diff --git a/src/core/network-openssl.c b/src/core/network-openssl.c
index 9ca16e07..66445c03 100644
--- a/src/core/network-openssl.c
+++ b/src/core/network-openssl.c
@@ -312,6 +312,8 @@ GIOChannel *net_connect_ip_ssl(IPADDR *ip, int port, IPADDR *my_ip, const char *
 	GIOChannel *handle, *ssl_handle;
 
 	handle = net_connect_ip(ip, port, my_ip);
+	if (handle == NULL)
+		return NULL;
 	ssl_handle  = irssi_ssl_get_iochannel(handle, cert, pkey, cafile, capath, verify);
 	if (ssl_handle == NULL)
 		g_io_channel_unref(handle);