diff --git a/client/connection.go b/client/connection.go
index 32ff9d3..892bf8a 100644
--- a/client/connection.go
+++ b/client/connection.go
@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@ func (conn *Conn) Connect(host string, pass ...string) os.Error {
 		bufio.NewReader(conn.sock),
 		bufio.NewWriter(conn.sock))
 	conn.sock.SetTimeout(conn.Timeout * 1e9)
+	conn.connected = true
 	go conn.send()
 	go conn.recv()
 
@@ -247,14 +248,18 @@ func (conn *Conn) rateLimit(chars int64) {
 }
 
 func (conn *Conn) shutdown() {
-	conn.connected = false
-	conn.sock.Close()
-	conn.cSend <- true
-	conn.cLoop <- true
-	conn.dispatchEvent(&Line{Cmd: "DISCONNECTED"})
-	// reinit datastructures ready for next connection
-	// do this here rather than after runLoop()'s for due to race
-	conn.initialise()
+	// Guard against double-call of shutdown() if we get an error in send()
+	// as calling sock.Close() will cause recv() to recieve EOF in readstring()
+	if conn.connected {
+		conn.connected = false
+		conn.sock.Close()
+		conn.cSend <- true
+		conn.cLoop <- true
+		conn.dispatchEvent(&Line{Cmd: "DISCONNECTED"})
+		// reinit datastructures ready for next connection
+		// do this here rather than after runLoop()'s for due to race
+		conn.initialise()
+	}
 }
 
 // Dumps a load of information about the current state of the connection to a
diff --git a/client/handlers.go b/client/handlers.go
index 75ca25a..d3f896d 100644
--- a/client/handlers.go
+++ b/client/handlers.go
@@ -76,7 +76,6 @@ func (conn *Conn) h_PING(line *Line) {
 // Handler to trigger a "CONNECTED" event on receipt of numeric 001
 func (conn *Conn) h_001(line *Line) {
 	// we're connected!
-	conn.connected = true
 	conn.dispatchEvent(&Line{Cmd: "CONNECTED"})
 	// and we're being given our hostname (from the server's perspective)
 	t := line.Args[len(line.Args)-1]
@@ -103,7 +102,7 @@ func (conn *Conn) h_433(line *Line) {
 	// if this is happening before we're properly connected (i.e. the nick
 	// we sent in the initial NICK command is in use) we will not receive
 	// a NICK message to confirm our change of nick, so ReNick here...
-	if !conn.connected && line.Args[1] == conn.Me.Nick {
+	if line.Args[1] == conn.Me.Nick {
 		conn.Me.ReNick(line.Args[1] + "_")
 	}
 }