diff --git a/src/shrpx_client_handler.cc b/src/shrpx_client_handler.cc
index 04702200..c8065bb4 100644
--- a/src/shrpx_client_handler.cc
+++ b/src/shrpx_client_handler.cc
@@ -81,11 +81,9 @@ void readcb(struct ev_loop *loop, ev_io *w, int revents) {
     delete handler;
     return;
   }
-  if (ev_is_active(handler->get_wev())) {
-    if (handler->do_write() != 0) {
-      delete handler;
-      return;
-    }
+  if (handler->do_write() != 0) {
+    delete handler;
+    return;
   }
 }
 } // namespace
diff --git a/src/shrpx_http_downstream_connection.cc b/src/shrpx_http_downstream_connection.cc
index 95b9e0ea..fc2f9d86 100644
--- a/src/shrpx_http_downstream_connection.cc
+++ b/src/shrpx_http_downstream_connection.cc
@@ -114,7 +114,8 @@ HttpDownstreamConnection::HttpDownstreamConnection(
       conn_(loop, -1, nullptr, get_config()->downstream_write_timeout,
             get_config()->downstream_read_timeout, 0, 0, 0, 0, connectcb,
             readcb, timeoutcb, this),
-      ioctrl_(&conn_.rlimit), response_htp_{0}, addr_idx_(0) {}
+      ioctrl_(&conn_.rlimit), response_htp_{0}, addr_idx_(0),
+      connected_(false) {}
 
 HttpDownstreamConnection::~HttpDownstreamConnection() {
   // Downstream and DownstreamConnection may be deleted
@@ -670,6 +671,10 @@ http_parser_settings htp_hooks = {
 } // namespace
 
 int HttpDownstreamConnection::on_read() {
+  if (!connected_) {
+    return 0;
+  }
+
   ev_timer_again(conn_.loop, &conn_.rt);
   std::array<uint8_t, 8192> buf;
   int rv;
@@ -742,6 +747,10 @@ int HttpDownstreamConnection::on_read() {
 }
 
 int HttpDownstreamConnection::on_write() {
+  if (!connected_) {
+    return 0;
+  }
+
   ev_timer_again(conn_.loop, &conn_.rt);
 
   auto upstream = downstream_->get_upstream();
@@ -789,6 +798,8 @@ int HttpDownstreamConnection::on_connect() {
     return -1;
   }
 
+  connected_ = true;
+
   connect_blocker->on_success();
 
   conn_.rlimit.startw();
diff --git a/src/shrpx_http_downstream_connection.h b/src/shrpx_http_downstream_connection.h
index 87354a9e..02480d5b 100644
--- a/src/shrpx_http_downstream_connection.h
+++ b/src/shrpx_http_downstream_connection.h
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ private:
   http_parser response_htp_;
   // index of get_config()->downstream_addrs this object is using
   size_t addr_idx_;
+  bool connected_;
 };
 
 } // namespace shrpx