diff --git a/zookeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/zookeeper/server/quorum/Leader.java b/zookeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/zookeeper/server/quorum/Leader.java
index ce8f7999c45..3de49ca4e45 100644
--- a/zookeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/zookeeper/server/quorum/Leader.java
+++ b/zookeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/zookeeper/server/quorum/Leader.java
@@ -515,13 +515,20 @@ private void acceptConnections() throws IOException {
                 boolean error = false;
                 try {
                     socket = serverSocket.accept();
+                    BufferedInputStream is;
 
-                    // start with the initLimit, once the ack is processed
-                    // in LearnerHandler switch to the syncLimit
-                    socket.setSoTimeout(self.tickTime * self.initLimit);
-                    socket.setTcpNoDelay(nodelay);
+                    try {
+                        // start with the initLimit, once the ack is processed
+                        // in LearnerHandler switch to the syncLimit
+                        socket.setSoTimeout(self.tickTime * self.initLimit);
+                        socket.setTcpNoDelay(nodelay);
+
+                        is = new BufferedInputStream(socket.getInputStream());
+                    } catch (IOException e) {
+                        error = true;
+                        return;  // close the socket at the finally block
+                    }
 
-                    BufferedInputStream is = new BufferedInputStream(socket.getInputStream());
                     LearnerHandler fh = new LearnerHandler(socket, is, Leader.this);
                     fh.start();
                 } catch (SocketException e) {