Index: src/main/java/org/apache/maven/wagon/providers/http/HttpWagon.java
===================================================================
--- src/main/java/org/apache/maven/wagon/providers/http/HttpWagon.java	(revision 615554)
+++ src/main/java/org/apache/maven/wagon/providers/http/HttpWagon.java	(working copy)
@@ -69,7 +69,8 @@
 
     private static final int SC_NULL = -1;
 
-    private HttpClient client;
+    private static MultiThreadedHttpConnectionManager connectionManager = new MultiThreadedHttpConnectionManager();
+    private static HttpClient client = new HttpClient( connectionManager );
 
     private int numberOfAttempts = DEFAULT_NUMBER_OF_ATTEMPTS;
 
@@ -77,8 +78,6 @@
 
     public void openConnection()
     {
-        client = new HttpClient( new MultiThreadedHttpConnectionManager() );
-
         String username = null;
 
         String password = null;
Index: pom.xml
===================================================================
--- pom.xml	(revision 615554)
+++ pom.xml	(working copy)
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>commons-httpclient</groupId>
       <artifactId>commons-httpclient</artifactId>
-      <version>2.0.2</version>
+      <version>3.1</version>
     </dependency>
   </dependencies>
 </project>