diff --git a/hbase-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/ipc/RpcClientImpl.java b/hbase-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/ipc/RpcClientImpl.java
index 664761566bc..c11273e4f22 100644
--- a/hbase-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/ipc/RpcClientImpl.java
+++ b/hbase-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/ipc/RpcClientImpl.java
@@ -939,7 +939,9 @@ public class RpcClientImpl extends AbstractRpcClient {
         } catch (IOException e) {
           // We set the value inside the synchronized block, this way the next in line
           //  won't even try to write
-          markClosed(e);
+          if (markClosed(e)) {
+            close();
+          }
           writeException = e;
           interrupt();
         }