diff --git a/RCUSCC/RCUSCC/opcua_connection.py b/RCUSCC/RCUSCC/opcua_connection.py
index 282aa24b84b4515d836cd505dadc52bf6148dd0c..cfcfb74ab00416b79bfc2ccc8fbf263372c9f80c 100644
--- a/RCUSCC/RCUSCC/opcua_connection.py
+++ b/RCUSCC/RCUSCC/opcua_connection.py
@@ -74,6 +74,10 @@ class OPCUAConnection(Thread):
           Stop connecting & disconnect. Can take a few seconds for the timeouts to hit.
         """
 
+        if not self.ident:
+            # have not yet been started, so nothing to do
+            return
+
         self.stopping = True
         self.join()