diff --git a/http.c b/http.c
index 8838e192..e17808ef 100644
--- a/http.c
+++ b/http.c
@@ -2066,6 +2066,11 @@ evhttp_send(struct evhttp_request *req, struct evbuffer *databuf)
 {
 	struct evhttp_connection *evcon = req->evcon;
 
+	if (evcon == NULL) {
+		evhttp_request_free(req);
+		return;
+	}
+
 	EVUTIL_ASSERT(TAILQ_FIRST(&evcon->requests) == req);
 
 	/* we expect no more calls form the user on this request */
diff --git a/include/event2/http.h b/include/event2/http.h
index a56526e8..2c5ebf4c 100644
--- a/include/event2/http.h
+++ b/include/event2/http.h
@@ -374,7 +374,12 @@ void evhttp_request_own(struct evhttp_request *req);
 /** Returns 1 if the request is owned by the user */
 int evhttp_request_is_owned(struct evhttp_request *req);
 
-/** Returns the connection object associated with the request or NULL */
+/**
+ * Returns the connection object associated with the request or NULL
+ *
+ * The server needs to either free the request explicitly or call
+ * evhttp_send_reply_end().
+ */
 struct evhttp_connection *evhttp_request_get_connection(struct evhttp_request *req);
 
 void evhttp_connection_set_max_headers_size(struct evhttp_connection *evcon,