diff --git a/src/merge_mining_client_tari.cpp b/src/merge_mining_client_tari.cpp
index b6d139d..d24c319 100644
--- a/src/merge_mining_client_tari.cpp
+++ b/src/merge_mining_client_tari.cpp
@@ -870,6 +870,10 @@ bool MergeMiningClientTari::TariServer::connect_upstream(TariClient* downstream)
 
 	upstream->m_pairedClient = downstream;
 	upstream->m_pairedClientSavedResetCounter = downstream->m_resetCounter;
+	upstream->m_connectionPending = true;
+
+	downstream->m_pairedClient = upstream;
+	downstream->m_pairedClientSavedResetCounter = upstream->m_resetCounter;
 
 	return true;
 }
@@ -885,18 +889,29 @@ const char* MergeMiningClientTari::TariServer::get_log_category() const
 
 MergeMiningClientTari::TariClient::TariClient()
 	: Client(m_buf, sizeof(m_buf))
+	, m_connectionPending(false)
 	, m_pairedClient(nullptr)
 	, m_pairedClientSavedResetCounter(std::numeric_limits<uint32_t>::max())
 {
 	m_buf[0] = '\0';
 }
 
+void MergeMiningClientTari::TariClient::reset()
+{
+	m_pendingData.clear();
+	m_connectionPending = false;
+
+	break_pairing();
+}
+
 void MergeMiningClientTari::TariClient::break_pairing()
 {
 	if (is_paired()) {
 		m_pairedClient->m_pairedClient = nullptr;
 		m_pairedClient->m_pairedClientSavedResetCounter = std::numeric_limits<uint32_t>::max();
-		m_pairedClient->close();
+		if (!m_pairedClient->m_connectionPending) {
+			m_pairedClient->close();
+		}
 	}
 	m_pairedClient = nullptr;
 	m_pairedClientSavedResetCounter = std::numeric_limits<uint32_t>::max();
@@ -914,10 +929,10 @@ bool MergeMiningClientTari::TariClient::on_connect()
 	}
 	else {
 		// The outgoing connection is ready now
+		m_connectionPending = false;
+
 		// Check if the incoming connection (downstream) has already sent something that needs to be relayed
 		TariClient* downstream = m_pairedClient;
-		downstream->m_pairedClient = this;
-		downstream->m_pairedClientSavedResetCounter = m_resetCounter;
 
 		const std::vector<uint8_t>& v = downstream->m_pendingData;
 
@@ -948,7 +963,7 @@ bool MergeMiningClientTari::TariClient::on_read(const char* data, uint32_t size)
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	if (!is_paired()) {
+	if (!is_paired() || m_pairedClient->m_connectionPending) {
 		LOGWARN(5, "Read " << size << " bytes from " << static_cast<char*>(m_addrString) << " but it's not paired yet. Buffering it.");
 		m_pendingData.insert(m_pendingData.end(), data, data + size);
 		return true;
diff --git a/src/merge_mining_client_tari.h b/src/merge_mining_client_tari.h
index aef1ae3..82a26f5 100644
--- a/src/merge_mining_client_tari.h
+++ b/src/merge_mining_client_tari.h
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ private:
 		static Client* allocate() { return new TariClient(); }
 		virtual size_t size() const override { return sizeof(TariClient); }
 
-		void reset() override { break_pairing(); }
+		void reset() override;
 		[[nodiscard]] bool on_connect() override;
 		[[nodiscard]] bool on_read(const char* data, uint32_t size) override;
 		void on_connect_failed(int /*err*/) override { break_pairing(); }
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ private:
 
 		alignas(8) char m_buf[BUF_SIZE];
 		std::vector<uint8_t> m_pendingData;
+		bool m_connectionPending;
 
 		bool is_paired() const { return m_pairedClient && (m_pairedClient->m_resetCounter == m_pairedClientSavedResetCounter); }