diff --git a/src/tcp_connecter.cpp b/src/tcp_connecter.cpp
index 73e71f06..bcaeff59 100644
--- a/src/tcp_connecter.cpp
+++ b/src/tcp_connecter.cpp
@@ -67,7 +67,6 @@ zmq::tcp_connecter_t::tcp_connecter_t (class io_thread_t *io_thread_,
     addr (addr_),
     s (retired_fd),
     handle ((handle_t) NULL),
-    handle_valid (false),
     delayed_start (delayed_start_),
     connect_timer_started (false),
     reconnect_timer_started (false),
@@ -87,7 +86,7 @@ zmq::tcp_connecter_t::~tcp_connecter_t ()
 {
     zmq_assert (!connect_timer_started);
     zmq_assert (!reconnect_timer_started);
-    zmq_assert (!handle_valid);
+    zmq_assert (!handle);
     zmq_assert (s == retired_fd);
 }
 
@@ -111,9 +110,8 @@ void zmq::tcp_connecter_t::process_term (int linger_)
         reconnect_timer_started = false;
     }
 
-    if (handle_valid) {
-        rm_fd (handle);
-        handle_valid = false;
+    if (handle) {
+        rm_handle ();
     }
 
     if (s != retired_fd)
@@ -137,25 +135,12 @@ void zmq::tcp_connecter_t::out_event ()
         connect_timer_started = false;
     }
 
-    rm_fd (handle);
-    handle_valid = false;
+    rm_handle ();
 
     const fd_t fd = connect ();
 
     //  Handle the error condition by attempt to reconnect.
-    if (fd == retired_fd) {
-        close ();
-        add_reconnect_timer ();
-        return;
-    }
-
-    int rc = tune_tcp_socket (fd);
-    rc = rc
-         | tune_tcp_keepalives (
-             fd, options.tcp_keepalive, options.tcp_keepalive_cnt,
-             options.tcp_keepalive_idle, options.tcp_keepalive_intvl);
-    rc = rc | tune_tcp_maxrt (fd, options.tcp_maxrt);
-    if (rc != 0) {
+    if (fd == retired_fd || !tune_socket (fd)) {
         close ();
         add_reconnect_timer ();
         return;
@@ -175,15 +160,18 @@ void zmq::tcp_connecter_t::out_event ()
     socket->event_connected (endpoint, (int) fd);
 }
 
+void zmq::tcp_connecter_t::rm_handle ()
+{
+    rm_fd (handle);
+    handle = (handle_t) NULL;
+}
+
 void zmq::tcp_connecter_t::timer_event (int id_)
 {
     zmq_assert (id_ == reconnect_timer_id || id_ == connect_timer_id);
     if (id_ == connect_timer_id) {
         connect_timer_started = false;
-
-        rm_fd (handle);
-        handle_valid = false;
-
+        rm_handle ();
         close ();
         add_reconnect_timer ();
     } else if (id_ == reconnect_timer_id) {
@@ -200,14 +188,12 @@ void zmq::tcp_connecter_t::start_connecting ()
     //  Connect may succeed in synchronous manner.
     if (rc == 0) {
         handle = add_fd (s);
-        handle_valid = true;
         out_event ();
     }
 
     //  Connection establishment may be delayed. Poll for its completion.
     else if (rc == -1 && errno == EINPROGRESS) {
         handle = add_fd (s);
-        handle_valid = true;
         set_pollout (handle);
         socket->event_connect_delayed (endpoint, zmq_errno ());
 
@@ -349,11 +335,12 @@ int zmq::tcp_connecter_t::open ()
     rc = ::connect (s, tcp_addr->addr (), tcp_addr->addrlen ());
 
     //  Connect was successful immediately.
-    if (rc == 0)
+    if (rc == 0) {
         return 0;
+    }
 
-        //  Translate error codes indicating asynchronous connect has been
-        //  launched to a uniform EINPROGRESS.
+    //  Translate error codes indicating asynchronous connect has been
+    //  launched to a uniform EINPROGRESS.
 #ifdef ZMQ_HAVE_WINDOWS
     const int last_error = WSAGetLastError ();
     if (last_error == WSAEINPROGRESS || last_error == WSAEWOULDBLOCK)
@@ -409,6 +396,16 @@ zmq::fd_t zmq::tcp_connecter_t::connect ()
     return result;
 }
 
+bool zmq::tcp_connecter_t::tune_socket (const fd_t fd)
+{
+    const int rc = tune_tcp_socket (fd)
+                   | tune_tcp_keepalives (
+                       fd, options.tcp_keepalive, options.tcp_keepalive_cnt,
+                       options.tcp_keepalive_idle, options.tcp_keepalive_intvl)
+                   | tune_tcp_maxrt (fd, options.tcp_maxrt);
+    return rc == 0;
+}
+
 void zmq::tcp_connecter_t::close ()
 {
     zmq_assert (s != retired_fd);
diff --git a/src/tcp_connecter.hpp b/src/tcp_connecter.hpp
index 2910b6e7..b88035bd 100644
--- a/src/tcp_connecter.hpp
+++ b/src/tcp_connecter.hpp
@@ -70,6 +70,9 @@ class tcp_connecter_t : public own_t, public io_object_t
     void out_event ();
     void timer_event (int id_);
 
+    //  Removes the handle from the poller.
+    void rm_handle ();
+
     //  Internal function to start the actual connection establishment.
     void start_connecting ();
 
@@ -96,19 +99,19 @@ class tcp_connecter_t : public own_t, public io_object_t
     //  retired_fd if the connection was unsuccessful.
     fd_t connect ();
 
+    //  Tunes a connected socket.
+    bool tune_socket (fd_t fd);
+
     //  Address to connect to. Owned by session_base_t.
     address_t *const addr;
 
     //  Underlying socket.
     fd_t s;
 
-    //  Handle corresponding to the listening socket.
+    //  Handle corresponding to the listening socket, if file descriptor is 
+    //  registered with the poller, or NULL.
     handle_t handle;
 
-    //  If true file descriptor is registered with the poller and 'handle'
-    //  contains valid value.
-    bool handle_valid;
-
     //  If true, connecter is waiting a while before trying to connect.
     const bool delayed_start;
 
diff --git a/src/tcp_listener.cpp b/src/tcp_listener.cpp
index cbddc724..e446fa98 100644
--- a/src/tcp_listener.cpp
+++ b/src/tcp_listener.cpp
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ zmq::tcp_listener_t::tcp_listener_t (io_thread_t *io_thread_,
 zmq::tcp_listener_t::~tcp_listener_t ()
 {
     zmq_assert (s == retired_fd);
+    zmq_assert (!handle);
 }
 
 void zmq::tcp_listener_t::process_plug ()
@@ -83,6 +84,7 @@ void zmq::tcp_listener_t::process_plug ()
 void zmq::tcp_listener_t::process_term (int linger_)
 {
     rm_fd (handle);
+    handle = (handle_t) NULL;
     close ();
     own_t::process_term (linger_);
 }