diff --git a/spring-rabbit/src/main/java/org/springframework/amqp/rabbit/connection/SingleConnectionFactory.java b/spring-rabbit/src/main/java/org/springframework/amqp/rabbit/connection/SingleConnectionFactory.java
index a8f82ec5..b3416536 100644
--- a/spring-rabbit/src/main/java/org/springframework/amqp/rabbit/connection/SingleConnectionFactory.java
+++ b/spring-rabbit/src/main/java/org/springframework/amqp/rabbit/connection/SingleConnectionFactory.java
@@ -41,11 +41,8 @@ public class SingleConnectionFactory implements ConnectionFactory, DisposableBea
 
 	private final com.rabbitmq.client.ConnectionFactory rabbitConnectionFactory;
 
-	/** Raw Rabbit Connection */
-	private Connection targetConnection;
-
 	/** Proxy Connection */
-	private Connection connection;
+	private SharedConnectionProxy connection;
 
 	/** Synchronization monitor for the shared Connection */
 	private final Object connectionMonitor = new Object();
@@ -142,14 +139,7 @@ public class SingleConnectionFactory implements ConnectionFactory, DisposableBea
 	public final Connection createConnection() throws AmqpException {
 		synchronized (this.connectionMonitor) {
 			if (this.connection == null) {
-				if (this.targetConnection != null) {
-					RabbitUtils.closeConnection(this.targetConnection);
-				}
-				this.targetConnection = doCreateConnection();
-				if (logger.isInfoEnabled()) {
-					logger.info("Established shared Rabbit Connection: " + this.targetConnection);
-				}
-				this.connection = new SharedConnectionProxy(this.targetConnection);
+				this.connection = new SharedConnectionProxy(doCreateConnection());
 			}
 			this.listener.onCreate(connection);
 		}
@@ -164,11 +154,7 @@ public class SingleConnectionFactory implements ConnectionFactory, DisposableBea
 	 */
 	public final void destroy() {
 		synchronized (this.connectionMonitor) {
-			if (this.targetConnection != null) {
-				listener.onClose(targetConnection);
-				RabbitUtils.closeConnection(this.targetConnection);
-			}
-			this.targetConnection = null;
+			this.connection.destroy();
 			this.connection = null;
 		}
 		reset();
@@ -231,9 +217,9 @@ public class SingleConnectionFactory implements ConnectionFactory, DisposableBea
 		}
 
 		public Channel createChannel(boolean transactional) {
-			if (!target.isOpen()) {
+			if (target==null || !target.isOpen()) {
 				synchronized (this) {
-					if (!target.isOpen()) {
+					if (target==null || !target.isOpen()) {
 						logger.debug("Detected closed connection. Opening a new one before creating Channel.");
 						target = createBareConnection();
 					}
@@ -245,6 +231,14 @@ public class SingleConnectionFactory implements ConnectionFactory, DisposableBea
 
 		public void close() {
 		}
+		
+		public void destroy() {
+			if (this.target != null) {
+				listener.onClose(target);
+				RabbitUtils.closeConnection(this.target);
+			}
+			this.target = null;
+		}
 
 		public boolean isOpen() {
 			return target != null && target.isOpen();
diff --git a/spring-rabbit/src/test/java/org/springframework/amqp/rabbit/connection/SingleConnectionFactoryTests.java b/spring-rabbit/src/test/java/org/springframework/amqp/rabbit/connection/SingleConnectionFactoryTests.java
index c6d8d35a..9a4a7d70 100644
--- a/spring-rabbit/src/test/java/org/springframework/amqp/rabbit/connection/SingleConnectionFactoryTests.java
+++ b/spring-rabbit/src/test/java/org/springframework/amqp/rabbit/connection/SingleConnectionFactoryTests.java
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.atLeastOnce;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.mock;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.never;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.times;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.verify;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;
 
@@ -50,5 +51,29 @@ public class SingleConnectionFactoryTests {
 		verify(mockConnection, atLeastOnce()).close();
 
 	}
+	
+	@Test
+	public void testCloseInvalidConnection() throws Exception {
+
+		com.rabbitmq.client.ConnectionFactory mockConnectionFactory = mock(com.rabbitmq.client.ConnectionFactory.class);
+		com.rabbitmq.client.Connection mockConnection1 = mock(com.rabbitmq.client.Connection.class);
+		com.rabbitmq.client.Connection mockConnection2 = mock(com.rabbitmq.client.Connection.class);
+
+		when(mockConnectionFactory.newConnection()).thenReturn(mockConnection1).thenReturn(mockConnection2);
+		// simulate a dead connection
+		when(mockConnection1.isOpen()).thenReturn(false);
+
+		SingleConnectionFactory connectionFactory = new SingleConnectionFactory(mockConnectionFactory);
+		
+		Connection connection = connectionFactory.createConnection();
+		// the dead connection should be discarded
+		connection.createChannel(false);
+		verify(mockConnectionFactory, times(2)).newConnection();
+		verify(mockConnection2, times(1)).createChannel();
+		
+		connectionFactory.destroy();
+		verify(mockConnection2, times(1)).close();
+
+	}
 
 }