diff --git a/lib/http2.c b/lib/http2.c
index f478bfe1cb..2424eaf7f5 100644
--- a/lib/http2.c
+++ b/lib/http2.c
@@ -200,7 +200,9 @@ static bool http2_connisdead(struct Curl_easy *data, struct connectdata *conn)
               (int)nread);
         httpc->nread_inbuf = 0;
         httpc->inbuflen = nread;
-        (void)h2_process_pending_input(data, httpc, &result);
+        if(h2_process_pending_input(data, httpc, &result) < 0)
+          /* immediate error, considered dead */
+          dead = TRUE;
       }
       else
         /* the read failed so let's say this is dead anyway */