diff --git a/src/router.cpp b/src/router.cpp
index 6e578509..3133e992 100644
--- a/src/router.cpp
+++ b/src/router.cpp
@@ -159,21 +159,21 @@ int zmq::router_t::xsend (msg_t *msg_)
             //  router_mandatory is set.
             blob_t identity ((unsigned char*) msg_->data (), msg_->size ());
             outpipes_t::iterator it = outpipes.find (identity);
-            bool unreach = false;
 
             if (it != outpipes.end ()) {
                 current_out = it->second.pipe;
                 if (!current_out->check_write ()) {
                     it->second.active = false;
                     current_out = NULL;
-                    unreach = mandatory ? true: false;
+                    if (mandatory) {
+                        more_out = false;
+                        errno = EAGAIN;
+                        return -1;
+                    }
                 }
             }
             else
-            if (mandatory)
-                unreach = true;
-
-            if (unreach) {
+            if (mandatory) {
                 more_out = false;
                 errno = EHOSTUNREACH;
                 return -1;
diff --git a/tests/test_router_mandatory.cpp b/tests/test_router_mandatory.cpp
index 321d8a3b..1bbfe2b6 100644
--- a/tests/test_router_mandatory.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_router_mandatory.cpp
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ int main (void)
     assert (rc == 0);
 
     // wait until connect
-    zmq_sleep (1); 
+    zmq_sleep (1);
 
     // make it full and check that it fails
     rc = zmq_send (sa, "X", 1, ZMQ_SNDMORE);
@@ -79,18 +79,17 @@ int main (void)
     rc = zmq_send (sa, "DATA1", 5, 0);
     assert (rc == 5);
 
-
-    rc = zmq_send (sa, "X", 1, ZMQ_SNDMORE);
+    rc = zmq_send (sa, "X", 1, ZMQ_SNDMORE | ZMQ_DONTWAIT);
     if (rc == 1) {
         // the first frame has been sent
         rc = zmq_send (sa, "DATA2", 5, 0);
         assert (rc == 5);
     
         // send more
-        rc = zmq_send (sa, "X", 1, ZMQ_SNDMORE);
+        rc = zmq_send (sa, "X", 1, ZMQ_SNDMORE | ZMQ_DONTWAIT);
     } 
 
-    assert (rc == -1 && errno == EHOSTUNREACH);
+    assert (rc == -1 && errno == EAGAIN);
 
 
     rc = zmq_close (sa);