diff --git a/modules/transport-netty4/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/transport/netty4/Netty4Transport.java b/modules/transport-netty4/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/transport/netty4/Netty4Transport.java
index f85330ef759..3b011ff4e40 100644
--- a/modules/transport-netty4/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/transport/netty4/Netty4Transport.java
+++ b/modules/transport-netty4/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/transport/netty4/Netty4Transport.java
@@ -321,8 +321,8 @@ public class Netty4Transport extends TcpTransport<Channel> {
                 listener.onResponse(channel);
             } else {
                 final Throwable cause = f.cause();
-                logger.error("write and flush on the network layer failed", cause);
                 Netty4Utils.maybeDie(cause);
+                logger.error("write and flush on the network layer failed", cause);
                 assert cause instanceof Exception;
                 listener.onFailure((Exception) cause);
             }