diff --git a/server/core/backend.cc b/server/core/backend.cc
index 3dd915ca6..6ffa3777d 100644
--- a/server/core/backend.cc
+++ b/server/core/backend.cc
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ Backend::~Backend()
 
 void Backend::close(close_type type)
 {
+    ss_dassert(m_dcb->n_close == 0);
+
     if (!m_closed)
     {
         m_closed = true;
diff --git a/server/modules/protocol/MySQL/mariadbbackend/mysql_backend.c b/server/modules/protocol/MySQL/mariadbbackend/mysql_backend.c
index 02a428348..6769d503f 100644
--- a/server/modules/protocol/MySQL/mariadbbackend/mysql_backend.c
+++ b/server/modules/protocol/MySQL/mariadbbackend/mysql_backend.c
@@ -599,13 +599,8 @@ static void gw_reply_on_error(DCB *dcb, mxs_auth_state_t state)
     MXS_SESSION *session = dcb->session;
     CHK_SESSION(session);
 
-    if (!dcb->dcb_errhandle_called)
-    {
-        do_handle_error(dcb, ERRACT_REPLY_CLIENT,
-                        "Authentication with backend failed. Session will be closed.");
-        session->state = SESSION_STATE_STOPPING;
-        dcb->dcb_errhandle_called = true;
-    }
+    do_handle_error(dcb, ERRACT_REPLY_CLIENT,
+                    "Authentication with backend failed. Session will be closed.");
 }
 
 /**
@@ -1348,7 +1343,7 @@ static int gw_backend_close(DCB *dcb)
         session->state == SESSION_STATE_STOPPING &&
         session->client_dcb->state == DCB_STATE_POLLING)
     {
-        dcb_close(session->client_dcb);
+        poll_fake_hangup_event(session->client_dcb);
     }
 
     return 1;