diff --git a/connection.c b/connection.c
index 154ada9..1673a8a 100644
--- a/connection.c
+++ b/connection.c
@@ -3065,6 +3065,13 @@ inolog("Discarded the first SAVEPOINT\n");
 						}
 					}
 
+					/*
+					 * Leave if socket has been dropped due to a dead
+					 * connection.
+					 */
+					if (!self->sock)
+						break;
+
 					if (QR_command_successful(res))
 						QR_set_rstatus(res, PORES_COMMAND_OK);
 					QR_set_command(res, cmdbuffer);
@@ -3078,13 +3085,12 @@ inolog("Discarded the first SAVEPOINT\n");
 					 * backend may produce more than one result for some
 					 * commands we need to poll until clear so we send an
 					 * empty query, and keep reading out of the pipe until
-					 * an 'I' is received
+					 * an 'I' is received.
 					 */
-
-					if (empty_reqs == 0)
+					if (self->sock && empty_reqs == 0)
 					{
-						SOCK_put_string(sock, "Q ");
-						SOCK_flush_output(sock);
+						SOCK_put_string(self->sock, "Q ");
+						SOCK_flush_output(self->sock);
 						empty_reqs++;
 					}
 				}
@@ -3313,7 +3319,7 @@ mylog("!!! copydata len=%d\n", response_length);
 				break;
 		}
 
-		if (SOCK_get_errcode(sock) != 0)
+		if (self->sock && SOCK_get_errcode(self->sock) != 0)
 			break;
 		if (CONN_DOWN == self->status)
 			break;
@@ -3328,7 +3334,7 @@ mylog("!!! copydata len=%d\n", response_length);
 	}
 
 cleanup:
-	if (SOCK_get_errcode(sock) != 0)
+	if (self->sock && SOCK_get_errcode(self->sock) != 0)
 	{
 		if (0 == CC_get_errornumber(self))
 			CC_set_error(self, CONNECTION_COMMUNICATION_ERROR, "Communication error while sending query", func);