diff --git a/utils/nio/src/main/java/org/onlab/nio/IOLoop.java b/utils/nio/src/main/java/org/onlab/nio/IOLoop.java
index 805b58a..dc3ecaf 100644
--- a/utils/nio/src/main/java/org/onlab/nio/IOLoop.java
+++ b/utils/nio/src/main/java/org/onlab/nio/IOLoop.java
@@ -93,14 +93,9 @@
      *
      * @param key selection key holding the pending connect operation.
      */
-    protected void connect(SelectionKey key) {
-        try {
-            SocketChannel ch = (SocketChannel) key.channel();
-            ch.finishConnect();
-        } catch (IOException | IllegalStateException e) {
-            log.warn("Unable to complete connection", e);
-        }
-
+    protected void connect(SelectionKey key) throws IOException {
+        SocketChannel ch = (SocketChannel) key.channel();
+        ch.finishConnect();
         if (key.isValid()) {
             key.interestOps(SelectionKey.OP_READ);
         }
@@ -124,7 +119,11 @@
 
             // If there is a pending connect operation, complete it.
             if (key.isConnectable()) {
-                connect(key);
+                try {
+                    connect(key);
+                } catch (IOException | IllegalStateException e) {
+                    log.warn("Unable to complete connection", e);
+                }
             }
 
             // If there is a read operation, slurp as much data as possible.
diff --git a/utils/nio/src/main/java/org/onlab/nio/MessageStream.java b/utils/nio/src/main/java/org/onlab/nio/MessageStream.java
index a7416e9..c38f0f5 100644
--- a/utils/nio/src/main/java/org/onlab/nio/MessageStream.java
+++ b/utils/nio/src/main/java/org/onlab/nio/MessageStream.java
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 import java.nio.channels.SelectionKey;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Objects;
 
 import static com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkArgument;
 import static com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkNotNull;
@@ -262,7 +263,7 @@
                 try {
                     channel.write(outbound);
                 } catch (IOException e) {
-                    if (!closed && !e.getMessage().equals("Broken pipe")) {
+                    if (!closed && !Objects.equals(e.getMessage(), "Broken pipe")) {
                         log.warn("Unable to write data", e);
                         ioError = e;
                     }