diff --git a/degesch.c b/degesch.c
index a8d7151..bfae437 100644
--- a/degesch.c
+++ b/degesch.c
@@ -4492,6 +4492,10 @@ irc_setup_connector_socks (struct server *s,
 		get_config_string (s->config, "socks_username"),
 		get_config_string (s->config, "socks_password"));
 	free (service);
+
+	// The SOCKS connector can have already failed; we mustn't return true then
+	if (!s->socks_conn)
+		FAIL ("SOCKS connection failed");
 	return true;
 }