diff --git a/activemq-core/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/broker/ft/MasterConnector.java b/activemq-core/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/broker/ft/MasterConnector.java
index bdaf12494b..96286cd6c7 100644
--- a/activemq-core/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/broker/ft/MasterConnector.java
+++ b/activemq-core/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/broker/ft/MasterConnector.java
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ import org.apache.activemq.command.Command;
 import org.apache.activemq.command.CommandTypes;
 import org.apache.activemq.command.ConnectionId;
 import org.apache.activemq.command.ConnectionInfo;
-import org.apache.activemq.command.ExceptionResponse;
 import org.apache.activemq.command.MessageDispatch;
 import org.apache.activemq.command.ProducerInfo;
 import org.apache.activemq.command.Response;
@@ -59,6 +58,7 @@ public class MasterConnector implements Service{
     private Transport remoteBroker;
     private TransportConnector connector;
     private AtomicBoolean masterActive=new AtomicBoolean(false);
+    private AtomicBoolean started=new AtomicBoolean(false);
     IdGenerator idGenerator=new IdGenerator();
 
     ConnectionInfo connectionInfo;
@@ -75,7 +75,10 @@ public class MasterConnector implements Service{
     }
 
     public void start() throws Exception{
-
+        if( !started.compareAndSet(false, true) ) {
+            return;
+        }
+            
         localBroker=TransportFactory.connect(localURI);
         remoteBroker=TransportFactory.connect(remoteURI);
         log.info("Starting a network connection between "+localBroker+" and "+remoteBroker+" has been established.");
@@ -84,16 +87,22 @@ public class MasterConnector implements Service{
             public void onCommand(Command command){
             }
             public void onException(IOException error){
-                serviceLocalException(error);
+                if( started.get() ) {
+                    serviceLocalException(error);
+                }
             }
         });
 
         remoteBroker.setTransportListener(new TransportListener(){
             public void onCommand(Command command){
-                serviceRemoteCommand(command);
+                if( started.get() ) {
+                    serviceRemoteCommand(command);
+                }
             }
             public void onException(IOException error){
-                serviceRemoteException(error);
+                if( started.get() ) {
+                    serviceRemoteException(error);
+                }
             }
         });
 
@@ -145,14 +154,18 @@ public class MasterConnector implements Service{
         log.info("Slave connection between "+localBroker+" and "+remoteBroker+" has been established.");
     }
 
-    public void stop() throws Exception{
+    public void stop() throws Exception{       
+        if( !started.compareAndSet(true, false) ) {
+            return;
+        }
+
         masterActive.set(false);
         try{
-            if (connectionInfo!=null){
-                localBroker.request(connectionInfo.createRemoveCommand());
-            }
-            localBroker.setTransportListener(null);
-            remoteBroker.setTransportListener(null);
+//            if (connectionInfo!=null){
+//                localBroker.request(connectionInfo.createRemoveCommand());
+//            }
+//            localBroker.setTransportListener(null);
+//            remoteBroker.setTransportListener(null);
             remoteBroker.oneway(new ShutdownInfo());
             localBroker.oneway(new ShutdownInfo());
         }catch(IOException e){
diff --git a/activemq-core/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/broker/region/RegionBroker.java b/activemq-core/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/broker/region/RegionBroker.java
index 7b5b8c90cc..50a572f25d 100755
--- a/activemq-core/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/broker/region/RegionBroker.java
+++ b/activemq-core/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/broker/region/RegionBroker.java
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ public class RegionBroker implements Broker {
 
     public void send(ConnectionContext context,  Message message) throws Throwable {
         message.getMessageId().setBrokerSequenceId(sequenceGenerator.getNextSequenceId());
-        if (message.getTimestamp() > 0 && (message.getBrokerPath() == null | message.getBrokerPath().length == 0)) { 
+        if (message.getTimestamp() > 0 && (message.getBrokerPath() == null || message.getBrokerPath().length == 0)) { 
             //timestamp not been disabled and has not passed through a network
             message.setTimestamp(System.currentTimeMillis());
         }