diff --git a/plugins/net_plugin/net_plugin.cpp b/plugins/net_plugin/net_plugin.cpp
index 4b821a2b861..9c5810669ad 100644
--- a/plugins/net_plugin/net_plugin.cpp
+++ b/plugins/net_plugin/net_plugin.cpp
@@ -1940,6 +1940,14 @@ namespace eosio {
 
       if (colon == std::string::npos || colon == 0) {
          elog ("Invalid peer address. must be \"host:port\": ${p}", ("p",c->peer_addr));
+         for ( auto itr : connections ) {
+            if((*itr).peer_addr == c->peer_addr) {
+               (*itr).reset();
+               close(itr);
+               connections.erase(itr);
+               break;
+            }
+         }
          return;
       }