diff --git a/support/ab.c b/support/ab.c

index bf76406..80c1b74 100644

--- a/support/ab.c

+++ b/support/ab.c

@@ -1346,11 +1346,21 @@ static void read_connection(struct connection * c)

                      && good == 0) {

                 return;

             }

+            else if (scode == SSL_ERROR_SYSCALL

+                     && status == 0

+                     && c->read != 0) {

+                /* connection closed, but in violation of the protocol, after

+                 * some data has already been read; this commonly happens, so

+                 * let the length check catch any response errors

+                 */

+                good++;

+                close_connection(c);

+            }

             else if (scode != SSL_ERROR_WANT_WRITE

                      && scode != SSL_ERROR_WANT_READ) {

                 /* some fatal error: */

                 c->read = 0;

-                BIO_printf(bio_err, "SSL read failed (%d) - closing connection\n", scode);

+                BIO_printf(bio_err, "SSL read failed (%d) - closing connection\n", scode);

                 ERR_print_errors(bio_err);

                 close_connection(c);

             }