diff --git a/degesch.c b/degesch.c
index b186125..2033497 100644
--- a/degesch.c
+++ b/degesch.c
@@ -6600,6 +6600,15 @@ irc_toggle_cap (struct server *s, const char *cap, bool active)
 	if (!strcasecmp_ascii (cap, "sasl"))         s->cap_sasl         = active;
 }
 
+static void
+irc_try_finish_cap_negotiation (struct server *s)
+{
+	// It does not make sense to do this post-registration, although it would
+	// not hurt either, as the server must ignore it in that case
+	if (s->state == IRC_CONNECTED)
+		irc_send (s, "CAP END");
+}
+
 static void
 irc_handle_cap (struct server *s, const struct irc_message *msg)
 {
@@ -6629,15 +6638,14 @@ irc_handle_cap (struct server *s, const struct irc_message *msg)
 		}
 		if (s->cap_sasl && s->transport == &g_transport_tls)
 			irc_send (s, "AUTHENTICATE EXTERNAL");
-		else if (s->state == IRC_CONNECTED)
-			irc_send (s, "CAP END");
+		else
+			irc_try_finish_cap_negotiation (s);
 	}
 	else if (!strcasecmp_ascii (subcommand, "NAK"))
 	{
 		log_server_error (s, s->buffer,
 			"#s: #S", "Capabilities not acknowledged", args);
-		if (s->state == IRC_CONNECTED)
-			irc_send (s, "CAP END");
+		irc_try_finish_cap_negotiation (s);
 	}
 	else if (!strcasecmp_ascii (subcommand, "DEL"))
 	{
@@ -8002,8 +8010,7 @@ irc_process_numeric (struct server *s,
 	case IRC_ERR_SASLTOOLONG:
 	case IRC_ERR_SASLABORTED:
 	case IRC_ERR_SASLALREADY:
-		if (s->state == IRC_CONNECTED)
-			irc_send (s, "CAP END");
+		irc_try_finish_cap_negotiation (s);
 		break;
 
 	case IRC_RPL_LIST: