diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/channel/socket/nio/NioWorker.java b/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/channel/socket/nio/NioWorker.java
index bfad417067..3c7c059f7c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/channel/socket/nio/NioWorker.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/channel/socket/nio/NioWorker.java
@@ -89,14 +89,19 @@ class NioWorker implements Runnable {
         boolean firstChannel = started.compareAndSet(false, true);
         Selector selector;
         if (firstChannel) {
+            boolean success = false;
             selectorGuard.writeLock().lock();
             try {
                 this.selector = selector = Selector.open();
+                success = true;
             } catch (IOException e) {
                 throw new ChannelException(
                         "Failed to create a selector.", e);
             } finally {
                 selectorGuard.writeLock().unlock();
+                if (!success) {
+                    started.compareAndSet(true, false);
+                }
             }
         } else {
             selector = this.selector;