diff --git a/activemq-core/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/transport/failover/FailoverTransport.java b/activemq-core/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/transport/failover/FailoverTransport.java
index 92b421595f..6d5817bdf7 100755
--- a/activemq-core/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/transport/failover/FailoverTransport.java
+++ b/activemq-core/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/transport/failover/FailoverTransport.java
@@ -195,9 +195,17 @@ public class FailoverTransport implements CompositeTransport {
 
 
     public final void handleTransportFailure(IOException e) throws InterruptedException {
-        
+        if (LOG.isTraceEnabled()) {
+            LOG.trace(this + " handleTransportFailure: " + e);
+        }
         Transport transport = connectedTransport.getAndSet(null);
-        if( transport!=null ) {
+        if (transport == null) {
+            // sync with possible in progress reconnect
+            synchronized (reconnectMutex) {
+                transport = connectedTransport.getAndSet(null); 
+            }
+        }
+        if (transport != null) {
             
             transport.setTransportListener(disposedListener);
             ServiceSupport.dispose(transport);
diff --git a/activemq-core/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/bugs/AMQ2183Test.java b/activemq-core/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/bugs/AMQ2183Test.java
index f84d9d157b..980ce2e502 100644
--- a/activemq-core/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/bugs/AMQ2183Test.java
+++ b/activemq-core/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/bugs/AMQ2183Test.java
@@ -17,10 +17,15 @@
 package org.apache.activemq.bugs;
 
 
+import java.io.IOException;
 import java.lang.Thread.UncaughtExceptionHandler;
 import java.net.URI;
+import java.net.URISyntaxException;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap;
+import java.util.concurrent.CountDownLatch;
+import java.util.concurrent.Executors;
+import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
 
 import javax.jms.Connection;
 import javax.jms.JMSException;
@@ -29,8 +34,6 @@ import javax.jms.MessageListener;
 import javax.jms.MessageProducer;
 import javax.jms.Session;
 
-import junit.framework.TestCase;
-
 import org.apache.activemq.ActiveMQConnectionFactory;
 import org.apache.activemq.AutoFailTestSupport;
 import org.apache.activemq.broker.BrokerService;
@@ -79,7 +82,9 @@ public class AMQ2183Test extends AutoFailTestSupport implements UncaughtExceptio
         t.start();
         Thread.sleep(2000);
         masterUrl = master.getTransportConnectors().get(0).getConnectUri();
-        
+    }
+
+    private void startSlave() throws IOException, Exception, URISyntaxException {
         slave.setBrokerName("Slave");
         slave.deleteAllMessages();
         slave.addConnector("tcp://localhost:0");
@@ -111,8 +116,27 @@ public class AMQ2183Test extends AutoFailTestSupport implements UncaughtExceptio
         ActiveMQConnectionFactory connectionFactory = new ActiveMQConnectionFactory(
                 "failover:(" + masterUrl + ")?randomize=false");
     
-        Connection connection = connectionFactory.createConnection();
-        connection.start();
+        final Connection connection = connectionFactory.createConnection();
+        final CountDownLatch startCommenced = new CountDownLatch(1);
+        final CountDownLatch startDone = new CountDownLatch(1);
+        
+        // start will be blocked pending slave connection but should resume after slave started
+        Executors.newSingleThreadExecutor().execute(new Runnable() {
+            public void run() {
+                startCommenced.countDown();
+                try {
+                    connection.start();
+                    startDone.countDown();
+                } catch (Exception e) {
+                    exceptions.put(Thread.currentThread(), e);
+                }
+            }});
+        
+       
+        assertTrue("connection.start has commenced", startCommenced.await(10, TimeUnit.SECONDS));
+        startSlave();
+        assertTrue("connection.start done", startDone.await(70, TimeUnit.SECONDS));
+        
         final MessageCounter counterA = new MessageCounter();
         connection.createSession(false, Session.AUTO_ACKNOWLEDGE).createConsumer(new ActiveMQQueue("Consumer.A.VirtualTopic.T")).setMessageListener(counterA);