diff --git a/src/Socket2.cpp b/src/Socket2.cpp
index 6c535baa170128788cea318edf3a2f0c0de4bdaf..7cb26fb153be7f92d308a623808da69a37fb8070 100644
--- a/src/Socket2.cpp
+++ b/src/Socket2.cpp
@@ -532,14 +532,19 @@ void Socket2::write(const Tango::DevVarCharArray *argin)
 			{
 				delete argin_data;
 
-				string error_mesg = "Connection refused";
-
 				close();
 				open();
+
+				string error_mesg = "Connection refused";
 				DEBUG_STREAM << error_mesg << endl;
+
 				set_state( Tango::FAULT );
 				set_status( error_mesg );
 
+				sleep( tout.tv_sec );
+				usleep( tout.tv_usec );
+				timerclear( &tout );
+
 				Tango::Except::throw_exception( "",
 						error_mesg,
 						"Socket2::write()");
@@ -586,11 +591,12 @@ void Socket2::write(const Tango::DevVarCharArray *argin)
 
 	if( (bytes_total - output_queue_length()) != bytes_to_write )
 	{
-		string error_mesg = "Unable to send request to device";
-
 		close();
 		open();
+
+		string error_mesg = "Unable to send request to device";
 		DEBUG_STREAM << error_mesg << endl;
+
 		set_state( Tango::FAULT );
 		set_status( error_mesg );
 
@@ -997,9 +1003,11 @@ bool Socket2::read(timeval *tv)
 			close();
 			open();
 
-			DEBUG_STREAM << "Server shutting down" << endl;
+			string error_mesg = "Server shutting down";
+			DEBUG_STREAM << error_mesg << endl;
+
 			set_state(Tango::FAULT);
-			set_status("Server shutting down");
+			set_status(error_mesg);
 
 			sleep( tv->tv_sec );
 			usleep( tv->tv_usec );