diff --git a/src/network/ssl/qsslsocket.cpp b/src/network/ssl/qsslsocket.cpp
index 05f50af6f1..e3dd6ae0c5 100644
--- a/src/network/ssl/qsslsocket.cpp
+++ b/src/network/ssl/qsslsocket.cpp
@@ -1630,6 +1630,10 @@ void QSslSocket::startClientEncryption()
         qWarning("QSslSocket::startClientEncryption: cannot start handshake on non-plain connection");
         return;
     }
+    if (state() != ConnectedState) {
+        qWarning("QSslSocket::startClientEncryption: cannot start handshake when not connected");
+        return;
+    }
 #ifdef QSSLSOCKET_DEBUG
     qDebug() << "QSslSocket::startClientEncryption()";
 #endif
diff --git a/tests/auto/network/ssl/qsslsocket/tst_qsslsocket.cpp b/tests/auto/network/ssl/qsslsocket/tst_qsslsocket.cpp
index 378aff924d..a83611e2b5 100644
--- a/tests/auto/network/ssl/qsslsocket/tst_qsslsocket.cpp
+++ b/tests/auto/network/ssl/qsslsocket/tst_qsslsocket.cpp
@@ -195,6 +195,7 @@ private slots:
     void setEmptyDefaultConfiguration();
     void versionAccessors();
     void sslOptions();
+    void encryptWithoutConnecting();
 
     static void exitLoop()
     {
@@ -2122,6 +2123,18 @@ void tst_QSslSocket::sslOptions()
 #endif
 }
 
+void tst_QSslSocket::encryptWithoutConnecting()
+{
+    if (!QSslSocket::supportsSsl())
+        return;
+
+    QTest::ignoreMessage(QtWarningMsg,
+                         "QSslSocket::startClientEncryption: cannot start handshake when not connected");
+
+    QSslSocket sock;
+    sock.startClientEncryption();
+}
+
 #endif // QT_NO_OPENSSL
 
 QTEST_MAIN(tst_QSslSocket)