diff --git a/pvAccessApp/remote/blockingTCPConnector.cpp b/pvAccessApp/remote/blockingTCPConnector.cpp
index 024654d..54a9f06 100644
--- a/pvAccessApp/remote/blockingTCPConnector.cpp
+++ b/pvAccessApp/remote/blockingTCPConnector.cpp
@@ -145,8 +145,6 @@ namespace epics {
 
                     // verify
                     if(!transport->waitUntilVerified(3.0)) {
-                        transport->close(true);
-                        socket = INVALID_SOCKET;
                         errlogSevPrintf(
                                 errlogMinor,
                                 "Connection to CA server %s failed to be validated, closing it.",
@@ -164,8 +162,9 @@ namespace epics {
 
                     return transport;
                 } catch(...) {
-                    // close socket, if open
-                    if(socket!=INVALID_SOCKET) epicsSocketDestroy(socket);
+                    if(transport!=NULL)
+                        transport->close(true);
+                    else if(socket!=INVALID_SOCKET) epicsSocketDestroy(socket);
                     _namedLocker->releaseSynchronizationObject(&address);
                     throw;
                 }
diff --git a/testApp/remote/testBlockingTCPClnt.cpp b/testApp/remote/testBlockingTCPClnt.cpp
index 0cacc8f..be9bceb 100644
--- a/testApp/remote/testBlockingTCPClnt.cpp
+++ b/testApp/remote/testBlockingTCPClnt.cpp
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 #include "caConstants.h"
 
 #include <timer.h>
+#include <epicsException.h>
+#include <pvType.h>
 
 #include <osiSock.h>
 #include <errlog.h>
@@ -36,11 +38,21 @@ public:
         delete _tr;
         delete _timer;
     }
-    virtual Timer* getTimer() { return _timer; }
-    virtual TransportRegistry* getTransportRegistry() { return _tr; }
-    virtual Channel* getChannel(epics::pvAccess::pvAccessID) { return 0; }
-    virtual Transport* getSearchTransport() { return 0; }
-    virtual Configuration* getConfiguration() { return _conf; }
+    virtual Timer* getTimer() {
+        return _timer;
+    }
+    virtual TransportRegistry* getTransportRegistry() {
+        return _tr;
+    }
+    virtual Channel* getChannel(epics::pvAccess::pvAccessID) {
+        return 0;
+    }
+    virtual Transport* getSearchTransport() {
+        return 0;
+    }
+    virtual Configuration* getConfiguration() {
+        return _conf;
+    }
 
 private:
     TransportRegistry* _tr;
@@ -50,7 +62,8 @@ private:
 
 class DummyResponseHandler : public ResponseHandler {
 public:
-    DummyResponseHandler(Context* ctx) : ResponseHandler() {
+    DummyResponseHandler(Context* ctx) :
+        ResponseHandler() {
     }
 
     virtual void handleResponse(osiSockAddr* responseFrom,
@@ -123,18 +136,25 @@ void testBlockingTCPSender() {
         return;
     }
 
-    Transport* transport = connector.connect(&dtc, &drh, srvAddr,
-            CA_MAGIC_AND_VERSION, CA_DEFAULT_PRIORITY);
+    Transport* transport=NULL;
+    try {
+        transport = connector.connect(&dtc, &drh, srvAddr,
+                CA_MAGIC_AND_VERSION, CA_DEFAULT_PRIORITY);
 
-    cout<<"Sending 10 messages..."<<endl;
+        cout<<"Sending 10 messages..."<<endl;
 
-    for(int i = 0; i<10; i++) {
-        cout<<"   Message: "<<i+1<<endl;
-        if(!transport->isClosed())
-            transport->enqueueSendRequest(&dts);
-        else
-            break;
-        sleep(1);
+        for(int i = 0; i<10; i++) {
+            cout<<"   Message: "<<i+1<<endl;
+            if(!transport->isClosed())
+                transport->enqueueSendRequest(&dts);
+            else
+                break;
+            sleep(1);
+        }
+    } catch(BaseException* e) {
+        String info;
+        e->toString(info);
+        cout<<info<<endl;
     }
 
     delete transport;