diff --git a/src/xend_internal.c b/src/xend_internal.c
index 37e5934f1b4d7e75dd4df395c4d71a3f07aba8f4..33f3ff41d1d2ac82fe56f207156125284826de28 100644
--- a/src/xend_internal.c
+++ b/src/xend_internal.c
@@ -1673,6 +1673,7 @@ xenDaemonOpen(virConnectPtr conn, const char *name, int flags)
     /* A sort of "ping" to make sure the daemon is actually
        alive & well, rather than just assuming it is */
     if ((ret = xenDaemonGetVersion(conn, &version)) < 0) {
+      xenDaemonClose(conn);
       return ret;
     }