diff --git a/src/io/ble.js b/src/io/ble.js
index af0dc3086..cf6530f8d 100644
--- a/src/io/ble.js
+++ b/src/io/ble.js
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ class BLE extends JSONRPCWebSocket {
     }
 
     _sendError (/* e */) {
-        this.disconnect();
+        if (this._connected) this.disconnect();
         // log.error(`BLE error: ${JSON.stringify(e)}`);
         this._runtime.emit(this._runtime.constructor.PERIPHERAL_ERROR, {
             message: `Scratch lost connection to`,
diff --git a/src/io/bt.js b/src/io/bt.js
index 60e74ff00..bf492f84a 100644
--- a/src/io/bt.js
+++ b/src/io/bt.js
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ class BT extends JSONRPCWebSocket {
     }
 
     _sendError (/* e */) {
-        this.disconnect();
+        if (this._connected) this.disconnect();
         // log.error(`BT error: ${JSON.stringify(e)}`);
         this._runtime.emit(this._runtime.constructor.PERIPHERAL_ERROR, {
             message: `Scratch lost connection to`,