diff --git a/org.eclipse.paho.client.mqttv3/src/main/java-templates/org/eclipse/paho/client/mqttv3/internal/ClientComms.java b/org.eclipse.paho.client.mqttv3/src/main/java-templates/org/eclipse/paho/client/mqttv3/internal/ClientComms.java
index b0c433498..d0248c592 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.paho.client.mqttv3/src/main/java-templates/org/eclipse/paho/client/mqttv3/internal/ClientComms.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.paho.client.mqttv3/src/main/java-templates/org/eclipse/paho/client/mqttv3/internal/ClientComms.java
@@ -22,8 +22,7 @@
 import java.util.Enumeration;
 import java.util.Properties;
 import java.util.Vector;
-import java.util.concurrent.ExecutorService;
-import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
+import java.util.concurrent.*;
 
 import org.eclipse.paho.client.mqttv3.BufferedMessage;
 import org.eclipse.paho.client.mqttv3.IMqttActionListener;
@@ -271,9 +270,8 @@ public void close(boolean force) throws MqttException {
 	 * @param token The {@link MqttToken} to track the connection
 	 * @throws MqttException if an error occurs when connecting
 	 */
-	public void connect(MqttConnectOptions options, MqttToken token) throws MqttException {
+	public synchronized void connect(MqttConnectOptions options, MqttToken token) throws MqttException {
 		final String methodName = "connect";
-		synchronized (conLock) {
 			if (isDisconnected() && !closePending) {
 				//@TRACE 214=state=CONNECTING
 				log.fine(CLASS_NAME,methodName,"214");
@@ -297,7 +295,11 @@ public void connect(MqttConnectOptions options, MqttToken token) throws MqttExce
 
 				tokenStore.open();
 				ConnectBG conbg = new ConnectBG(this, token, connect, executorService);
-				conbg.start();
+				try {
+					conbg.start();
+				} catch (MqttException e){
+					throw e;
+				}
 			}
 			else {
 				// @TRACE 207=connect failed: not disconnected {0}
@@ -312,7 +314,6 @@ public void connect(MqttConnectOptions options, MqttToken token) throws MqttExce
 					throw ExceptionHelper.createMqttException(MqttException.REASON_CODE_CLIENT_CONNECTED);
 				}
 			}
-		}
 	}
 
 	public void connectComplete( MqttConnack cack, MqttException mex) throws MqttException {
@@ -400,7 +401,8 @@ public void shutdownConnection(MqttToken token, MqttException reason) {
 			// Clean session handling and tidy up
 			clientState.disconnected(reason);
 			if (clientState.getCleanSession())
-				callback.removeMessageListeners();
+
+			callback.removeMessageListeners();
 		}catch(Exception ex) {
 			// Ignore as we are shutting down
 		}
@@ -417,8 +419,10 @@ public void shutdownConnection(MqttToken token, MqttException reason) {
 			}
 			
 		}catch(Exception ex) {
+
 			// Ignore as we are shutting down
 		}
+
 		// All disconnect logic has been completed allowing the
 		// client to be marked as disconnected.
 		synchronized(conLock) {
@@ -427,6 +431,7 @@ public void shutdownConnection(MqttToken token, MqttException reason) {
 
 			conState = DISCONNECTED;
 			stoppingComms = false;
+
 		}
 
 		// Internal disconnect processing has completed.  If there
@@ -436,6 +441,7 @@ public void shutdownConnection(MqttToken token, MqttException reason) {
 		// any outstanding tokens and unblock any waiters
 		if (endToken != null && callback != null) {
 			callback.asyncOperationComplete(endToken);
+
 		}
 
 		if (wasConnected && callback != null) {
@@ -449,6 +455,7 @@ public void shutdownConnection(MqttToken token, MqttException reason) {
 				try {
 					close(true);
 				} catch (Exception e) { // ignore any errors as closing
+
 				}
 			}
 		}
@@ -692,11 +699,17 @@ private class ConnectBG implements Runnable {
 			threadName = "MQTT Con: "+getClient().getClientId();
 		}
 
-		void start() {
+		void start() throws MqttException {
+			Future<?> exceptionFuture = null;
 			if (executorService == null) {
-				new Thread(this).start();
+				exceptionFuture = Executors.newSingleThreadExecutor().submit(this);
 			} else {
-				executorService.execute(this);
+				exceptionFuture = executorService.submit(this);
+			}
+			try {
+				Object g = exceptionFuture.get();;
+			} catch (Exception e) {
+				throw new MqttException(MqttException.REASON_CODE_SERVER_CONNECT_ERROR);
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -734,6 +747,7 @@ public void run() {
 				//@TRACE 212=connect failed: unexpected exception
 				log.fine(CLASS_NAME, methodName, "212", null, ex);
 				mqttEx = ex;
+
 			} catch (Exception ex) {
 				//@TRACE 209=connect failed: unexpected exception
 				log.fine(CLASS_NAME, methodName, "209", null, ex);
@@ -741,6 +755,8 @@ public void run() {
 			}
 
 			if (mqttEx != null) {
+				if(mqttEx.getReasonCode() == MqttException.REASON_CODE_SERVER_CONNECT_ERROR)
+					throw new RuntimeException(mqttEx);
 				shutdownConnection(conToken, mqttEx);
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/org.eclipse.paho.client.mqttv3/src/main/java/org/eclipse/paho/client/mqttv3/MqttAsyncClient.java b/org.eclipse.paho.client.mqttv3/src/main/java/org/eclipse/paho/client/mqttv3/MqttAsyncClient.java
index a5c0a8c28..13807b45e 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.paho.client.mqttv3/src/main/java/org/eclipse/paho/client/mqttv3/MqttAsyncClient.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.paho.client.mqttv3/src/main/java/org/eclipse/paho/client/mqttv3/MqttAsyncClient.java
@@ -763,7 +763,11 @@ public IMqttToken connect(MqttConnectOptions options, Object userContext, IMqttA
 		}
 
 		comms.setNetworkModuleIndex(0);
-		connectActionListener.connect();
+		try {
+			connectActionListener.connect();
+		} catch (MqttException e) {
+			throw e;
+		}
 
 		return userToken;
 	}
diff --git a/org.eclipse.paho.client.mqttv3/src/main/java/org/eclipse/paho/client/mqttv3/internal/ConnectActionListener.java b/org.eclipse.paho.client.mqttv3/src/main/java/org/eclipse/paho/client/mqttv3/internal/ConnectActionListener.java
index 5e8740a99..ec1d83ab6 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.paho.client.mqttv3/src/main/java/org/eclipse/paho/client/mqttv3/internal/ConnectActionListener.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.paho.client.mqttv3/src/main/java/org/eclipse/paho/client/mqttv3/internal/ConnectActionListener.java
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ public void onFailure(IMqttToken token, Throwable exception) {
       try {
         connect();
       }
-      catch (MqttPersistenceException e) {
+      catch (MqttException e) {
         onFailure(token, e); // try the next URI in the list
       }
     }
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ public void onFailure(IMqttToken token, Throwable exception) {
    * Start the connect processing
    * @throws MqttPersistenceException if an error is thrown whilst setting up persistence 
    */
-  public void connect() throws MqttPersistenceException {
+  public void connect() throws MqttException {
     MqttToken token = new MqttToken(client.getClientId());
     token.setActionCallback(this);
     token.setUserContext(this);
@@ -185,6 +185,8 @@ public void connect() throws MqttPersistenceException {
       comms.connect(options, token);
     }
     catch (MqttException e) {
+      if(e.getReasonCode() == MqttException.REASON_CODE_SERVER_CONNECT_ERROR)
+        throw e;
       onFailure(token, e);
     }
   }