diff --git a/src/pipe.cpp b/src/pipe.cpp
index 181fe87832..d64f026d26 100644
--- a/src/pipe.cpp
+++ b/src/pipe.cpp
@@ -537,6 +537,11 @@ bool zmq::pipe_t::check_hwm () const
     return !full;
 }
 
+bool zmq::pipe_t::is_active() const
+{
+    return active == _state;
+}
+
 void zmq::pipe_t::send_hwms_to_peer (int inhwm_, int outhwm_)
 {
     if (_state == active)
diff --git a/src/pipe.hpp b/src/pipe.hpp
index b5bc51e1e3..ace3f2e3eb 100644
--- a/src/pipe.hpp
+++ b/src/pipe.hpp
@@ -115,6 +115,8 @@ class pipe_t ZMQ_FINAL : public object_t,
     //  Returns true if HWM is not reached
     bool check_hwm () const;
 
+    bool is_active () const;
+
     void set_endpoint_pair (endpoint_uri_pair_t endpoint_pair_);
     const endpoint_uri_pair_t &get_endpoint_pair () const;
 
diff --git a/src/router.cpp b/src/router.cpp
index 53ec17c9d3..df4743b28d 100644
--- a/src/router.cpp
+++ b/src/router.cpp
@@ -185,12 +185,13 @@ int zmq::router_t::xsend (msg_t *msg_)
                 if (!_current_out->check_write ()) {
                     // Check whether pipe is full or not
                     const bool pipe_full = !_current_out->check_hwm ();
+                    const bool pipe_active = _current_out->is_active();
                     out_pipe->active = false;
                     _current_out = NULL;
 
                     if (_mandatory) {
                         _more_out = false;
-                        if (pipe_full)
+                        if (pipe_full && pipe_active)
                             errno = EAGAIN;
                         else
                             errno = EHOSTUNREACH;