diff --git a/src/context.rs b/src/context.rs
index aa6f4c49..1a268002 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.alive() {
+        if 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/pipeline.rs b/src/pipeline.rs
index b895be8c..0f9b3533 100644
--- a/src/pipeline.rs
+++ b/src/pipeline.rs
@@ -481,6 +481,7 @@ impl<S: 'static, H> ProcessResponse<S, H> {
                             }
                         }
 
+                        // always poll stream or actor for the first time
                         match self.resp.replace_body(Body::Empty) {
                             Body::Streaming(stream) => {
                                 self.iostate = IOState::Payload(stream);
diff --git a/src/ws/context.rs b/src/ws/context.rs
index 4b0775f6..26aa5cb1 100644
--- a/src/ws/context.rs
+++ b/src/ws/context.rs
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ impl<A, S> ActorHttpContext for WebsocketContext<A, S> where A: Actor<Context=Se
             mem::transmute(self as &mut WebsocketContext<A, S>)
         };
 
-        if self.inner.alive() && self.inner.poll(ctx).is_err() {
+        if self.inner.started() && self.inner.alive() && self.inner.poll(ctx).is_err() {
             return Err(ErrorInternalServerError("error").into())
         }