diff --git a/servers/slapd/back-asyncmeta/conn.c b/servers/slapd/back-asyncmeta/conn.c
index 8d9690a49e..5ad8b9a215 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/back-asyncmeta/conn.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/back-asyncmeta/conn.c
@@ -182,6 +182,9 @@ asyncmeta_init_one_conn(
 		       op->o_log_prefix, rs->sr_err );
 		goto error_return;
 	}
+
+	ldap_set_option( msc->msc_ld, LDAP_OPT_KEEPCONN, LDAP_OPT_ON);
+
 	msc->msc_ldr = ldap_dup(msc->msc_ld);
 	if (!msc->msc_ldr) {
 		ldap_ld_free(msc->msc_ld, 0, NULL, NULL);
@@ -1037,7 +1040,7 @@ int asyncmeta_start_one_listener(a_metaconn_t *mc,
 
 	msc = &mc->mc_conns[candidate];
 	if ( slapd_shutdown || !META_BACK_CONN_INITED( msc ) || msc->msc_ld == NULL
-	    || !META_IS_CANDIDATE( &candidates[ candidate ] )) {
+	    || META_BACK_CONN_INVALID(msc) || !META_IS_CANDIDATE( &candidates[ candidate ] )) {
 		return LDAP_SUCCESS;
 	}
 	bc->msgids[candidate] = candidates[candidate].sr_msgid;
diff --git a/servers/slapd/back-asyncmeta/meta_result.c b/servers/slapd/back-asyncmeta/meta_result.c
index 1fa733fa24..3708b806c3 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/back-asyncmeta/meta_result.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/back-asyncmeta/meta_result.c
@@ -1510,6 +1510,7 @@ again:
 		if (rc < 1) {
 			if (rc < 0) {
 				ldap_get_option( mc->mc_conns[i].msc_ldr, LDAP_OPT_ERROR_NUMBER, &rc);
+				META_BACK_CONN_INVALID_SET(&mc->mc_conns[i]);
 				asyncmeta_op_read_error(mc, i, rc, ctx);
 			}
 			ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_lock( &mc->mc_om_mutex );
@@ -1626,9 +1627,12 @@ retry_bc:
 	slap_sl_mem_setctx(ctx, oldctx);
 	if (mc->mc_conns) {
 		ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_lock( &mc->mc_om_mutex );
-		for (i=0; i<ntargets; i++)
-			if (mc->mc_conns[i].msc_ldr && mc->mc_conns[i].conn)
+		for (i=0; i<ntargets; i++) {
+			if (!slapd_shutdown && !META_BACK_CONN_INVALID(msc)
+			    && mc->mc_conns[i].msc_ldr && mc->mc_conns[i].conn) {
 				connection_client_enable(mc->mc_conns[i].conn);
+			}
+		}
 		ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_unlock( &mc->mc_om_mutex );
 	}
 	return NULL;