diff --git a/lib/core/connect.c b/lib/core/connect.c
index 4de7dff4e..f1c6bf4b8 100644
--- a/lib/core/connect.c
+++ b/lib/core/connect.c
@@ -87,9 +87,12 @@ lws_client_connect_via_info(const struct lws_client_connect_info *i)
 	wsi->pending_timeout = NO_PENDING_TIMEOUT;
 	wsi->position_in_fds_table = LWS_NO_FDS_POS;
 	wsi->c_port = i->port;
-	wsi->vhost = i->vhost;
-	if (!wsi->vhost)
-		wsi->vhost = i->context->vhost_list;
+
+	wsi->vhost = NULL;
+	if (!i->vhost)
+		lws_vhost_bind_wsi(i->context->vhost_list, wsi);
+	else
+		lws_vhost_bind_wsi(i->vhost, wsi);
 
 	if (!wsi->vhost) {
 		lwsl_err("%s: No vhost in the context\n", __func__);
@@ -97,8 +100,6 @@ lws_client_connect_via_info(const struct lws_client_connect_info *i)
 		goto bail;
 	}
 
-	lws_vhost_bind_wsi(wsi->vhost, wsi);
-
 	wsi->protocol = &wsi->vhost->protocols[0];
 	wsi->client_pipeline = !!(i->ssl_connection & LCCSCF_PIPELINE);
 
diff --git a/lib/core/libwebsockets.c b/lib/core/libwebsockets.c
index 404506f12..ffdcffc43 100644
--- a/lib/core/libwebsockets.c
+++ b/lib/core/libwebsockets.c
@@ -113,6 +113,8 @@ int lws_open(const char *__file, int __oflag, ...)
 void
 lws_vhost_bind_wsi(struct lws_vhost *vh, struct lws *wsi)
 {
+	if (wsi->vhost == vh)
+		return;
 	wsi->vhost = vh;
 	vh->count_bound_wsi++;
 	lwsl_info("%s: vh %s: count_bound_wsi %d\n",