diff --git a/include/ircd/server/link.h b/include/ircd/server/link.h
index cd1577235..af82f161d 100644
--- a/include/ircd/server/link.h
+++ b/include/ircd/server/link.h
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ struct ircd::server::link
 	std::list<tag> queue;                        ///< link's work queue
 	bool op_init {false};                        ///< link is connecting
 	bool op_fini {false};                        ///< link is disconnecting
+	bool op_open {false};
 	bool op_write {false};                       ///< async operation state
 	bool op_read {false};                        ///< async operation state
 	bool exclude {false};                        ///< link is excluded
diff --git a/ircd/server.cc b/ircd/server.cc
index cd1e1a9dc..122092e8e 100644
--- a/ircd/server.cc
+++ b/ircd/server.cc
@@ -1723,12 +1723,23 @@ ircd::server::link::open(const net::open_opts &open_opts)
 	};
 
 	op_init = true;
+	op_open = true;
 	const unwind::exceptional unhandled{[this]
 	{
 		op_init = false;
+		op_open = false;
 	}};
 
 	socket = net::open(open_opts, std::move(handler));
+	op_open = false;
+
+	if(finished())
+	{
+		assert(peer);
+		peer->handle_finished(*this);
+		return false;
+	}
+
 	return true;
 }
 
@@ -2351,7 +2362,7 @@ const
 	if(!bool(socket))
 		return true;
 
-	return !opened() && op_fini && !op_init && !op_write && !op_read;
+	return !opened() && op_fini && !op_init && !op_open && !op_write && !op_read;
 }
 
 size_t