diff --git a/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/transport/ntcp/Reader.java b/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/transport/ntcp/Reader.java
index 9694815453..f98cf7d40a 100644
--- a/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/transport/ntcp/Reader.java
+++ b/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/transport/ntcp/Reader.java
@@ -162,6 +162,9 @@ class Reader {
             if (est.isComplete() && est.getExtraBytes() != null)
                 con.recvEncryptedI2NP(ByteBuffer.wrap(est.getExtraBytes()));
         }
+        // catch race?
+        if (!con.isEstablished())
+            return;
         while (!con.isClosed() && (buf = con.getNextReadBuf()) != null) {
             // decrypt the data and push it into an i2np message
             if (_log.shouldLog(Log.DEBUG))