diff --git a/ssl/tls1_svr.c b/ssl/tls1_svr.c
index 1a99ac1fa..1717ceff3 100644
--- a/ssl/tls1_svr.c
+++ b/ssl/tls1_svr.c
@@ -198,14 +198,14 @@ int process_sslv23_client_hello(SSL *ssl)
 
     DISPLAY_BYTES(ssl, "received %d bytes", buf, read_len, read_len);
     
-    add_packet(ssl, buf, read_len);
-
     /* connection has gone, so die */
-    if (bytes_needed < 0)
+    if (read_len < 0)
     {
         return SSL_ERROR_CONN_LOST;
     }
 
+    add_packet(ssl, buf, read_len);
+
     /* now work out what cipher suite we are going to use */
     for (j = 0; j < NUM_PROTOCOLS; j++)
     {