diff --git a/src/context.rs b/src/context.rs
index 1a2680021..2e703ac15 100644
--- a/src/context.rs
+++ b/src/context.rs
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ impl<A, S> ActorHttpContext for HttpContext<A, S> where A: Actor<Context=Self>,
             mem::transmute(self as &mut HttpContext<A, S>)
         };
 
-        if self.inner.started() && self.inner.alive() {
+        if !self.inner.started() || self.inner.started() && self.inner.alive() {
             match self.inner.poll(ctx) {
                 Ok(Async::NotReady) | Ok(Async::Ready(())) => (),
                 Err(_) => return Err(ErrorInternalServerError("error").into()),
diff --git a/src/ws/context.rs b/src/ws/context.rs
index 26aa5cb10..7040345fb 100644
--- a/src/ws/context.rs
+++ b/src/ws/context.rs
@@ -204,8 +204,9 @@ impl<A, S> ActorHttpContext for WebsocketContext<A, S> where A: Actor<Context=Se
             mem::transmute(self as &mut WebsocketContext<A, S>)
         };
 
-        if self.inner.started() && self.inner.alive() && self.inner.poll(ctx).is_err() {
-            return Err(ErrorInternalServerError("error").into())
+        if (!self.inner.started() || self.inner.started() && self.inner.alive())
+            && self.inner.poll(ctx).is_err() {
+                return Err(ErrorInternalServerError("error").into())
         }
 
         // frames