diff --git a/activemq-unit-tests/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/TestSupport.java b/activemq-unit-tests/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/TestSupport.java
index 37a74f9a1d..5f7216a437 100755
--- a/activemq-unit-tests/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/TestSupport.java
+++ b/activemq-unit-tests/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/TestSupport.java
@@ -238,4 +238,11 @@ public abstract class TestSupport extends CombinationTestSupport {
         assertFalse("Base directory cannot contain spaces.", new File(System.getProperty("basedir", ".")).getAbsoluteFile().toString().contains(" "));
     }
 
+    public void safeCloseConnection(Connection c) {
+        if (c != null) {
+            try {
+                c.close();
+            } catch (JMSException ignored) {}
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/activemq-unit-tests/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/broker/RedeliveryRestartWithExceptionTest.java b/activemq-unit-tests/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/broker/RedeliveryRestartWithExceptionTest.java
index 5d8b62ec81..2d840ab7c5 100644
--- a/activemq-unit-tests/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/broker/RedeliveryRestartWithExceptionTest.java
+++ b/activemq-unit-tests/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/broker/RedeliveryRestartWithExceptionTest.java
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ public class RedeliveryRestartWithExceptionTest extends TestSupport {
         assertNotNull("Expecting an exception when updateMessage fails", expectedException);                
         
         consumer.close();
-        connection.close();
+        safeCloseConnection(connection);
         
         restartBroker();
         
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ public class RedeliveryRestartWithExceptionTest extends TestSupport {
         assertNotNull("Expecting an exception when updateMessage fails", expectedException);
 
         consumer.close();
-        connection.close();
+        safeCloseConnection(connection);
 
         connection = (ActiveMQConnection) connectionFactory.createConnection();
         connection.start();