Abstract: This invention discloses an electronic hot-swap protection circuit for enabling hot swap connections and disconnections, the circuit includes a detector for detecting electrical current or voltage along a conductor which supplies power to a circuit to be protected during hot swap connections and disconnections, and a fast-disconnect, slow-reconnect switch connected in series with the detector and being operative in response to an output thereof, whereby the switch is relatively quickly opened when the absence of current is detected while the switch was closed and the switch is relatively slowly closed when voltage is detected following opening of the switch.