diff --git a/spring-integration-ip/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/tcp/connection/AbstractTcpConnection.java b/spring-integration-ip/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/tcp/connection/AbstractTcpConnection.java
index 44e5e58375..5db643e5a7 100644
--- a/spring-integration-ip/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/tcp/connection/AbstractTcpConnection.java
+++ b/spring-integration-ip/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/tcp/connection/AbstractTcpConnection.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2001-2011 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2001-2013 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicLong;
 
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
+
 import org.springframework.core.serializer.Deserializer;
 import org.springframework.core.serializer.Serializer;
 import org.springframework.integration.Message;
@@ -87,6 +88,9 @@ public abstract class AbstractTcpConnection implements TcpConnection {
 		try {
 			this.soLinger = socket.getSoLinger();
 		} catch (SocketException e) { }
+		if (logger.isDebugEnabled()) {
+			logger.debug("New connection " + this.getConnectionId());
+		}
 	}
 
 	public void afterSend(Message<?> message) throws Exception {
diff --git a/spring-integration-ip/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/tcp/connection/TcpNioServerConnectionFactory.java b/spring-integration-ip/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/tcp/connection/TcpNioServerConnectionFactory.java
index 78fa196f07..d7b85a8c82 100644
--- a/spring-integration-ip/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/tcp/connection/TcpNioServerConnectionFactory.java
+++ b/spring-integration-ip/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/tcp/connection/TcpNioServerConnectionFactory.java
@@ -156,17 +156,23 @@ public class TcpNioServerConnectionFactory extends AbstractServerConnectionFacto
 			channel.close();
 		}
 		else {
-			channel.configureBlocking(false);
-			Socket socket = channel.socket();
-			setSocketAttributes(socket);
-			TcpNioConnection connection = createTcpNioConnection(channel);
-			if (connection == null) {
-				return;
+			try {
+				channel.configureBlocking(false);
+				Socket socket = channel.socket();
+				setSocketAttributes(socket);
+				TcpNioConnection connection = createTcpNioConnection(channel);
+				if (connection == null) {
+					return;
+				}
+				connection.setTaskExecutor(this.getTaskExecutor());
+				connection.setLastRead(now);
+				this.channelMap.put(channel, connection);
+				channel.register(selector, SelectionKey.OP_READ, connection);
+			}
+			catch (Exception e) {
+				logger.error("Exception accepting new connection", e);
+				channel.close();
 			}
-			connection.setTaskExecutor(this.getTaskExecutor());
-			connection.setLastRead(now);
-			this.channelMap.put(channel, connection);
-			channel.register(selector, SelectionKey.OP_READ, connection);
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-integration-ip/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/util/TestingUtilities.java b/spring-integration-ip/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/util/TestingUtilities.java
index 671b4ab608..d01a7085ad 100644
--- a/spring-integration-ip/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/util/TestingUtilities.java
+++ b/spring-integration-ip/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/util/TestingUtilities.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2012 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2013 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -15,7 +15,12 @@
  */
 package org.springframework.integration.ip.util;
 
+import java.util.Collection;
+
+import org.springframework.beans.DirectFieldAccessor;
+import org.springframework.integration.ip.tcp.connection.AbstractConnectionFactory;
 import org.springframework.integration.ip.tcp.connection.AbstractServerConnectionFactory;
+import org.springframework.integration.ip.tcp.connection.TcpConnection;
 
 /**
  * Convenience class providing methods for testing IP components.
@@ -88,4 +93,32 @@ public class TestingUtilities {
 		}
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Wait for up to 10 seconds for the connection factory to have the specified number
+	 * of connections.
+	 * @param factory The factory.
+	 * @param n The required number of connections.
+	 * @throws Exception IllegalStateException if the count does not match.
+	 */
+	public static void waitUntilFactoryHasThisNumberOfConnections(AbstractConnectionFactory factory, int n)
+			throws Exception {
+		int timer = 0;
+		DirectFieldAccessor accessor = new DirectFieldAccessor(factory);
+		@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+		Collection<TcpConnection> connections = (Collection<TcpConnection>) accessor.getPropertyValue("connections");
+		while (timer < 10000) {
+			int open = 0;
+			for (TcpConnection connection : connections) {
+				if (connection.isOpen()) {
+					open++;
+				}
+			}
+			if (open == n) {
+				return;
+			}
+			Thread.sleep(100);
+			timer += 100;
+		}
+		throw new IllegalStateException("Connections=" + connections.size() + "wanted=" + n);
+	}
 }
diff --git a/spring-integration-ip/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/tcp/connection/FailoverClientConnectionFactoryTests.java b/spring-integration-ip/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/tcp/connection/FailoverClientConnectionFactoryTests.java
index fd607c6470..143515898b 100644
--- a/spring-integration-ip/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/tcp/connection/FailoverClientConnectionFactoryTests.java
+++ b/spring-integration-ip/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/tcp/connection/FailoverClientConnectionFactoryTests.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2012 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2013 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ import org.junit.Test;
 import org.mockito.Mockito;
 import org.mockito.invocation.InvocationOnMock;
 import org.mockito.stubbing.Answer;
+
 import org.springframework.integration.Message;
 import org.springframework.integration.MessageChannel;
 import org.springframework.integration.MessagingException;
@@ -335,7 +336,7 @@ public class FailoverClientConnectionFactoryTests {
 		Message<?> replyMessage = replyChannel.receive(10000);
 		assertNotNull(replyMessage);
 		server1.stop();
-		TestingUtilities.waitStopListening(server1, null);
+		TestingUtilities.waitUntilFactoryHasThisNumberOfConnections(client1, 0);
 		outGateway.handleMessage(message);
 		socket = getSocket(client2);
 		port2 = socket.getLocalPort();
@@ -343,6 +344,7 @@ public class FailoverClientConnectionFactoryTests {
 		replyMessage = replyChannel.receive(10000);
 		assertNotNull(replyMessage);
 		gateway2.stop();
+		outGateway.stop();
 	}
 
 	private Socket getSocket(AbstractClientConnectionFactory client) throws Exception {