diff --git a/spring-integration-ip/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/tcp/connection/CachingClientConnectionFactory.java b/spring-integration-ip/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/tcp/connection/CachingClientConnectionFactory.java
index 8e451b19f1..7f7a123b10 100644
--- a/spring-integration-ip/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/tcp/connection/CachingClientConnectionFactory.java
+++ b/spring-integration-ip/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/tcp/connection/CachingClientConnectionFactory.java
@@ -153,7 +153,15 @@ public class CachingClientConnectionFactory extends AbstractClientConnectionFact
 				messageBuilder.setHeader(IpHeaders.ACTUAL_CONNECTION_ID,
 						message.getHeaders().get(IpHeaders.CONNECTION_ID));
 			}
-			this.getListener().onMessage(messageBuilder.build());
+			TcpListener listener = getListener();
+			if (listener != null) {
+				listener.onMessage(messageBuilder.build());
+			}
+			else {
+				if (logger.isDebugEnabled()) {
+					logger.debug("Message discarded; no listener: " + message);
+				}
+			}
 			close(); // return to pool after response is received
 			return true; // true so the single-use connection doesn't close itself
 		}
@@ -187,8 +195,18 @@ public class CachingClientConnectionFactory extends AbstractClientConnectionFact
 	}
 
 	@Override
-	public boolean equals(Object obj) {
-		return targetConnectionFactory.equals(obj);
+	public boolean equals(Object o) {
+		if (this == o) {
+			return true;
+		}
+		if (o == null || getClass() != o.getClass()) {
+			return false;
+		}
+
+		CachingClientConnectionFactory that = (CachingClientConnectionFactory) o;
+
+		return this.targetConnectionFactory.equals(that.targetConnectionFactory);
+
 	}
 
 	@Override
diff --git a/spring-integration-ip/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/tcp/connection/CachingClientConnectionFactoryTests.java b/spring-integration-ip/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/tcp/connection/CachingClientConnectionFactoryTests.java
index 820ed1a780..29283789d9 100644
--- a/spring-integration-ip/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/tcp/connection/CachingClientConnectionFactoryTests.java
+++ b/spring-integration-ip/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/tcp/connection/CachingClientConnectionFactoryTests.java
@@ -15,16 +15,19 @@
  */
 package org.springframework.integration.ip.tcp.connection;
 
+import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.startsWith;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertFalse;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotSame;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertSame;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertThat;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
 import static org.junit.Assert.fail;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.doAnswer;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.doThrow;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.mock;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.spy;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.verify;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;
 
@@ -39,8 +42,10 @@ import java.util.concurrent.Executors;
 import java.util.concurrent.Semaphore;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicBoolean;
 
+import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.junit.Test;
 import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
+import org.mockito.ArgumentCaptor;
 import org.mockito.Mockito;
 import org.mockito.invocation.InvocationOnMock;
 import org.mockito.stubbing.Answer;
@@ -59,6 +64,8 @@ import org.springframework.messaging.Message;
 import org.springframework.messaging.MessagingException;
 import org.springframework.messaging.PollableChannel;
 import org.springframework.messaging.SubscribableChannel;
+import org.springframework.messaging.support.ErrorMessage;
+import org.springframework.messaging.support.GenericMessage;
 import org.springframework.test.annotation.DirtiesContext;
 import org.springframework.test.annotation.DirtiesContext.ClassMode;
 import org.springframework.test.context.ContextConfiguration;
@@ -102,6 +109,16 @@ public class CachingClientConnectionFactoryTests {
 		CachingClientConnectionFactory cachingFactory = new CachingClientConnectionFactory(factory, 2);
 		cachingFactory.start();
 		TcpConnection conn1 = cachingFactory.getConnection();
+		// INT-3652
+		TcpConnectionInterceptorSupport cachedConn1 = (TcpConnectionInterceptorSupport) conn1;
+		Log logger = spy(TestUtils.getPropertyValue(cachedConn1, "logger", Log.class));
+		when(logger.isDebugEnabled()).thenReturn(true);
+		new DirectFieldAccessor(cachedConn1).setPropertyValue("logger", logger);
+		cachedConn1.onMessage(new ErrorMessage(new RuntimeException()));
+		ArgumentCaptor<String> captor = ArgumentCaptor.forClass(String.class);
+		verify(logger).debug(captor.capture());
+		assertThat(captor.getValue(), startsWith("Message discarded; no listener:"));
+		// end INT-3652
 		assertEquals("Cached:" + mockConn1.toString(), conn1.toString());
 		conn1.close();
 		conn1 = cachingFactory.getConnection();