diff --git a/src/connection.c b/src/connection.c
index 23b44a314..415cbdf78 100644
--- a/src/connection.c
+++ b/src/connection.c
@@ -168,7 +168,12 @@ static int connSocketWrite(connection *conn, const void *data, size_t data_len)
     int ret = write(conn->fd, data, data_len);
     if (ret < 0 && errno != EAGAIN) {
         conn->last_errno = errno;
-        conn->state = CONN_STATE_ERROR;
+
+        /* Don't overwrite the state of a connection that is not already
+         * connected, not to mess with handler callbacks.
+         */
+        if (conn->state == CONN_STATE_CONNECTED)
+            conn->state = CONN_STATE_ERROR;
     }
 
     return ret;
@@ -180,7 +185,12 @@ static int connSocketRead(connection *conn, void *buf, size_t buf_len) {
         conn->state = CONN_STATE_CLOSED;
     } else if (ret < 0 && errno != EAGAIN) {
         conn->last_errno = errno;
-        conn->state = CONN_STATE_ERROR;
+
+        /* Don't overwrite the state of a connection that is not already
+         * connected, not to mess with handler callbacks.
+         */
+        if (conn->state == CONN_STATE_CONNECTED)
+            conn->state = CONN_STATE_ERROR;
     }
 
     return ret;
diff --git a/src/replication.c b/src/replication.c
index be05254e8..445ee1970 100644
--- a/src/replication.c
+++ b/src/replication.c
@@ -1361,7 +1361,8 @@ void replicationSendNewlineToMaster(void) {
  * the new dataset received by the master. */
 void replicationEmptyDbCallback(void *privdata) {
     UNUSED(privdata);
-    replicationSendNewlineToMaster();
+    if (server.repl_state == REPL_STATE_TRANSFER)
+        replicationSendNewlineToMaster();
 }
 
 /* Once we have a link with the master and the synchronization was