diff --git a/servers/lloadd/client.c b/servers/lloadd/client.c
index 0fcfd6f65c..51f7c78467 100644
--- a/servers/lloadd/client.c
+++ b/servers/lloadd/client.c
@@ -200,9 +200,11 @@ client_write_cb( evutil_socket_t s, short what, void *arg )
 {
     Connection *c = arg;
 
-    /* What if the shutdown is already in progress and we get to lock the
-     * connection? */
     CONNECTION_LOCK(c);
+    if ( !c->c_live ) {
+        CONNECTION_UNLOCK(c);
+        return;
+    }
     CONNECTION_UNLOCK_INCREF(c);
 
     ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_lock( &c->c_io_mutex );
diff --git a/servers/lloadd/upstream.c b/servers/lloadd/upstream.c
index 9aa3bd7d64..6a30e82c1e 100644
--- a/servers/lloadd/upstream.c
+++ b/servers/lloadd/upstream.c
@@ -670,6 +670,10 @@ upstream_write_cb( evutil_socket_t s, short what, void *arg )
     Connection *c = arg;
 
     CONNECTION_LOCK(c);
+    if ( !c->c_live ) {
+        CONNECTION_UNLOCK(c);
+        return;
+    }
     CONNECTION_UNLOCK_INCREF(c);
 
     ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_lock( &c->c_io_mutex );