diff --git a/jetty-client/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/client/SelectConnector.java b/jetty-client/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/client/SelectConnector.java
index caadb23c274..c2274ef5eda 100644
--- a/jetty-client/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/client/SelectConnector.java
+++ b/jetty-client/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/client/SelectConnector.java
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ package org.eclipse.jetty.client;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.net.SocketTimeoutException;
+import java.net.UnknownHostException;
 import java.nio.channels.SelectionKey;
 import java.nio.channels.SocketChannel;
 import java.nio.channels.UnresolvedAddressException;
@@ -110,11 +111,17 @@ class SelectConnector extends AbstractLifeCycle implements HttpClient.Connector
                 {
                     channel.connect(address.toSocketAddress());
                 }
-                catch (UnresolvedAddressException ex)
+                catch (UnresolvedAddressException uae)
                 {
                     channel.close();
-                    throw ex;
+                    throw uae;
                 }
+                catch ( UnknownHostException uhe )
+                {
+                    channel.close();
+                    throw uhe;
+                }
+                
                 _selectorManager.register(channel,destination);
                 ConnectTimeout connectTimeout = new ConnectTimeout(channel,destination);
                 _httpClient.schedule(connectTimeout,_httpClient.getConnectTimeout());