diff --git a/servers/lloadd/client.c b/servers/lloadd/client.c
index 6838508707..4775dbb38c 100644
--- a/servers/lloadd/client.c
+++ b/servers/lloadd/client.c
@@ -152,8 +152,9 @@ client_write_cb( evutil_socket_t s, short what, void *arg )
             return;
         }
         event_add( c->c_write_event, NULL );
+    } else {
+        c->c_pendingber = NULL;
     }
-    c->c_pendingber = NULL;
     ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_unlock( &c->c_io_mutex );
 
     CONNECTION_LOCK_DECREF(c);
diff --git a/servers/lloadd/upstream.c b/servers/lloadd/upstream.c
index 2f898545dc..680a677d9c 100644
--- a/servers/lloadd/upstream.c
+++ b/servers/lloadd/upstream.c
@@ -666,8 +666,9 @@ upstream_write_cb( evutil_socket_t s, short what, void *arg )
             return;
         }
         event_add( c->c_write_event, NULL );
+    } else {
+        c->c_pendingber = NULL;
     }
-    c->c_pendingber = NULL;
     ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_unlock( &c->c_io_mutex );
 
     CONNECTION_LOCK_DECREF(c);