diff --git a/websocketpp/endpoint.hpp b/websocketpp/endpoint.hpp
index de4b5f668b..d6e0ec7a8d 100644
--- a/websocketpp/endpoint.hpp
+++ b/websocketpp/endpoint.hpp
@@ -287,10 +287,13 @@ protected:
      *
      * @return the connection_ptr. May be NULL if the handle was invalid.
      */
-    connection_ptr get_con_from_hdl(connection_hdl hdl) {
+    connection_ptr get_con_from_hdl(connection_hdl hdl, lib::error_code & ec) {
         scoped_lock_type lock(m_mutex);
         connection_ptr con = lib::static_pointer_cast<connection_type,void>(
             hdl.lock());
+        if (!con) {
+            ec = error::make_error_code(error::bad_connection);
+        }
         return con;
     }
     
diff --git a/websocketpp/impl/endpoint_impl.hpp b/websocketpp/impl/endpoint_impl.hpp
index 23e1c64013..591dd01301 100644
--- a/websocketpp/impl/endpoint_impl.hpp
+++ b/websocketpp/impl/endpoint_impl.hpp
@@ -91,11 +91,8 @@ template <typename connection, typename config>
 void endpoint<connection,config>::interrupt(connection_hdl hdl, 
     lib::error_code & ec)
 {
-    connection_ptr con = get_con_from_hdl(hdl);
-    if (!con) {
-        ec = error::make_error_code(error::bad_connection);
-        return;
-    }
+    connection_ptr con = get_con_from_hdl(hdl,ec);
+    if (ec) {return;}
     
     m_alog.write(log::alevel::devel,"Interrupting connection"+con.get());
     
@@ -113,11 +110,8 @@ template <typename connection, typename config>
 void endpoint<connection,config>::send(connection_hdl hdl, 
     const std::string& payload, frame::opcode::value op, lib::error_code & ec)
 {
-    connection_ptr con = get_con_from_hdl(hdl);
-    if (!con) {
-        ec = error::make_error_code(error::bad_connection);
-        return;
-    }
+    connection_ptr con = get_con_from_hdl(hdl,ec);
+    if (ec) {return;}
 
     ec = con->send(payload,op);
 }
@@ -135,11 +129,9 @@ template <typename connection, typename config>
 void endpoint<connection,config>::send(connection_hdl hdl, message_ptr msg, 
     lib::error_code & ec)
 {
-    connection_ptr con = get_con_from_hdl(hdl);
-    if (!con) {
         ec = error::make_error_code(error::bad_connection);
-        return;
-    }
+    connection_ptr con = get_con_from_hdl(hdl,ec);
+    if (ec) {return;}
 
     ec = con->send(msg);
 }