diff --git a/lib/vtls/rustls.c b/lib/vtls/rustls.c
index 430c840f05..fcd4f7289e 100644
--- a/lib/vtls/rustls.c
+++ b/lib/vtls/rustls.c
@@ -1138,6 +1138,7 @@ static CURLcode cr_connect(struct Curl_cfilter *cf, struct Curl_easy *data,
   CURLcode result;
   bool wants_read;
   bool wants_write;
+  ssize_t nread;
 
   DEBUGASSERT(backend);
 
@@ -1280,7 +1281,13 @@ static CURLcode cr_connect(struct Curl_cfilter *cf, struct Curl_easy *data,
 
     if(wants_read) {
       CURL_TRC_CF(data, cf, "rustls_connection wants us to read_tls.");
-      if(tls_recv_more(cf, data, &tmperr) < 0) {
+      nread = tls_recv_more(cf, data, &tmperr);
+      if(nread == 0) {
+        connssl->peer_closed = TRUE;
+        failf(data, "TLS connect error: Connection closed abruptly");
+        return CURLE_SSL_CONNECT_ERROR;
+      }
+      if(nread < 0) {
         if(tmperr == CURLE_AGAIN) {
           CURL_TRC_CF(data, cf, "reading would block");
           connssl->io_need = CURL_SSL_IO_NEED_RECV;