diff --git a/lib/net/pool.js b/lib/net/pool.js
index c3658c70..643f0776 100644
--- a/lib/net/pool.js
+++ b/lib/net/pool.js
@@ -1126,7 +1126,7 @@ Pool.prototype.handleOpen = function handleOpen(peer) {
 
     // If we don't have an ack'd
     // loader yet consider it dead.
-    if (!this.peers.load.handshake) {
+    if (this.peers.load && !this.peers.load.handshake) {
       assert(this.peers.load.loader);
       this.peers.load.loader = false;
       this.peers.load = null;