diff --git a/openflow/ctl/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/openflow/controller/impl/OFChannelHandler.java b/openflow/ctl/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/openflow/controller/impl/OFChannelHandler.java
index 5047867..4ea2f71 100644
--- a/openflow/ctl/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/openflow/controller/impl/OFChannelHandler.java
+++ b/openflow/ctl/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/openflow/controller/impl/OFChannelHandler.java
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@
 import org.projectfloodlight.openflow.protocol.OFHelloElem;
 import org.projectfloodlight.openflow.protocol.OFMessage;
 import org.projectfloodlight.openflow.protocol.OFPacketIn;
-import org.projectfloodlight.openflow.protocol.OFPacketOut;
 import org.projectfloodlight.openflow.protocol.OFPortDescStatsReply;
 import org.projectfloodlight.openflow.protocol.OFPortDescStatsRequest;
 import org.projectfloodlight.openflow.protocol.OFPortStatus;
@@ -661,10 +660,9 @@
          * However, we could be more forgiving
          * @param h the channel handler that received the message
          * @param m the message
-         * @throws SwitchStateException
-         * @throws SwitchStateExeption we always through the execption
+         * @throws SwitchStateException we always throw the exception
          */
-        // needs to be protected because enum members are acutally subclasses
+        // needs to be protected because enum members are actually subclasses
         protected void illegalMessageReceived(OFChannelHandler h, OFMessage m)
                 throws SwitchStateException {
             String msg = getSwitchStateMessage(h, m,
@@ -1025,7 +1023,9 @@
                 // all state for the original switch (with the same dpid),
                 // which we obviously don't want.
                 log.info("{}:removal called", getSwitchInfoString());
-                sw.removeConnectedSwitch();
+                if (sw != null) {
+                    sw.removeConnectedSwitch();
+                }
             } else {
                 // A duplicate was disconnected on this ChannelHandler,
                 // this is the same switch reconnecting, but the original state was
diff --git a/openflow/ctl/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/openflow/drivers/impl/OFSwitchImplCPqD13.java b/openflow/ctl/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/openflow/drivers/impl/OFSwitchImplCPqD13.java
index c4c2e19..3d60dfa 100644
--- a/openflow/ctl/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/openflow/drivers/impl/OFSwitchImplCPqD13.java
+++ b/openflow/ctl/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/openflow/drivers/impl/OFSwitchImplCPqD13.java
@@ -1188,7 +1188,8 @@
                 .setHardTimeout(0)
                 .setXid(getNextTransactionId())
                 .build();
-        sendMsg(tableMissEntry);
+
+        write(tableMissEntry);
     }
 
     private void sendBarrier(boolean finalBarrier) {
@@ -1200,7 +1201,8 @@
                 .buildBarrierRequest()
                 .setXid(xid)
                 .build();
-        sendMsg(br);
+
+        write(br);
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -1210,7 +1212,7 @@
 
     @Override
     public void write(OFMessage msg) {
-        this.channel.write(msg);
+        this.channel.write(Collections.singletonList(msg));
 
     }