diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 80364f46..8cf696ec 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ Version 208:
 
 * Add get_lowest_layer free function
 * Add lowest_layer_type metafunction
+* Add close_socket, beast_close_socket customization
 
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
diff --git a/doc/qbk/03_core/3_layers.qbk b/doc/qbk/03_core/3_layers.qbk
index 8778e000..744f7782 100644
--- a/doc/qbk/03_core/3_layers.qbk
+++ b/doc/qbk/03_core/3_layers.qbk
@@ -60,6 +60,15 @@ facilities for authoring and working with layered streams:
     read and write streams, and additionally implements configurable buffering
     for reads.
 ]]
+[[
+    [link beast.ref.boost__beast__close_socket `close_socket`]
+][
+    This function closes a socket by performing an unqualified call
+    to the
+    [link beast.ref.boost__beast__beast_close_socket `beast_close_socket`]
+    customization point, allowing sockets to be closed in generic
+    contexts in an extensible fashion.
+]]
 [[
     [link beast.ref.boost__beast__flat_stream `flat_stream`]
 ][
@@ -67,20 +76,6 @@ facilities for authoring and working with layered streams:
     a limitation of `net::ssl::stream`. It is used in the implementation
     of [link beast.ref.boost__beast__ssl_stream `ssl_stream`].
 ]]
-[[
-    [link beast.ref.boost__beast__http__icy_stream `http::icy_stream`]
-][
-    An ICY stream transparently converts the non-standard "ICY 200 OK"
-    HTTP response from Shoutcast servers into a conforming 200 level
-    HTTP response.
-]]
-[[
-    [link beast.ref.boost__beast__ssl_stream `ssl_stream`]
-][
-    The SSL stream is a drop-in replacement for `net::ssl::stream` which
-    allows for move-construction and move-assignment, and also implements
-    a work-around for a performance limitation in the original SSL stream.
-]]
 [[
     [link beast.ref.boost__beast__get_lowest_layer `get_lowest_layer`]
 ][
@@ -92,6 +87,13 @@ facilities for authoring and working with layered streams:
 
     [code_core_3_layers_4]
 ]]
+[[
+    [link beast.ref.boost__beast__http__icy_stream `http::icy_stream`]
+][
+    An ICY stream transparently converts the non-standard "ICY 200 OK"
+    HTTP response from Shoutcast servers into a conforming 200 level
+    HTTP response.
+]]
 [[
     [link beast.ref.boost__beast__lowest_layer_type `lowest_layer_type`]
 ][
@@ -100,6 +102,13 @@ facilities for authoring and working with layered streams:
     of reference returned by
     [link beast.ref.boost__beast__get_lowest_layer `get_lowest_layer`]
 ]]
+[[
+    [link beast.ref.boost__beast__ssl_stream `ssl_stream`]
+][
+    The SSL stream is a drop-in replacement for `net::ssl::stream` which
+    allows for move-construction and move-assignment, and also implements
+    a work-around for a performance limitation in the original SSL stream.
+]]
 ]
 
 [heading Example]
diff --git a/doc/qbk/quickref.xml b/doc/qbk/quickref.xml
index cad0d9cd..b68d4016 100644
--- a/doc/qbk/quickref.xml
+++ b/doc/qbk/quickref.xml
@@ -225,6 +225,7 @@
           <simplelist type="vert" columns="1">
             <member><link linkend="beast.ref.boost__beast__allocate_stable">allocate_stable</link></member>
             <member><link linkend="beast.ref.boost__beast__async_connect">async_connect</link></member>
+            <member><link linkend="beast.ref.boost__beast__beast_close_socket">beast_close_socket</link></member>
             <member><link linkend="beast.ref.boost__beast__bind_back_handler">bind_back_handler</link></member>
             <member><link linkend="beast.ref.boost__beast__bind_front_handler">bind_front_handler</link></member>
             <member><link linkend="beast.ref.boost__beast__bind_handler">bind_handler</link></member>
diff --git a/include/boost/beast/_experimental/test/stream.hpp b/include/boost/beast/_experimental/test/stream.hpp
index c1c0f519..d452483a 100644
--- a/include/boost/beast/_experimental/test/stream.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/beast/_experimental/test/stream.hpp
@@ -504,6 +504,15 @@ public:
 #endif
 };
 
+#if ! BOOST_BEAST_DOXYGEN
+inline
+void
+beast_close_socket(stream& s)
+{
+    s.close();
+}
+#endif
+
 #if BOOST_BEAST_DOXYGEN
 /** Return a new stream connected to the given stream
 
diff --git a/include/boost/beast/core/close_socket.hpp b/include/boost/beast/core/close_socket.hpp
index 3dcf2be8..29f32cf4 100644
--- a/include/boost/beast/core/close_socket.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/beast/core/close_socket.hpp
@@ -11,35 +11,121 @@
 #define BOOST_BEAST_CLOSE_SOCKET_HPP
 
 #include <boost/beast/core/detail/config.hpp>
+#include <boost/beast/core/detail/static_const.hpp>
 #include <boost/asio/basic_socket.hpp>
 
 namespace boost {
 namespace beast {
 
-namespace detail {
+/** Default socket close function.
 
-template<class Protocol>
+    This function is not meant to be called directly. Instead, it
+    is called automatically when using @ref close_socket. To enable
+    closure of user-defined types or classes derived from a particular
+    user-defined type, this function should be overloaded in the
+    corresponding namespace for the type in question.
+
+    @see close_socket
+*/
+template<class Protocol BOOST_ASIO_SVC_TPARAM>
 void
 beast_close_socket(
-    net::basic_socket<Protocol>& sock)
+    net::basic_socket<Protocol BOOST_ASIO_SVC_TPARAM>& sock)
 {
     boost::system::error_code ec;
     sock.close(ec);
 }
 
+namespace detail {
+
+struct close_socket_impl
+{
+    template<class T>
+    void
+    operator()(T& t) const
+    {
+        using beast::beast_close_socket;
+        beast_close_socket(t);
+    }
+};
+
 } // detail
 
-/** Close a socket.
+/** Close a socket or socket-like object.
 
-    @param sock The socket to close.
+    This function attempts to close an object representing a socket.
+    In this context, a socket is an object for which an unqualified
+    call to the function `void beast_close_socket(Socket&)` is
+    well-defined. The function `beast_close_socket` is a
+    <em>customization point</em>, allowing user-defined types to
+    provide an algorithm for performing the close operation by
+    overloading this function for the type in question.
+
+    Since the customization point is a function call, the normal
+    rules for finding the correct overload are applied including
+    the rules for argument-dependent lookup ("ADL"). This permits
+    classes derived from a type for which a customization is provided
+    to inherit the customization point.
+
+    An overload for the networking class template `net::basic_socket`
+    is provided, which implements the close algorithm for all socket-like
+    objects (hence the name of this customization point). When used
+    in conjunction with @ref get_lowest_layer, a generic algorithm
+    operating on a layered stream can perform a closure of the underlying
+    socket without knowing the exact list of concrete types.
+
+    @par Example 1
+    The following generic function synchronously sends a message
+    on the stream, then closes the socket.
+    @code
+    template <class WriteStream>
+    void hello_and_close (WriteStream& stream)
+    {
+        net::write(stream, net::const_buffer("Hello, world!", 13));
+        close_socket(get_lowest_layer(stream));
+    }
+    @endcode
+
+    To enable closure of user defined types, it is necessary to provide
+    an overload of the function `beast_close_socket` for the type.
+
+    @par Example 2
+    The following code declares a user-defined type which contains a
+    private socket, and provides an overload of the customization
+    point which closes the private socket.
+    @code
+    class my_socket
+    {
+        net::ip::tcp::socket sock_;
+
+    public:
+        my_socket(net::io_context& ioc)
+            : sock_(ioc)
+        {
+        }
+
+        friend void beast_close_socket(my_socket& s)
+        {
+            error_code ec;
+            s.sock_.close(ec);
+            // ignore the error
+        }
+    };
+    @endcode
+
+    @param sock The socket to close. If the customization point is not
+    defined for the type of this object, or one of its base classes,
+    then a compiler error results.
+
+    @see beast_close_socket
 */
+#if BOOST_BEAST_DOXYGEN
 template<class Socket>
 void
-close_socket(Socket& sock)
-{
-    using detail::beast_close_socket;
-    beast_close_socket(sock);
-}
+close_socket(Socket& sock);
+#else
+BOOST_BEAST_INLINE_VARIABLE(close_socket, detail::close_socket_impl)
+#endif
 
 } // beast
 } // boost
diff --git a/include/boost/beast/core/detail/config.hpp b/include/boost/beast/core/detail/config.hpp
index a96092f4..2476d83b 100644
--- a/include/boost/beast/core/detail/config.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/beast/core/detail/config.hpp
@@ -73,4 +73,11 @@ namespace net = boost::asio;
 # define BOOST_BEAST_DECL inline
 #endif
 
+#define BOOST_BEAST_INLINE_VARIABLE(name, type) \
+    inline namespace \
+    { \
+        constexpr auto &name = \
+            ::boost::beast::detail::static_const<type>::value; \
+    }
+
 #endif
diff --git a/include/boost/beast/core/detail/get_lowest_layer.hpp b/include/boost/beast/core/detail/get_lowest_layer.hpp
index 8d71f304..12bd3776 100644
--- a/include/boost/beast/core/detail/get_lowest_layer.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/beast/core/detail/get_lowest_layer.hpp
@@ -17,46 +17,38 @@ namespace boost {
 namespace beast {
 namespace detail {
 
-template<class T, class = void>
-struct has_next_layer : std::false_type
-{
-};
+template <class T>
+std::false_type has_next_layer_impl(void*) {}
 
-template<class T>
-struct has_next_layer<T, boost::void_t<
-    decltype(std::declval<T>().next_layer())>>
-    : std::true_type
+template <class T>
+auto has_next_layer_impl(decltype(nullptr)) ->
+    decltype(std::declval<T&>().next_layer(), std::true_type{})
 {
-};
+}
 
-template<class T, class = void>
+template <class T>
+using has_next_layer = decltype(has_next_layer_impl<T>(nullptr));
+
+//---
+
+template<class T, bool = has_next_layer<T>::value>
 struct lowest_layer_type_impl
 {
     using type = typename std::remove_reference<T>::type;
 };
 
 template<class T>
-struct lowest_layer_type_impl<T, boost::void_t<
-    decltype(std::declval<T>().next_layer())>>
+struct lowest_layer_type_impl<T, true>
 {
     using type = typename lowest_layer_type_impl<
-        decltype(std::declval<T>().next_layer())>::type;
+        decltype(std::declval<T&>().next_layer())>::type;
 };
 
 template<class T>
 using lowest_layer_type = typename
     lowest_layer_type_impl<T>::type;
 
-template<class T>
-lowest_layer_type<T>&
-get_lowest_layer_impl(
-    T& t, std::true_type) noexcept
-{
-    using type = typename std::decay<
-        decltype(t.next_layer())>::type;
-    return get_lowest_layer_impl(t.next_layer(),
-        has_next_layer<type>{});
-}
+//---
 
 template<class T>
 T&
@@ -66,6 +58,16 @@ get_lowest_layer_impl(
     return t;
 }
 
+template<class T>
+lowest_layer_type<T>&
+get_lowest_layer_impl(
+    T& t, std::true_type) noexcept
+{
+    return get_lowest_layer_impl(t.next_layer(),
+        has_next_layer<typename std::decay<
+            decltype(t.next_layer())>::type>{});
+}
+
 } // detail
 } // beast
 } // boost
diff --git a/include/boost/beast/core/detail/static_const.hpp b/include/boost/beast/core/detail/static_const.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ff487eaf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/boost/beast/core/detail/static_const.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+//
+// Copyright (c) 2019 Vinnie Falco (vinnie dot falco at gmail dot com)
+//
+// Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0. (See accompanying
+// file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)
+//
+// Official repository: https://github.com/boostorg/beast
+//
+
+#ifndef BOOST_BEAST_DETAIL_STATIC_CONST_HPP
+#define BOOST_BEAST_DETAIL_STATIC_CONST_HPP
+
+/*  This is a derivative work, original copyright:
+
+    Copyright Eric Niebler 2013-present
+
+    Use, modification and distribution is subject to the
+    Boost Software License, Version 1.0. (See accompanying
+    file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at
+    http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)
+
+    Project home: https://github.com/ericniebler/range-v3
+*/
+
+namespace boost {
+namespace beast {
+namespace detail {
+
+template<typename T>
+struct static_const
+{
+    static constexpr T value {};
+};
+
+template<typename T>
+constexpr T static_const<T>::value;
+
+} // detail
+} // beast
+} // boost
+
+#endif
diff --git a/include/boost/beast/core/get_lowest_layer.hpp b/include/boost/beast/core/get_lowest_layer.hpp
index 6cf92469..2ca3e77a 100644
--- a/include/boost/beast/core/get_lowest_layer.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/beast/core/get_lowest_layer.hpp
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ using lowest_layer_type = detail::lowest_layer_type<T>;
     @endcode
 
     @param t The layer in a stack of layered objects for which the lowest layer is returned.
+
+    @see @ref close_socket, @ref lowest_layer_type
 */
 template<class T>
 lowest_layer_type<T>&
diff --git a/include/boost/beast/core/type_traits.hpp b/include/boost/beast/core/type_traits.hpp
index 91b50c73..17c91d5e 100644
--- a/include/boost/beast/core/type_traits.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/beast/core/type_traits.hpp
@@ -289,9 +289,10 @@ struct is_sync_write_stream : std::false_type {};
 
 template<class T>
 struct is_sync_write_stream<T, detail::void_t<decltype(
+    (
     std::declval<std::size_t&>() = std::declval<T&>().write_some(
-        std::declval<detail::ConstBufferSequence>()),
-    std::declval<std::size_t&>() = std::declval<T&>().write_some(
+        std::declval<detail::ConstBufferSequence>()))
+    ,std::declval<std::size_t&>() = std::declval<T&>().write_some(
         std::declval<detail::ConstBufferSequence>(),
         std::declval<boost::system::error_code&>())
             )>> : std::true_type {};
diff --git a/test/beast/core/_detail_static_const.cpp b/test/beast/core/_detail_static_const.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9c15f42f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/beast/core/_detail_static_const.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+//
+// Copyright (c) 2016-2017 Vinnie Falco (vinnie dot falco at gmail dot com)
+//
+// Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0. (See accompanying
+// file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)
+//
+// Official repository: https://github.com/boostorg/beast
+//
+
+// Test that header file is self-contained.
+#include <boost/beast/core/detail/static_const.hpp>
+
+#include <boost/beast/_experimental/unit_test/suite.hpp>
+
+#include <boost/beast/core/close_socket.hpp>
+
+namespace boost {
+namespace beast {
+
+struct foo_impl
+{
+    void operator()() const noexcept
+    {
+        BEAST_PASS();
+    }
+};
+
+constexpr auto& bar =
+    boost::beast::detail::static_const<detail::close_socket_impl>::value;
+
+class static_const_test : public beast::unit_test::suite
+{
+public:
+    void
+    run() override
+    {
+        pass();
+    }
+};
+
+BEAST_DEFINE_TESTSUITE(beast,core,static_const);
+
+} // beast
+} // boost
diff --git a/test/beast/core/close_socket.cpp b/test/beast/core/close_socket.cpp
index 13e8f660..13229128 100644
--- a/test/beast/core/close_socket.cpp
+++ b/test/beast/core/close_socket.cpp
@@ -11,9 +11,12 @@
 #include <boost/beast/core/close_socket.hpp>
 
 #include <boost/beast/_experimental/unit_test/suite.hpp>
+#include <boost/beast/_experimental/test/stream.hpp>
 #include <boost/beast/core/get_lowest_layer.hpp>
+#include <boost/beast/core/string.hpp>
 
 #include <boost/asio/ip/tcp.hpp>
+#include <boost/asio/write.hpp>
 #include <utility>
 
 namespace boost {
@@ -52,18 +55,72 @@ public:
             BEAST_EXPECT(! sock.is_open());
         }
         {
-            layer<net::ip::tcp::socket> layer(ioc);
+            using type = layer<net::ip::tcp::socket>;
+            type layer(ioc);
             layer.next_layer().open(net::ip::tcp::v4());
             BEAST_EXPECT(layer.next_layer().is_open());
+            BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(detail::has_next_layer<type>::value);
+            BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT((std::is_same<
+                typename std::decay<decltype(get_lowest_layer(layer))>::type,
+                lowest_layer_type<decltype(layer)>>::value));
+            BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(std::is_same<net::ip::tcp::socket&,
+                decltype(get_lowest_layer(layer))>::value);
+            BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(std::is_same<net::ip::tcp::socket,
+                lowest_layer_type<decltype(layer)>>::value);
             close_socket(get_lowest_layer(layer));
             BEAST_EXPECT(! layer.next_layer().is_open());
         }
+        {
+            test::stream ts(ioc);
+            close_socket(ts);
+        }
     }
 
+    //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    template <class WriteStream>
+    void hello_and_close (WriteStream& stream)
+    {
+        net::write(stream, net::const_buffer("Hello, world!", 13));
+        close_socket(get_lowest_layer(stream));
+    }
+
+    class my_socket
+    {
+        net::ip::tcp::socket sock_;
+
+    public:
+        my_socket(net::io_context& ioc)
+            : sock_(ioc)
+        {
+        }
+
+        friend void beast_close_socket(my_socket& s)
+        {
+            error_code ec;
+            s.sock_.close(ec);
+            // ignore the error
+        }
+    };
+
+    void
+    testJavadocs()
+    {
+        BEAST_EXPECT(&close_socket_test::template hello_and_close<net::ip::tcp::socket>);
+        {
+            net::io_context ioc;
+            my_socket s(ioc);
+            close_socket(s);
+        }
+    }
+
+    //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
     void
     run() override
     {
         testClose();
+        testJavadocs();
     }
 };
 
diff --git a/test/beast/core/get_lowest_layer.cpp b/test/beast/core/get_lowest_layer.cpp
index 8e8af654..7cb784f2 100644
--- a/test/beast/core/get_lowest_layer.cpp
+++ b/test/beast/core/get_lowest_layer.cpp
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ public:
         }
 
         template<class T>
-        std::size_t write_some(T const&, error_code&)
+        std::size_t write_some(T const&, boost::system::error_code&)
         {
             return 0;
         }
@@ -163,8 +163,9 @@ public:
     void
     testJavadoc()
     {
-        using type = write_stream<without>;
-        type s;
+        write_stream<without> s;
+        BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(
+            is_sync_write_stream<without>::value);
         BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(std::is_same<
             decltype(get_lowest_layer(s)), without&>::value);
 
diff --git a/test/beast/core/static_buffer.cpp b/test/beast/core/static_buffer.cpp
index 96143a0b..afbd2ad4 100644
--- a/test/beast/core/static_buffer.cpp
+++ b/test/beast/core/static_buffer.cpp
@@ -35,15 +35,6 @@ public:
         is_mutable_dynamic_buffer<
             static_buffer_base>::value);
 
-#if ! defined( BOOST_LIBSTDCXX_VERSION ) || BOOST_LIBSTDCXX_VERSION >= 50000
-# ifndef BOOST_ASIO_ENABLE_BUFFER_DEBUGGING
-    BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(std::is_trivially_copyable<
-        static_buffer_base::const_buffers_type>::value);
-    BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(std::is_trivially_copyable<
-        static_buffer_base::mutable_data_type>::value);
-# endif
-#endif
-
     void
     testDynamicBuffer()
     {
diff --git a/test/beast/core/type_traits.cpp b/test/beast/core/type_traits.cpp
index 1821edf3..dbfdc5bf 100644
--- a/test/beast/core/type_traits.cpp
+++ b/test/beast/core/type_traits.cpp
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 // Test that header file is self-contained.
 #include <boost/beast/core/type_traits.hpp>
 
+#include <boost/beast/_experimental/test/stream.hpp>
 #include <boost/asio/ip/tcp.hpp>
 #include <boost/asio/streambuf.hpp>
 #include <boost/asio/detail/consuming_buffers.hpp>
@@ -82,6 +83,46 @@ BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(! is_completion_handler<H, void(void)>::value);
 // stream concepts
 //
 
+struct sync_write_stream
+{
+    net::io_context&
+    get_io_service();
+
+    template<class ConstBufferSequence>
+    std::size_t
+    write_some(ConstBufferSequence const& buffers);
+
+    template<class ConstBufferSequence>
+    std::size_t
+    write_some(
+        ConstBufferSequence const& buffers, error_code& ec);
+};
+
+struct sync_read_stream
+{
+    template<class MutableBufferSequence>
+    std::size_t
+    read_some(MutableBufferSequence const& buffers);
+
+    template<class MutableBufferSequence>
+    std::size_t
+    read_some(MutableBufferSequence const& buffers,
+        error_code& ec);
+};
+
+struct sync_stream : sync_read_stream, sync_write_stream
+{
+};
+
+BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(! is_sync_read_stream<sync_write_stream>::value);
+BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(! is_sync_write_stream<sync_read_stream>::value);
+
+BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(is_sync_read_stream<sync_read_stream>::value);
+BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(is_sync_write_stream<sync_write_stream>::value);
+
+BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(is_sync_read_stream<sync_stream>::value);
+BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(is_sync_write_stream<sync_stream>::value);
+
 namespace {
 
 using stream_type = net::ip::tcp::socket;
@@ -106,6 +147,11 @@ BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(! is_async_write_stream<not_a_stream>::value);
 BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(! is_sync_read_stream<not_a_stream>::value);
 BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(! is_sync_write_stream<not_a_stream>::value);
 
+BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(is_sync_read_stream<test::stream>::value);
+BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(is_sync_write_stream<test::stream>::value);
+BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(is_async_read_stream<test::stream>::value);
+BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(is_async_write_stream<test::stream>::value);
+
 } // (anonymous)
 
 } // beast