diff --git a/src/ssb.c b/src/ssb.c
index 614ef94d..3b7c42bc 100644
--- a/src/ssb.c
+++ b/src/ssb.c
@@ -2862,6 +2862,10 @@ static void _tf_ssb_connection_tunnel_callback(
 tf_ssb_connection_t* tf_ssb_connection_tunnel_create(tf_ssb_t* ssb, const char* portal_id, int32_t request_number, const char* target_id, int connect_flags)
 {
 	tf_ssb_connection_t* connection = tf_ssb_connection_get(ssb, portal_id);
+	if (!connection)
+	{
+		return NULL;
+	}
 
 	JSContext* context = ssb->context;
 	tf_ssb_connection_t* tunnel = tf_malloc(sizeof(tf_ssb_connection_t));
@@ -4446,8 +4450,7 @@ bool tf_ssb_tunnel_create(tf_ssb_t* ssb, const char* portal_id, const char* targ
 		tf_ssb_connection_rpc_send_json(connection, k_ssb_rpc_flag_stream | k_ssb_rpc_flag_new_request, request_number, "tunnel.connect", message, NULL, NULL, NULL);
 		JS_FreeValue(context, message);
 
-		tf_ssb_connection_tunnel_create(ssb, portal_id, request_number, target_id, connect_flags);
-		return true;
+		return tf_ssb_connection_tunnel_create(ssb, portal_id, request_number, target_id, connect_flags) != NULL;
 	}
 	return false;
 }