diff --git a/dmemcache.inc b/dmemcache.inc
index 40e9db6..e13d54d 100644
--- a/dmemcache.inc
+++ b/dmemcache.inc
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ function dmemcache_stats($stats_bin = 'cache', $stats_type = 'default', $aggrega
  * @return an Memcache object or FALSE.
  */
 function dmemcache_object($bin = NULL, $flush = FALSE) {
-  static $extension, $memcacheCache = array(), $memcache_servers, $memcache_bins, $memcache_persistent, $failed_connection_cache;
+  static $extension, $memcacheCache = array(), $memcache_servers, $memcache_bins, $memcache_persistent, $failed_connection_cache, $connection_pool = array();
 
   if (!isset($extension)) {
     // If an extension is specified in settings.php, use that when available.
@@ -335,7 +335,8 @@ function dmemcache_object($bin = NULL, $flush = FALSE) {
     else {
       // Create a new Memcache object. Each cluster gets its own Memcache object.
       if ($extension == 'Memcached') {
-        $memcache = new Memcached;
+        $memcache = new Memcached($memcache_persistent ? 'memcache.module' : '');
+
         $default_opts = array(
           Memcached::OPT_COMPRESSION => FALSE,
           Memcached::OPT_DISTRIBUTION => Memcached::DISTRIBUTION_CONSISTENT,
@@ -349,6 +350,12 @@ function dmemcache_object($bin = NULL, $flush = FALSE) {
         foreach ($memconf as $key => $value) {
           $memcache->setOption($key, $value);
         }
+        // Retrieve a list of existing persistent connections.
+        if ($memcache_persistent && !isset($connection_pool)) {
+          foreach ($memcache->getServerList() as $s) {
+            $connection_pool["{$s['host']}:{$s['port']}"] = TRUE;
+          }
+        }
       }
       elseif ($extension == 'Memcache') {
         $memcache = new Memcache;
@@ -405,7 +412,9 @@ function dmemcache_object($bin = NULL, $flush = FALSE) {
               // Port is always 0 for unix sockets.
               $port = 0;
             }
-            if ($memcache->addServer($host, $port) && !$init) {
+            if ((($memcache_persistent && isset($connection_pool["$host:$port"])) ||
+                 ($memcache->addServer($host, $port) && ($connection_pool["$host:$port"] = TRUE))) &&
+                 !$init) {
               $init = TRUE;
             }
           }