diff --git a/activemq-core/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/broker/TransportConnection.java b/activemq-core/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/broker/TransportConnection.java
index 27613bf4eb..12e65533f1 100755
--- a/activemq-core/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/broker/TransportConnection.java
+++ b/activemq-core/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/broker/TransportConnection.java
@@ -917,7 +917,7 @@ public class TransportConnection implements Connection, Task, CommandVisitor {
             }
         } catch (Exception e) {
             // Force clean up on an error starting up.
-            stop();
+            pendingStop = true;
             throw e;
         } finally {
             // stop() can be called from within the above block,