diff --git a/servers/slapd/connection.c b/servers/slapd/connection.c
index 4534075be1..c64ef4866e 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/connection.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/connection.c
@@ -196,20 +196,22 @@ int connections_shutdown(void)
 	ber_socket_t i;
 
 	for ( i = 0; i < dtblsize; i++ ) {
-		ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_lock( &connections[i].c_mutex );
-		if( connections[i].c_struct_state == SLAP_C_USED ) {
+		if( connections[i].c_struct_state != SLAP_C_UNINITIALIZED ) {
+			ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_lock( &connections[i].c_mutex );
+			if( connections[i].c_struct_state == SLAP_C_USED ) {
 
-			/* give persistent clients a chance to cleanup */
-			if( connections[i].c_conn_state == SLAP_C_CLIENT ) {
-				ldap_pvt_thread_pool_submit( &connection_pool,
-				connections[i].c_clientfunc, connections[i].c_clientarg );
-			} else {
-				/* c_mutex is locked */
-				connection_closing( &connections[i], "slapd shutdown" );
-				connection_close( &connections[i] );
+				/* give persistent clients a chance to cleanup */
+				if( connections[i].c_conn_state == SLAP_C_CLIENT ) {
+					ldap_pvt_thread_pool_submit( &connection_pool,
+					connections[i].c_clientfunc, connections[i].c_clientarg );
+				} else {
+					/* c_mutex is locked */
+					connection_closing( &connections[i], "slapd shutdown" );
+					connection_close( &connections[i] );
+				}
 			}
+			ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_unlock( &connections[i].c_mutex );
 		}
-		ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_unlock( &connections[i].c_mutex );
 	}
 
 	return 0;