diff --git a/handler/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/ssl/SslHandler.java b/handler/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/ssl/SslHandler.java
index 6d67729c14..967f445d1e 100644
--- a/handler/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/ssl/SslHandler.java
+++ b/handler/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/ssl/SslHandler.java
@@ -658,8 +658,9 @@ public class SslHandler
                 NotSslRecordException e = new NotSslRecordException(
                         "not an SSL/TLS record: " + ByteBufUtil.hexDump(in));
                 in.skipBytes(in.readableBytes());
+                ctx.fireExceptionCaught(e);
                 setHandshakeFailure(e);
-                throw e;
+                return;
             }
         }