diff --git a/activemq-http/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/transport/ws/AbstractMQTTSocket.java b/activemq-http/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/transport/ws/AbstractMQTTSocket.java
index 5f67d8a3a0..21c8f5e95f 100644
--- a/activemq-http/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/transport/ws/AbstractMQTTSocket.java
+++ b/activemq-http/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/transport/ws/AbstractMQTTSocket.java
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ import org.fusesource.mqtt.codec.MQTTFrame;
 
 public abstract class AbstractMQTTSocket extends TransportSupport implements MQTTTransport, BrokerServiceAware {
 
-    protected MQTTProtocolConverter protocolConverter = null;
+    protected volatile MQTTProtocolConverter protocolConverter = null;
     protected MQTTWireFormat wireFormat = new MQTTWireFormat();
     protected final MQTTInactivityMonitor mqttInactivityMonitor = new MQTTInactivityMonitor(this, wireFormat);
     protected final CountDownLatch socketTransportStarted = new CountDownLatch(1);
@@ -123,7 +123,11 @@ public abstract class AbstractMQTTSocket extends TransportSupport implements MQT
 
     protected MQTTProtocolConverter getProtocolConverter() {
         if (protocolConverter == null) {
-            protocolConverter = new MQTTProtocolConverter(this, brokerService);
+            synchronized(this) {
+                if (protocolConverter == null) {
+                    protocolConverter = new MQTTProtocolConverter(this, brokerService);
+                }
+            }
         }
 
         return protocolConverter;
diff --git a/activemq-http/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/transport/ws/MQTTWSTransportTest.java b/activemq-http/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/transport/ws/MQTTWSTransportTest.java
index f304ada8af..b62442a834 100644
--- a/activemq-http/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/transport/ws/MQTTWSTransportTest.java
+++ b/activemq-http/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/transport/ws/MQTTWSTransportTest.java
@@ -72,6 +72,20 @@ public class MQTTWSTransportTest extends WSTransportTestSupport {
         super.tearDown();
     }
 
+    @Test(timeout = 60000)
+    public void testConnectCycles() throws Exception {
+        for (int i = 0; i < 10; ++i) {
+            testConnect();
+
+            wsMQTTConnection = new MQTTWSConnection();
+
+            wsClient.open(wsConnectUri, wsMQTTConnection);
+            if (!wsMQTTConnection.awaitConnection(30, TimeUnit.SECONDS)) {
+                throw new IOException("Could not connect to MQTT WS endpoint");
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     @Test(timeout = 60000)
     public void testConnect() throws Exception {