diff --git a/src/ipc_connecter.cpp b/src/ipc_connecter.cpp
index 818ff865..7e780a31 100644
--- a/src/ipc_connecter.cpp
+++ b/src/ipc_connecter.cpp
@@ -42,13 +42,14 @@
 
 zmq::ipc_connecter_t::ipc_connecter_t (class io_thread_t *io_thread_,
       class session_base_t *session_, const options_t &options_,
-      const address_t *addr_, bool wait_) :
+      const address_t *addr_, bool delayed_start_) :
     own_t (io_thread_, options_),
     io_object_t (io_thread_),
     addr (addr_),
     s (retired_fd),
     handle_valid (false),
-    wait (wait_),
+    delayed_start (delayed_start_),
+    timer_started (false),
     session (session_),
     current_reconnect_ivl(options.reconnect_ivl)
 {
@@ -59,24 +60,24 @@ zmq::ipc_connecter_t::ipc_connecter_t (class io_thread_t *io_thread_,
 
 zmq::ipc_connecter_t::~ipc_connecter_t ()
 {
-    zmq_assert (!wait);
+    zmq_assert (!timer_started);
     zmq_assert (!handle_valid);
     zmq_assert (s == retired_fd);
 }
 
 void zmq::ipc_connecter_t::process_plug ()
 {
-    if (wait)
-        add_reconnect_timer();
+    if (delayed_start)
+        add_reconnect_timer ();
     else
         start_connecting ();
 }
 
 void zmq::ipc_connecter_t::process_term (int linger_)
 {
-    if (wait) {
+    if (timer_started) {
         cancel_timer (reconnect_timer_id);
-        wait = false;
+        timer_started = false;
     }
 
     if (handle_valid) {
@@ -107,7 +108,6 @@ void zmq::ipc_connecter_t::out_event ()
     //  Handle the error condition by attempt to reconnect.
     if (fd == retired_fd) {
         close ();
-        wait = true;
         add_reconnect_timer();
         return;
     }
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ void zmq::ipc_connecter_t::out_event ()
 void zmq::ipc_connecter_t::timer_event (int id_)
 {
     zmq_assert (id_ == reconnect_timer_id);
-    wait = false;
+    timer_started = false;
     start_connecting ();
 }
 
@@ -142,7 +142,6 @@ void zmq::ipc_connecter_t::start_connecting ()
         handle = add_fd (s);
         handle_valid = true;
         out_event ();
-        return;
     }
 
     //  Connection establishment may be delayed. Poll for its completion.
@@ -151,13 +150,14 @@ void zmq::ipc_connecter_t::start_connecting ()
         handle_valid = true;
         set_pollout (handle);
         session->monitor_event (ZMQ_EVENT_CONNECT_DELAYED, endpoint.c_str(), zmq_errno());
-        return;
     }
 
     //  Handle any other error condition by eventual reconnect.
-    close ();
-    wait = true;
-    add_reconnect_timer();
+    else {
+        if (s != retired_fd)
+            close ();
+        add_reconnect_timer ();
+    }
 }
 
 void zmq::ipc_connecter_t::add_reconnect_timer()
@@ -165,6 +165,7 @@ void zmq::ipc_connecter_t::add_reconnect_timer()
     int rc_ivl = get_new_reconnect_ivl();
     add_timer (rc_ivl, reconnect_timer_id);
     session->monitor_event (ZMQ_EVENT_CONNECT_RETRIED, endpoint.c_str(), rc_ivl);
+    timer_started = true;
 }
 
 int zmq::ipc_connecter_t::get_new_reconnect_ivl ()
diff --git a/src/ipc_connecter.hpp b/src/ipc_connecter.hpp
index 604922b8..5ff45b03 100644
--- a/src/ipc_connecter.hpp
+++ b/src/ipc_connecter.hpp
@@ -41,11 +41,11 @@ namespace zmq
     {
     public:
 
-        //  If 'delay' is true connecter first waits for a while, then starts
-        //  connection process.
+        //  If 'delayed_start' is true connecter first waits for a while,
+        //  then starts connection process.
         ipc_connecter_t (zmq::io_thread_t *io_thread_,
             zmq::session_base_t *session_, const options_t &options_,
-            const address_t *addr_, bool delay_);
+            const address_t *addr_, bool delayed_start_);
         ~ipc_connecter_t ();
 
     private:
@@ -99,7 +99,10 @@ namespace zmq
         bool handle_valid;
 
         //  If true, connecter is waiting a while before trying to connect.
-        bool wait;
+        const bool delayed_start;
+
+        //  True iff a timer has been started.
+        bool timer_started;
 
         //  Reference to the session we belong to.
         zmq::session_base_t *session;
diff --git a/src/tcp_connecter.cpp b/src/tcp_connecter.cpp
index 0a6fe128..ef0fbf3b 100644
--- a/src/tcp_connecter.cpp
+++ b/src/tcp_connecter.cpp
@@ -52,13 +52,14 @@
 
 zmq::tcp_connecter_t::tcp_connecter_t (class io_thread_t *io_thread_,
       class session_base_t *session_, const options_t &options_,
-      const address_t *addr_, bool wait_) :
+      const address_t *addr_, bool delayed_start_) :
     own_t (io_thread_, options_),
     io_object_t (io_thread_),
     addr (addr_),
     s (retired_fd),
     handle_valid (false),
-    wait (wait_),
+    delayed_start (delayed_start_),
+    timer_started (false),
     session (session_),
     current_reconnect_ivl(options.reconnect_ivl)
 {
@@ -69,24 +70,24 @@ zmq::tcp_connecter_t::tcp_connecter_t (class io_thread_t *io_thread_,
 
 zmq::tcp_connecter_t::~tcp_connecter_t ()
 {
-    zmq_assert (!wait);
+    zmq_assert (!timer_started);
     zmq_assert (!handle_valid);
     zmq_assert (s == retired_fd);
 }
 
 void zmq::tcp_connecter_t::process_plug ()
 {
-    if (wait)
-        add_reconnect_timer();
+    if (delayed_start)
+        add_reconnect_timer ();
     else
         start_connecting ();
 }
 
 void zmq::tcp_connecter_t::process_term (int linger_)
 {
-    if (wait) {
+    if (timer_started) {
         cancel_timer (reconnect_timer_id);
-        wait = false;
+        timer_started = false;
     }
 
     if (handle_valid) {
@@ -117,7 +118,6 @@ void zmq::tcp_connecter_t::out_event ()
     //  Handle the error condition by attempt to reconnect.
     if (fd == retired_fd) {
         close ();
-        wait = true;
         add_reconnect_timer();
         return;
     }
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ void zmq::tcp_connecter_t::out_event ()
 void zmq::tcp_connecter_t::timer_event (int id_)
 {
     zmq_assert (id_ == reconnect_timer_id);
-    wait = false;
+    timer_started = false;
     start_connecting ();
 }
 
@@ -155,7 +155,6 @@ void zmq::tcp_connecter_t::start_connecting ()
         handle = add_fd (s);
         handle_valid = true;
         out_event ();
-        return;
     }
 
     //  Connection establishment may be delayed. Poll for its completion.
@@ -164,13 +163,14 @@ void zmq::tcp_connecter_t::start_connecting ()
         handle_valid = true;
         set_pollout (handle);
         session->monitor_event (ZMQ_EVENT_CONNECT_DELAYED, endpoint.c_str(), zmq_errno());
-        return;
     }
 
     //  Handle any other error condition by eventual reconnect.
-    close ();
-    wait = true;
-    add_reconnect_timer();
+    else {
+        if (s != retired_fd)
+            close ();
+        add_reconnect_timer ();
+    }
 }
 
 void zmq::tcp_connecter_t::add_reconnect_timer()
@@ -178,6 +178,7 @@ void zmq::tcp_connecter_t::add_reconnect_timer()
     int rc_ivl = get_new_reconnect_ivl();
     add_timer (rc_ivl, reconnect_timer_id);
     session->monitor_event (ZMQ_EVENT_CONNECT_RETRIED, endpoint.c_str(), rc_ivl);
+    timer_started = true;
 }
 
 int zmq::tcp_connecter_t::get_new_reconnect_ivl ()
diff --git a/src/tcp_connecter.hpp b/src/tcp_connecter.hpp
index e1b26b23..d5aed5f7 100644
--- a/src/tcp_connecter.hpp
+++ b/src/tcp_connecter.hpp
@@ -39,11 +39,11 @@ namespace zmq
     {
     public:
 
-        //  If 'delay' is true connecter first waits for a while, then starts
-        //  connection process.
+        //  If 'delayed_start' is true connecter first waits for a while,
+        //  then starts connection process.
         tcp_connecter_t (zmq::io_thread_t *io_thread_,
             zmq::session_base_t *session_, const options_t &options_,
-            const address_t *addr_, bool delay_);
+            const address_t *addr_, bool delayed_start_);
         ~tcp_connecter_t ();
 
     private:
@@ -97,7 +97,10 @@ namespace zmq
         bool handle_valid;
 
         //  If true, connecter is waiting a while before trying to connect.
-        bool wait;
+        const bool delayed_start;
+
+        //  True iff a timer has been started.
+        bool timer_started;
 
         //  Reference to the session we belong to.
         zmq::session_base_t *session;