/client/src/main/java/org/asynchttpclient/netty/handler/HttpHandler.java
index 06ec46a2b..99a23c7e9 100755
--- a/client/src/main/java/org/asynchttpclient/netty/handler/HttpHandler.java
+++ b/client/src/main/java/org/asynchttpclient/netty/handler/HttpHandler.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 import io.netty.handler.codec.DecoderResultProvider;
 import io.netty.handler.codec.http.HttpContent;
 import io.netty.handler.codec.http.HttpHeaders;
+import io.netty.handler.codec.http.HttpMethod;
 import io.netty.handler.codec.http.HttpRequest;
 import io.netty.handler.codec.http.HttpResponse;
 import io.netty.handler.codec.http.LastHttpContent;
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@
 import org.asynchttpclient.netty.NettyResponseStatus;
 import org.asynchttpclient.netty.channel.ChannelManager;
 import org.asynchttpclient.netty.request.NettyRequestSender;
+import org.asynchttpclient.util.HttpConstants.ResponseStatusCodes;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.net.InetSocketAddress;
@@ -43,8 +45,11 @@ public HttpHandler(AsyncHttpClientConfig config, ChannelManager channelManager,
         super(config, channelManager, requestSender);
     }
 
-    private static boolean abortAfterHandlingStatus(AsyncHandler<?> handler, NettyResponseStatus status) throws Exception {
-        return handler.onStatusReceived(status) == State.ABORT;
+    private static boolean abortAfterHandlingStatus(AsyncHandler<?> handler, HttpMethod httpMethod, NettyResponseStatus status) throws Exception {
+        // For non-200 response of a CONNECT request, it's still unconnected.
+        // We need to either close the connection or reuse it but send CONNECT request again.
+        // The former one is easier or we have to attach more state to Channel.
+        return handler.onStatusReceived(status) == State.ABORT || httpMethod == HttpMethod.CONNECT && status.getStatusCode() != ResponseStatusCodes.OK_200;
     }
 
     private static boolean abortAfterHandlingHeaders(AsyncHandler<?> handler, HttpHeaders responseHeaders) throws Exception {
@@ -61,7 +66,7 @@ private void handleHttpResponse(final HttpResponse response, final Channel chann
         HttpHeaders responseHeaders = response.headers();
 
         if (!interceptors.exitAfterIntercept(channel, future, handler, response, status, responseHeaders)) {
-            boolean abort = abortAfterHandlingStatus(handler, status) || abortAfterHandlingHeaders(handler, responseHeaders);
+            boolean abort = abortAfterHandlingStatus(handler, httpRequest.method(), status) || abortAfterHandlingHeaders(handler, responseHeaders);
             if (abort) {
                 finishUpdate(future, channel, true);
             }
diff --git a/client/src/main/java/org/asynchttpclient/netty/request/NettyRequestSender.java b/client/src/main/java/org/asynchttpclient/netty/request/NettyRequestSender.java
index 9fff868b2..b66dd713d 100755
--- a/client/src/main/java/org/asynchttpclient/netty/request/NettyRequestSender.java
+++ b/client/src/main/java/org/asynchttpclient/netty/request/NettyRequestSender.java
@@ -97,6 +97,13 @@ public NettyRequestSender(AsyncHttpClientConfig config, ChannelManager channelMa
         requestFactory = new NettyRequestFactory(config);
     }
 
+    // needConnect returns true if the request is secure/websocket and a HTTP proxy is set
+    private boolean needConnect(final Request request, final ProxyServer proxyServer) {
+        return proxyServer != null
+                && proxyServer.getProxyType().isHttp()
+                && (request.getUri().isSecured() || request.getUri().isWebSocket());
+    }
+
     public <T> ListenableFuture<T> sendRequest(final Request request, final AsyncHandler<T> asyncHandler, NettyResponseFuture<T> future) {
         if (isClosed()) {
             throw new IllegalStateException("Closed");
@@ -106,9 +113,7 @@ public <T> ListenableFuture<T> sendRequest(final Request request, final AsyncHan
         ProxyServer proxyServer = getProxyServer(config, request);
 
         // WebSockets use connect tunneling to work with proxies
-        if (proxyServer != null && proxyServer.getProxyType().isHttp() &&
-                (request.getUri().isSecured() || request.getUri().isWebSocket()) &&
-                !isConnectAlreadyDone(request, future)) {
+        if (needConnect(request, proxyServer) && !isConnectAlreadyDone(request, future)) {
             // Proxy with HTTPS or WebSocket: CONNECT for sure
             if (future != null && future.isConnectAllowed()) {
                 // Perform CONNECT
@@ -125,6 +130,8 @@ public <T> ListenableFuture<T> sendRequest(final Request request, final AsyncHan
 
     private static boolean isConnectAlreadyDone(Request request, NettyResponseFuture<?> future) {
         return future != null
+                // If the channel can't be reused or closed, a CONNECT is still required
+                && future.isReuseChannel() && Channels.isChannelActive(future.channel())
                 && future.getNettyRequest() != null
                 && future.getNettyRequest().getHttpRequest().method() == HttpMethod.CONNECT
                 && !request.getMethod().equals(CONNECT);
@@ -137,11 +144,19 @@ private static boolean isConnectAlreadyDone(Request request, NettyResponseFuture
      */
     private <T> ListenableFuture<T> sendRequestWithCertainForceConnect(Request request, AsyncHandler<T> asyncHandler, NettyResponseFuture<T> future,
                                                                        ProxyServer proxyServer, boolean performConnectRequest) {
-        NettyResponseFuture<T> newFuture = newNettyRequestAndResponseFuture(request, asyncHandler, future, proxyServer, performConnectRequest);
         Channel channel = getOpenChannel(future, request, proxyServer, asyncHandler);
-        return Channels.isChannelActive(channel)
-                ? sendRequestWithOpenChannel(newFuture, asyncHandler, channel)
-                : sendRequestWithNewChannel(request, proxyServer, newFuture, asyncHandler);
+        if (Channels.isChannelActive(channel)) {
+            NettyResponseFuture<T> newFuture = newNettyRequestAndResponseFuture(request, asyncHandler, future,
+                    proxyServer, performConnectRequest);
+            return sendRequestWithOpenChannel(newFuture, asyncHandler, channel);
+        } else {
+            // A new channel is not expected when performConnectRequest is false. We need to
+            // revisit the condition of sending
+            // the CONNECT request to the new channel.
+            NettyResponseFuture<T> newFuture = newNettyRequestAndResponseFuture(request, asyncHandler, future,
+                    proxyServer, needConnect(request, proxyServer));
+            return sendRequestWithNewChannel(request, proxyServer, newFuture, asyncHandler);
+        }
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/client/src/test/java/org/asynchttpclient/AutomaticDecompressionTest.java b/client/src/test/java/org/asynchttpclient/AutomaticDecompressionTest.java
index dfd0a9446..8f57ffb88 100644
--- a/client/src/test/java/org/asynchttpclient/AutomaticDecompressionTest.java
+++ b/client/src/test/java/org/asynchttpclient/AutomaticDecompressionTest.java
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 import com.sun.net.httpserver.HttpExchange;
 import com.sun.net.httpserver.HttpHandler;
 import com.sun.net.httpserver.HttpServer;
+import io.github.nettyplus.leakdetector.junit.NettyLeakDetectorExtension;
 import io.netty.handler.codec.compression.Brotli;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.AfterAll;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.BeforeAll;
@@ -35,11 +36,13 @@
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 import java.util.zip.GZIPOutputStream;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.extension.ExtendWith;
 
 import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertEquals;
 
+@ExtendWith(NettyLeakDetectorExtension.class)
 public class AutomaticDecompressionTest {
-    private static final String UNCOMPRESSED_PAYLOAD = "a".repeat(500);
+    private static final String UNCOMPRESSED_PAYLOAD = "a".repeat(50_000);
 
     private static HttpServer HTTP_SERVER;
 
diff --git a/client/src/test/java/org/asynchttpclient/proxy/HttpsProxyTest.java b/client/src/test/java/org/asynchttpclient/proxy/HttpsProxyTest.java
index 6c4109aec..9bd5ca911 100644
--- a/client/src/test/java/org/asynchttpclient/proxy/HttpsProxyTest.java
+++ b/client/src/test/java/org/asynchttpclient/proxy/HttpsProxyTest.java
@@ -13,14 +13,22 @@
 package org.asynchttpclient.proxy;
 
 import io.github.artsok.RepeatedIfExceptionsTest;
+import io.netty.handler.codec.http.DefaultHttpHeaders;
+import jakarta.servlet.ServletException;
+import jakarta.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest;
+import jakarta.servlet.http.HttpServletResponse;
+
 import org.asynchttpclient.AbstractBasicTest;
 import org.asynchttpclient.AsyncHttpClient;
 import org.asynchttpclient.AsyncHttpClientConfig;
 import org.asynchttpclient.RequestBuilder;
 import org.asynchttpclient.Response;
+import org.asynchttpclient.proxy.ProxyServer.Builder;
 import org.asynchttpclient.request.body.generator.ByteArrayBodyGenerator;
 import org.asynchttpclient.test.EchoHandler;
+import org.asynchttpclient.util.HttpConstants;
 import org.eclipse.jetty.proxy.ConnectHandler;
+import org.eclipse.jetty.server.Request;
 import org.eclipse.jetty.server.Server;
 import org.eclipse.jetty.server.ServerConnector;
 import org.eclipse.jetty.server.handler.AbstractHandler;
@@ -36,6 +44,10 @@
 import static org.asynchttpclient.test.TestUtils.addHttpConnector;
 import static org.asynchttpclient.test.TestUtils.addHttpsConnector;
 import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertThrowsExactly;
+
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.util.concurrent.ExecutionException;
 
 /**
  * Proxy usage tests.
@@ -46,7 +58,7 @@ public class HttpsProxyTest extends AbstractBasicTest {
 
     @Override
     public AbstractHandler configureHandler() throws Exception {
-        return new ConnectHandler();
+        return new ProxyHandler();
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -142,4 +154,61 @@ public void testPooledConnectionsWithProxy() throws Exception {
             assertEquals(200, response2.getStatusCode());
         }
     }
+    
+    @RepeatedIfExceptionsTest(repeats = 5)
+    public void testFailedConnectWithProxy() throws Exception {
+        try (AsyncHttpClient asyncHttpClient = asyncHttpClient(config().setFollowRedirect(true).setUseInsecureTrustManager(true).setKeepAlive(true))) {
+        	Builder proxyServer = proxyServer("localhost", port1);
+        	proxyServer.setCustomHeaders(r -> new DefaultHttpHeaders().set(ProxyHandler.HEADER_FORBIDDEN, "1"));
+            RequestBuilder rb = get(getTargetUrl2()).setProxyServer(proxyServer);
+
+            Response response1 = asyncHttpClient.executeRequest(rb.build()).get();
+            assertEquals(403, response1.getStatusCode());
+
+            Response response2 = asyncHttpClient.executeRequest(rb.build()).get();
+            assertEquals(403, response2.getStatusCode());
+            
+            Response response3 = asyncHttpClient.executeRequest(rb.build()).get();
+            assertEquals(403, response3.getStatusCode());
+        }
+    }
+    
+    @RepeatedIfExceptionsTest(repeats = 5)
+    public void testClosedConnectionWithProxy() throws Exception {
+        try (AsyncHttpClient asyncHttpClient = asyncHttpClient(
+                config().setFollowRedirect(true).setUseInsecureTrustManager(true).setKeepAlive(true))) {
+            Builder proxyServer = proxyServer("localhost", port1);
+            proxyServer.setCustomHeaders(r -> new DefaultHttpHeaders().set(ProxyHandler.HEADER_FORBIDDEN, "2"));
+            RequestBuilder rb = get(getTargetUrl2()).setProxyServer(proxyServer);
+
+            assertThrowsExactly(ExecutionException.class, () -> asyncHttpClient.executeRequest(rb.build()).get());
+            assertThrowsExactly(ExecutionException.class, () -> asyncHttpClient.executeRequest(rb.build()).get());
+            assertThrowsExactly(ExecutionException.class, () -> asyncHttpClient.executeRequest(rb.build()).get());
+        }
+    }
+
+    public static class ProxyHandler extends ConnectHandler {
+    	final static String HEADER_FORBIDDEN = "X-REJECT-REQUEST";
+
+        @Override
+        public void handle(String s, Request r, HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response) throws IOException, ServletException {
+            if (HttpConstants.Methods.CONNECT.equalsIgnoreCase(request.getMethod())) {
+                String headerValue = request.getHeader(HEADER_FORBIDDEN);
+                if (headerValue == null) {
+                    headerValue = "";
+                }
+                switch (headerValue) {
+                case "1":
+                    response.setStatus(HttpServletResponse.SC_FORBIDDEN);
+                    r.setHandled(true);
+                    return;
+                case "2":
+                    r.getHttpChannel().getConnection().close();
+                    r.setHandled(true);
+                    return;
+                }
+            }
+            super.handle(s, r, request, response);
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index d02f7c7ee..70d09ac53 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 
     <groupId>org.asynchttpclient</groupId>
     <artifactId>async-http-client-project</artifactId>
-    <version>3.0.1</version>
+    <version>3.0.2</version>
     <packaging>pom</packaging>
 
     <name>AHC/Project</name>
@@ -45,14 +45,14 @@
         <maven.compiler.target>11</maven.compiler.target>
         <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
 
-        <netty.version>4.1.115.Final</netty.version>
-        <netty.iouring>0.0.25.Final</netty.iouring>
-        <brotli4j.version>1.17.0</brotli4j.version>
+        <netty.version>4.1.119.Final</netty.version>
+        <netty.iouring>0.0.26.Final</netty.iouring>
+        <brotli4j.version>1.18.0</brotli4j.version>
         <slf4j.version>2.0.16</slf4j.version>
-        <zstd-jni.version>1.5.6-8</zstd-jni.version>
+        <zstd-jni.version>1.5.7-2</zstd-jni.version>
         <activation.version>2.0.1</activation.version>
-        <logback.version>1.5.12</logback.version>
-        <jetbrains-annotations.version>26.0.1</jetbrains-annotations.version>
+        <logback.version>1.5.18</logback.version>
+        <jetbrains-annotations.version>26.0.2</jetbrains-annotations.version>
     </properties>
 
     <developers>
@@ -105,14 +105,14 @@
             <dependency>
                 <groupId>org.junit</groupId>
                 <artifactId>junit-bom</artifactId>
-                <version>5.11.3</version>
+                <version>5.11.4</version>
                 <type>pom</type>
                 <scope>import</scope>
             </dependency>
             <dependency>
                 <groupId>io.github.nettyplus</groupId>
                 <artifactId>netty-leak-detector-junit-extension</artifactId>
-                <version>0.0.5</version>
+                <version>0.0.6</version>
             </dependency>
         </dependencies>
     </dependencyManagement>
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@
             <plugin>
                 <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                 <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
-                <version>3.13.0</version>
+                <version>3.14.0</version>
                 <configuration>
                     <source>11</source>
                     <target>11</target>
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@
                         <path>
                             <groupId>com.uber.nullaway</groupId>
                             <artifactId>nullaway</artifactId>
-                            <version>0.12.1</version>
+                            <version>0.12.6</version>
                         </path>
                         <!-- Other annotation processors go here -->
                     </annotationProcessorPaths>