diff --git a/src/peers.c b/src/peers.c
index d39898a57..59f934d78 100644
--- a/src/peers.c
+++ b/src/peers.c
@@ -1204,6 +1204,15 @@ static struct task *process_peer_sync(struct task * task)
 
 	task->expire = TICK_ETERNITY;
 
+	if (!st->sessions->peer->peers->peers_fe) {
+		/* this one was never started, kill it */
+		signal_unregister_handler(st->sighandler);
+		st->table->sync_task = NULL;
+		task_delete(st->sync_task);
+		task_free(st->sync_task);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
 	if (!stopping) {
 		/* Normal case (not soft stop)*/
 		if (((st->flags & SHTABLE_RESYNC_STATEMASK) == SHTABLE_RESYNC_FROMLOCAL) &&