diff --git a/src/ipc_connecter.cpp b/src/ipc_connecter.cpp
index 818ff865..df3993dd 100644
--- a/src/ipc_connecter.cpp
+++ b/src/ipc_connecter.cpp
@@ -59,9 +59,13 @@ 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 (!handle_valid);
-    zmq_assert (s == retired_fd);
+    if (wait)
+        cancel_timer (reconnect_timer_id);
+    if (handle_valid)
+        rm_fd (handle);
+
+    if (s != retired_fd)
+        close ();
 }
 
 void zmq::ipc_connecter_t::process_plug ()
@@ -72,24 +76,6 @@ void zmq::ipc_connecter_t::process_plug ()
         start_connecting ();
 }
 
-void zmq::ipc_connecter_t::process_term (int linger_)
-{
-    if (wait) {
-        cancel_timer (reconnect_timer_id);
-        wait = false;
-    }
-
-    if (handle_valid) {
-        rm_fd (handle);
-        handle_valid = false;
-    }
-
-    if (s != retired_fd)
-        close ();
-
-    own_t::process_term (linger_);
-}
-
 void zmq::ipc_connecter_t::in_event ()
 {
     //  We are not polling for incomming data, so we are actually called
diff --git a/src/ipc_connecter.hpp b/src/ipc_connecter.hpp
index 604922b8..34df9776 100644
--- a/src/ipc_connecter.hpp
+++ b/src/ipc_connecter.hpp
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ namespace zmq
 
         //  Handlers for incoming commands.
         void process_plug ();
-        void process_term (int linger_);
 
         //  Handlers for I/O events.
         void in_event ();
diff --git a/src/ipc_listener.cpp b/src/ipc_listener.cpp
index 0033eef4..becf30dc 100644
--- a/src/ipc_listener.cpp
+++ b/src/ipc_listener.cpp
@@ -52,7 +52,8 @@ zmq::ipc_listener_t::ipc_listener_t (io_thread_t *io_thread_,
 
 zmq::ipc_listener_t::~ipc_listener_t ()
 {
-    zmq_assert (s == retired_fd);
+    if (s != retired_fd)
+        close ();
 }
 
 void zmq::ipc_listener_t::process_plug ()
diff --git a/src/tcp_connecter.cpp b/src/tcp_connecter.cpp
index 0a6fe128..407490c3 100644
--- a/src/tcp_connecter.cpp
+++ b/src/tcp_connecter.cpp
@@ -69,9 +69,13 @@ 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 (!handle_valid);
-    zmq_assert (s == retired_fd);
+    if (wait)
+        cancel_timer (reconnect_timer_id);
+    if (handle_valid)
+        rm_fd (handle);
+
+    if (s != retired_fd)
+        close ();
 }
 
 void zmq::tcp_connecter_t::process_plug ()
@@ -82,24 +86,6 @@ void zmq::tcp_connecter_t::process_plug ()
         start_connecting ();
 }
 
-void zmq::tcp_connecter_t::process_term (int linger_)
-{
-    if (wait) {
-        cancel_timer (reconnect_timer_id);
-        wait = false;
-    }
-
-    if (handle_valid) {
-        rm_fd (handle);
-        handle_valid = false;
-    }
-
-    if (s != retired_fd)
-        close ();
-
-    own_t::process_term (linger_);
-}
-
 void zmq::tcp_connecter_t::in_event ()
 {
     //  We are not polling for incomming data, so we are actually called
diff --git a/src/tcp_connecter.hpp b/src/tcp_connecter.hpp
index e1b26b23..a157dc55 100644
--- a/src/tcp_connecter.hpp
+++ b/src/tcp_connecter.hpp
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ namespace zmq
 
         //  Handlers for incoming commands.
         void process_plug ();
-        void process_term (int linger_);
 
         //  Handlers for I/O events.
         void in_event ();
diff --git a/src/tcp_listener.cpp b/src/tcp_listener.cpp
index 5fbe3cd9..173a22f1 100644
--- a/src/tcp_listener.cpp
+++ b/src/tcp_listener.cpp
@@ -61,7 +61,8 @@ zmq::tcp_listener_t::tcp_listener_t (io_thread_t *io_thread_,
 
 zmq::tcp_listener_t::~tcp_listener_t ()
 {
-    zmq_assert (s == retired_fd);
+    if (s != retired_fd)
+        close ();
 }
 
 void zmq::tcp_listener_t::process_plug ()