diff --git a/source3/libsmb/cli_lsarpc.c b/source3/libsmb/cli_lsarpc.c
index 7ba47d3a188..d3c7db70a29 100644
--- a/source3/libsmb/cli_lsarpc.c
+++ b/source3/libsmb/cli_lsarpc.c
@@ -1075,8 +1075,8 @@ machine %s. Error was : %s.\n", remote_machine, cli_errstr(&cli) ));
 	}
 
 	if (!attempt_netbios_session_request(&cli, global_myname, remote_machine, &cli.dest_ip)) {
-		DEBUG(0,("fetch_domain_sid: machine %s rejected the NetBIOS \
-session request. Error was %s\n", remote_machine, cli_errstr(&cli) ));
+		DEBUG(0,("fetch_domain_sid: machine %s rejected the NetBIOS session request.\n", 
+			remote_machine));
 		goto done;
 	}
  
diff --git a/source3/libsmb/clierror.c b/source3/libsmb/clierror.c
index 89550d18ed6..13ea6b1997b 100644
--- a/source3/libsmb/clierror.c
+++ b/source3/libsmb/clierror.c
@@ -80,6 +80,11 @@ char *cli_errstr(struct cli_state *cli)
 	uint8 errclass;
 	int i;
 
+	if (!cli->initialised) {
+		fstrcpy(cli_error_message, "[Programmer's error] cli_errstr called on unitialized cli_stat struct!\n");
+		return cli_error_message;
+	}
+
 	/* Case #1: RAP error */
 	if (cli->rap_error) {
 		for (i = 0; rap_errmap[i].message != NULL; i++) {
diff --git a/source3/rpc_client/cli_spoolss_notify.c b/source3/rpc_client/cli_spoolss_notify.c
index 13cdf8bafaa..c31d2fb3871 100644
--- a/source3/rpc_client/cli_spoolss_notify.c
+++ b/source3/rpc_client/cli_spoolss_notify.c
@@ -69,8 +69,8 @@ BOOL spoolss_connect_to_client( struct cli_state *cli, char *remote_machine)
 	}
   
 	if (!attempt_netbios_session_request(cli, global_myname, remote_machine, &cli->dest_ip)) {
-		DEBUG(0,("connect_to_client: machine %s rejected the NetBIOS session request. Error was %s\n", remote_machine, cli_errstr(cli) ));
-		cli_shutdown(cli);
+		DEBUG(0,("connect_to_client: machine %s rejected the NetBIOS session request.\n", 
+			remote_machine));
 		return False;
 	}