diff --git a/include/proto/connection.h b/include/proto/connection.h
index 7c8e2cb0d..007f9e263 100644
--- a/include/proto/connection.h
+++ b/include/proto/connection.h
@@ -30,6 +30,16 @@
  */
 int conn_fd_handler(int fd);
 
+/* calls the init() function of the data layer if any. Returns <0 in case of
+ * error.
+ */
+static inline int conn_data_init(struct connection *conn)
+{
+	if (conn->data && conn->data->init)
+		return conn->data->init(conn);
+	return 0;
+}
+
 /* Calls the close() function of the data layer if any */
 static inline void conn_data_close(struct connection *conn)
 {
diff --git a/include/types/connection.h b/include/types/connection.h
index 2fbd77930..0e12bb5d1 100644
--- a/include/types/connection.h
+++ b/include/types/connection.h
@@ -143,6 +143,7 @@ struct data_ops {
 	void (*shutr)(struct connection *, int);    /* shutr function */
 	void (*shutw)(struct connection *, int);    /* shutw function */
 	void (*close)(struct connection *);         /* close the data channel on the connection */
+	int  (*init)(struct connection *conn);      /* initialize the data layer */
 };
 
 /* app_cb describes read and write callbacks which are called upon detected I/O
diff --git a/src/proto_tcp.c b/src/proto_tcp.c
index af9dbf95b..99741dc2d 100644
--- a/src/proto_tcp.c
+++ b/src/proto_tcp.c
@@ -458,6 +458,10 @@ int tcp_connect_server(struct connection *conn, int data)
 	fdtab[fd].iocb = conn_fd_handler;
 	fd_insert(fd);
 	conn_sock_want_send(conn);  /* for connect status */
+
+	if (conn_data_init(conn) < 0)
+		return SN_ERR_RESOURCE;
+
 	if (data)
 		conn_data_want_send(conn);  /* prepare to send data if any */
 
diff --git a/src/session.c b/src/session.c
index db13fc632..6b784cfe3 100644
--- a/src/session.c
+++ b/src/session.c
@@ -278,6 +278,8 @@ int session_accept(struct listener *l, int cfd, struct sockaddr_storage *addr)
 	fdtab[cfd].flags = 0;
 	fdtab[cfd].iocb = conn_fd_handler;
 	conn_data_want_recv(&s->si[0].conn);
+	if (conn_data_init(&s->si[0].conn) < 0)
+		goto out_free_rep;
 
 	if (p->accept && (ret = p->accept(s)) <= 0) {
 		/* Either we had an unrecoverable error (<0) or work is