diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 7dd09a1bf745b4e8203c6db3a16da25d08061cc5..e176f520809fc0bc0051684a2c83a39fb556960e 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-4.0.96
+4.0.97
diff --git a/autosubmit/autosubmit.py b/autosubmit/autosubmit.py
index 75f6c130ae47dd0ef0eef57ad4634f56dbd31d58..2d245ebed934322eaf534cf3d69981c30e4c9f87 100644
--- a/autosubmit/autosubmit.py
+++ b/autosubmit/autosubmit.py
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ import re
 import random
 import signal
 import datetime
-
+import log.fd_show as fd_show
 import portalocker
 from pkg_resources import require, resource_listdir, resource_string, resource_filename
 from collections import defaultdict
@@ -2107,6 +2107,7 @@ class Autosubmit:
                         job_list.update_list(as_conf, submitter=submitter)
                         job_list.save()
                         # Submit jobs that are ready to run
+                        #Log.debug(f"FD submit: {fd_show.fd_table_status_str()}")
                         if len(job_list.get_ready()) > 0:
                             Autosubmit.submit_ready_jobs(as_conf, job_list, platforms_to_test, packages_persistence, hold=False)
                             job_list.update_list(as_conf, submitter=submitter)
@@ -2136,6 +2137,8 @@ class Autosubmit:
                         if Autosubmit.exit:
                             job_list.save()
                         time.sleep(safetysleeptime)
+                        #Log.debug(f"FD endsubmit: {fd_show.fd_table_status_str()}")
+
 
                     except AutosubmitError as e:  # If an error is detected, restore all connections and job_list
                         Log.error("Trace: {0}", e.trace)
diff --git a/autosubmit/job/job.py b/autosubmit/job/job.py
index f92c438ee0192b312f9f3cf1e7d8347ed568ebb6..75ba6ddcbe3b24f94cc89c44a5f1a6b09bfc82bf 100644
--- a/autosubmit/job/job.py
+++ b/autosubmit/job/job.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ Main module for Autosubmit. Only contains an interface class to all functionalit
 """
 
 from collections import OrderedDict
-
+from contextlib import suppress
 import copy
 import datetime
 import json
@@ -939,7 +939,6 @@ class Job(object):
         max_retrials = self.retrials
         max_logs = 0
         last_log = 0
-        sleep(5)
         stat_file = self.script_name[:-4] + "_STAT_"
         lang = locale.getlocale()[1]
         if lang is None:
@@ -951,7 +950,7 @@ class Job(object):
         success = False
         error_message = ""
         platform = None
-        while (count < retries) or not success:
+        while (count < retries) and not success:
             try:
                 as_conf = AutosubmitConfig(expid, BasicConfig, YAMLParserFactory())
                 as_conf.reload(force_load=True)
@@ -965,7 +964,7 @@ class Job(object):
                 success = True
             except BaseException as e:
                 error_message = str(e)
-                sleep(60 * 5)
+                sleep(5)
                 pass
             count = count + 1
         if not success:
@@ -996,24 +995,22 @@ class Job(object):
         out_exist = False
         err_exist = False
         retries = 3
-        sleeptime = 0
         i = 0
         try:
             while (not out_exist and not err_exist) and i < retries:
                 try:
                     out_exist = platform.check_file_exists(
-                        remote_logs[0], False)
+                        remote_logs[0], False, sleeptime=0, max_retries=1)
                 except IOError as e:
                     out_exist = False
                 try:
                     err_exist = platform.check_file_exists(
-                        remote_logs[1], False)
+                        remote_logs[1], False, sleeptime=0, max_retries=1)
                 except IOError as e:
                     err_exist = False
                 if not out_exist or not err_exist:
-                    sleeptime = sleeptime + 5
                     i = i + 1
-                    sleep(sleeptime)
+                    sleep(5)
                     try:
                         platform.restore_connection()
                     except BaseException as e:
@@ -1084,27 +1081,20 @@ class Job(object):
                         except BaseException as e:
                             Log.printlog("Trace {0} \n Failed to write the {1} e=6001".format(
                                 str(e), self.name))
+            with suppress(Exception):
+                platform.closeConnection()
         except AutosubmitError as e:
             Log.printlog("Trace {0} \nFailed to retrieve log file for job {1}".format(
                 e.message, self.name), 6001)
-            try:
+            with suppress(Exception):
                 platform.closeConnection()
-            except BaseException as e:
-                pass
-            return
         except AutosubmitCritical as e:  # Critical errors can't be recovered. Failed configuration or autosubmit error
             Log.printlog("Trace {0} \nFailed to retrieve log file for job {0}".format(
                 e.message, self.name), 6001)
-            try:
+            with suppress(Exception):
                 platform.closeConnection()
-            except Exception as e:
-                pass
-            return
-        try:
-            platform.closeConnection()
-        except BaseException as e:
-            pass
         return
+
     def parse_time(self,wallclock):
         regex = re.compile(r'(((?P<hours>\d+):)((?P<minutes>\d+)))(:(?P<seconds>\d+))?')
         parts = regex.match(wallclock)
diff --git a/autosubmit/platforms/locplatform.py b/autosubmit/platforms/locplatform.py
index 0d5e097a4a00ec4bbfcc4cf06547be52e204dfe4..7f41060eb80398eddce42dca098ca6260a49fa5b 100644
--- a/autosubmit/platforms/locplatform.py
+++ b/autosubmit/platforms/locplatform.py
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ class LocalPlatform(ParamikoPlatform):
         return True
 
     # Moves .err .out
-    def check_file_exists(self, src,wrapper_failed=False):
+    def check_file_exists(self, src, wrapper_failed=False, sleeptime=5, max_retries=3):
         """
         Moves a file on the platform
         :param src: source name
@@ -185,10 +185,8 @@ class LocalPlatform(ParamikoPlatform):
 
         """
         file_exist = False
-        sleeptime = 5
         remote_path = os.path.join(self.get_files_path(), src)
         retries = 0
-        max_retries = 3
         while not file_exist and retries < max_retries:
             try:
                 file_exist = os.path.isfile(os.path.join(self.get_files_path(),src))
diff --git a/autosubmit/platforms/paramiko_platform.py b/autosubmit/platforms/paramiko_platform.py
index 0fda2f42cf65db29883d8eec8ddcc5cc1c5ff093..916c95698db4c3af6389d159badd875850cc88ae 100644
--- a/autosubmit/platforms/paramiko_platform.py
+++ b/autosubmit/platforms/paramiko_platform.py
@@ -1302,18 +1302,34 @@ class ParamikoPlatform(Platform):
         return timedelta(**time_params)
 
     def closeConnection(self):
-        if self._ftpChannel is not None and len(str(self._ftpChannel)) > 0:
-            self._ftpChannel.close()
-        if self._ssh is not None and len(str(self._ssh)) > 0:
-            self._ssh.close()
-            self.transport.close()
-            self.transport.stop_thread()
-            try:
-                del self._ssh
-                del self._ftpChannel
-                del self.transport
-            except Exception as e:
-                pass
+        # Ensure to delete all references to the ssh connection, so that it frees all the file descriptors
+        with suppress(Exception):
+            if self._ftpChannel:
+                self._ftpChannel.close()
+        with suppress(Exception):
+            if self._ssh._agent: # May not be in all runs
+                self._ssh._agent.close()
+        with suppress(Exception):
+            if self._ssh._transport:
+                self._ssh._transport.close()
+                self._ssh._transport.stop_thread()
+        with suppress(Exception):
+            if self._ssh:
+                self._ssh.close()
+        with suppress(Exception):
+            if self.transport:
+                self.transport.close()
+                self.transport.stop_thread()
+        with suppress(Exception):
+            del self._ssh._agent # May not be in all runs
+        with suppress(Exception):
+            del self._ssh._transport
+        with suppress(Exception):
+            del self._ftpChannel
+        with suppress(Exception):
+            del self.transport
+        with suppress(Exception):
+            del self._ssh
 
     def check_tmp_exists(self):
         try:
diff --git a/autosubmit/platforms/pjmplatform.py b/autosubmit/platforms/pjmplatform.py
index 52ae05131c9e5b539d0354b17d1860ae8b81940c..36b03d799a18e6cedd712a706b1e31becc583340 100644
--- a/autosubmit/platforms/pjmplatform.py
+++ b/autosubmit/platforms/pjmplatform.py
@@ -463,11 +463,9 @@ class PJMPlatform(ParamikoPlatform):
     def allocated_nodes():
         return """os.system("scontrol show hostnames $SLURM_JOB_NODELIST > node_list_{0}".format(node_id))"""
 
-    def check_file_exists(self, filename,wrapper_failed=False):
+    def check_file_exists(self, filename, wrapper_failed=False, sleeptime=5, max_retries=3):
         file_exist = False
-        sleeptime = 5
         retries = 0
-        max_retries = 3
         while not file_exist and retries < max_retries:
             try:
                 # This return IOError if path doesn't exist
diff --git a/autosubmit/platforms/platform.py b/autosubmit/platforms/platform.py
index 50a68bd3e002be4373b113e1a7b840325671f32a..95fea2bcda04e3993c69f3936503dc22b5f3431e 100644
--- a/autosubmit/platforms/platform.py
+++ b/autosubmit/platforms/platform.py
@@ -624,7 +624,7 @@ class Platform(object):
         if self.check_file_exists(filename):
             self.delete_file(filename)
 
-    def check_file_exists(self, src, wrapper_failed=False):
+    def check_file_exists(self, src, wrapper_failed=False, sleeptime=5, max_retries=3):
         return True
 
     def get_stat_file(self, job_name, retries=0):
@@ -820,3 +820,4 @@ class Platform(object):
         Sends a Submit file Script, execute it  in the platform and retrieves the Jobs_ID of all jobs at once.
         """
         raise NotImplementedError
+
diff --git a/autosubmit/platforms/slurmplatform.py b/autosubmit/platforms/slurmplatform.py
index 00c7293f66f77bb4bd48812ec14dd9f16019beb2..acfaaf7baad1fccec44a06ce1f1a2965917fd15b 100644
--- a/autosubmit/platforms/slurmplatform.py
+++ b/autosubmit/platforms/slurmplatform.py
@@ -606,11 +606,9 @@ class SlurmPlatform(ParamikoPlatform):
     def allocated_nodes():
         return """os.system("scontrol show hostnames $SLURM_JOB_NODELIST > node_list_{0}".format(node_id))"""
 
-    def check_file_exists(self, filename,wrapper_failed=False):
+    def check_file_exists(self, filename, wrapper_failed=False, sleeptime=5, max_retries=3):
         file_exist = False
-        sleeptime = 5
         retries = 0
-        max_retries = 3
         while not file_exist and retries < max_retries:
             try:
                 # This return IOError if path doesn't exist