diff --git a/ctdb/common/ctdb_io.c b/ctdb/common/ctdb_io.c
index 872da967097..256b021bed6 100644
--- a/ctdb/common/ctdb_io.c
+++ b/ctdb/common/ctdb_io.c
@@ -170,9 +170,11 @@ static void queue_io_write(struct ctdb_queue *queue)
 		}
 
 		if (n == -1 && errno != EAGAIN && errno != EWOULDBLOCK) {
+			talloc_free(queue->fde);
+			queue->fde = NULL;
+			queue->fd = -1;
 			event_add_timed(queue->ctdb->ev, queue, timeval_zero(), 
 					queue_dead, queue);
-			EVENT_FD_NOT_WRITEABLE(queue->fde);
 			return;
 		}
 		if (n <= 0) return;
@@ -232,6 +234,9 @@ int ctdb_queue_send(struct ctdb_queue *queue, uint8_t *data, uint32_t length)
 	    !(queue->ctdb->flags & CTDB_FLAG_TORTURE)) {
 		ssize_t n = write(queue->fd, data, length2);
 		if (n == -1 && errno != EAGAIN && errno != EWOULDBLOCK) {
+			talloc_free(queue->fde);
+			queue->fde = NULL;
+			queue->fd = -1;
 			event_add_timed(queue->ctdb->ev, queue, timeval_zero(), 
 					queue_dead, queue);
 			/* yes, we report success, as the dead node is 
diff --git a/ctdb/tcp/tcp_connect.c b/ctdb/tcp/tcp_connect.c
index b3c51845273..2ae41f31bd1 100644
--- a/ctdb/tcp/tcp_connect.c
+++ b/ctdb/tcp/tcp_connect.c
@@ -49,9 +49,7 @@ void ctdb_tcp_tnode_cb(uint8_t *data, size_t cnt, void *private_data)
 
 	/* start a new connect cycle to try to re-establish the
 	   link */
-	close(tnode->fd);
 	ctdb_queue_set_fd(tnode->queue, -1);
-	tnode->fd = -1;
 	event_add_timed(node->ctdb->ev, node, timeval_zero(), 
 			ctdb_tcp_node_connect, node);
 }
@@ -157,6 +155,7 @@ void ctdb_tcp_node_connect(struct event_context *ev, struct timed_event *te,
 	    errno != EINPROGRESS) {
 		/* try again once a second */
 		close(tnode->fd);
+		tnode->fd = -1;
 		event_add_timed(ctdb->ev, node, timeval_current_ofs(1, 0), 
 				ctdb_tcp_node_connect, node);
 		return;