diff --git a/src/Io/LazyConnection.php b/src/Io/LazyConnection.php
index 2dc35f2..3f5d69f 100644
--- a/src/Io/LazyConnection.php
+++ b/src/Io/LazyConnection.php
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ private function idle()
     {
         --$this->pending;
 
-        if ($this->pending < 1 && $this->idlePeriod >= 0) {
+        if ($this->pending < 1 && $this->idlePeriod >= 0 && $this->connecting !== null) {
             $this->idleTimer = $this->loop->addTimer($this->idlePeriod, function () {
                 $this->connecting->then(function (ConnectionInterface $connection) {
                     $this->disconnecting = $connection;
diff --git a/tests/Io/LazyConnectionTest.php b/tests/Io/LazyConnectionTest.php
index 18e9c22..7f4dac9 100644
--- a/tests/Io/LazyConnectionTest.php
+++ b/tests/Io/LazyConnectionTest.php
@@ -513,6 +513,29 @@ public function testPingWillRejectAndStartTimerWhenPingFromUnderlyingConnectionR
         $ret->then($this->expectCallableNever(), $this->expectCallableOnceWith($error));
     }
 
+    public function testPingWillRejectAndNotStartIdleTimerWhenPingFromUnderlyingConnectionRejectsBecauseConnectionIsDead()
+    {
+        $error = new \RuntimeException();
+
+        $base = $this->getMockBuilder('React\MySQL\Io\LazyConnection')->setMethods(array('ping', 'close'))->disableOriginalConstructor()->getMock();
+        $base->expects($this->once())->method('ping')->willReturnCallback(function () use ($base, $error) {
+            $base->emit('close');
+            return \React\Promise\reject($error);
+        });
+        $base->expects($this->never())->method('close');
+
+        $factory = $this->getMockBuilder('React\MySQL\Factory')->disableOriginalConstructor()->getMock();
+        $factory->expects($this->once())->method('createConnection')->willReturn(\React\Promise\resolve($base));
+
+        $loop = $this->getMockBuilder('React\EventLoop\LoopInterface')->getMock();
+        $loop->expects($this->never())->method('addTimer');
+
+        $connection = new LazyConnection($factory, '', $loop);
+
+        $ret = $connection->ping();
+        $ret->then($this->expectCallableNever(), $this->expectCallableOnceWith($error));
+    }
+
     public function testQuitResolvesAndEmitsCloseImmediatelyWhenConnectionIsNotAlreadyPending()
     {
         $factory = $this->getMockBuilder('React\MySQL\Factory')->disableOriginalConstructor()->getMock();