diff --git a/src/backend.c b/src/backend.c
index 9276fa6b2..46e59eac5 100644
--- a/src/backend.c
+++ b/src/backend.c
@@ -1130,7 +1130,8 @@ int connect_server(struct stream *s)
 	srv_cs = objt_cs(s->si[1].end);
 	if (srv_cs) {
 		old_conn = srv_conn = cs_conn(srv_cs);
-		if (old_conn)
+		if (old_conn &&
+		    !(old_conn->flags & (CO_FL_ERROR | CO_FL_WAIT_L4_CONN)))
 			reuse = 1;
 	} else {
 		for (i = 0; i < MAX_SRV_LIST; i++) {