diff --git a/consumer.py b/consumer.py
index 4a94c2c..7c0128f 100644
--- a/consumer.py
+++ b/consumer.py
@@ -123,6 +123,9 @@ class MessageConsumer:
                 if hasattr(self.srv, "_on_connect"):
                     self.srv._on_connect()
 
+            elif msg.cmd == "ERROR":
+                self.srv.close()
+
             elif msg.cmd == "PING":
                 self.srv.write("%s :%s" % ("PONG", msg.params[0]))
 
diff --git a/server/IRC.py b/server/IRC.py
index 3d3c7b2..1abe8ef 100644
--- a/server/IRC.py
+++ b/server/IRC.py
@@ -69,5 +69,5 @@ class IRCServer(SocketServer):
 
 
     def _close(self):
-        self.write("QUIT")
-        SocketServer._close(self)
+        if self.socket is not None: self.write("QUIT")
+        return SocketServer._close(self)
diff --git a/server/socket.py b/server/socket.py
index e432abf..c3a4824 100644
--- a/server/socket.py
+++ b/server/socket.py
@@ -59,17 +59,23 @@ class SocketServer(AbstractServer):
     def _close(self):
         self._sending_queue.join()
         if self.socket is not None:
-            self.socket.shutdown(socket.SHUT_RDWR)
-            self.socket.close()
+            try:
+                self.socket.shutdown(socket.SHUT_RDWR)
+                self.socket.close()
+            except socket.error:
+                pass
             self.socket = None
+        return True
 
     def _write(self, cnt):
+        if self.socket is None: return
         self.socket.send(cnt)
 
     def format(self, txt):
         return txt.encode() + b'\r\n'
 
     def read(self):
+        if self.socket is None: return
         raw = self.socket.recv(1024)
         temp = (self.readbuffer + raw).split(b'\r\n')
         self.readbuffer = temp.pop()