diff --git a/servers/slapd/connection.c b/servers/slapd/connection.c
index a070500ecb..b29e2f22f0 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/connection.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/connection.c
@@ -1892,8 +1892,6 @@ int connection_write(ber_socket_t s)
 
 	assert( connections != NULL );
 
-	slapd_clr_write( s, 0 );
-
 	c = connection_get( s );
 	if( c == NULL ) {
 		Debug( LDAP_DEBUG_ANY,
@@ -1902,6 +1900,8 @@ int connection_write(ber_socket_t s)
 		return -1;
 	}
 
+	slapd_clr_write( s, 0 );
+
 #ifdef HAVE_TLS
 	if ( c->c_is_tls && c->c_needs_tls_accept ) {
 		connection_return( c );