diff --git a/activemq-core/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/transport/TransportSupport.java b/activemq-core/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/transport/TransportSupport.java
index 13876047bf..21d65e2238 100644
--- a/activemq-core/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/transport/TransportSupport.java
+++ b/activemq-core/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/transport/TransportSupport.java
@@ -93,7 +93,12 @@ public abstract class TransportSupport extends ServiceSupport implements Transpo
      */
     public void onException(IOException e) {
         if (transportListener != null) {
-            transportListener.onException(e);
+            try {
+                transportListener.onException(e);
+            } catch (RuntimeException e2) {
+                // Handle any unexpected runtime exceptions by debug logging them.
+                LOG.debug("Unexpected runtime exception: "+e2, e2);
+            }
         }
     }