diff --git a/servers/lloadd/upstream.c b/servers/lloadd/upstream.c
index 771858dff0..2784532243 100644
--- a/servers/lloadd/upstream.c
+++ b/servers/lloadd/upstream.c
@@ -139,17 +139,22 @@ static int
 handle_unsolicited( LloadConnection *c, BerElement *ber )
 {
     CONNECTION_ASSERT_LOCKED(c);
-    if ( c->c_state != LLOAD_C_PREPARING ) {
-        c->c_state = LLOAD_C_CLOSING;
+
+    assert( c->c_state != LLOAD_C_INVALID );
+    if ( c->c_state == LLOAD_C_DYING ) {
+        CONNECTION_UNLOCK(c);
+        goto out;
     }
+    c->c_state = LLOAD_C_CLOSING;
 
     Debug( LDAP_DEBUG_STATS, "handle_unsolicited: "
             "teardown for upstream connection connid=%lu\n",
             c->c_connid );
 
     CONNECTION_DESTROY(c);
-    ber_free( ber, 1 );
 
+out:
+    ber_free( ber, 1 );
     return -1;
 }