diff --git a/include/libwebsockets/lws-stats.h b/include/libwebsockets/lws-stats.h
index 53a686d11..58d02dee3 100644
--- a/include/libwebsockets/lws-stats.h
+++ b/include/libwebsockets/lws-stats.h
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ enum {
 	LWSSTATS_US_SSL_RX_DELAY_AVG, /**< aggregate delay between ssl accept complete and first RX */
 	LWSSTATS_C_PEER_LIMIT_AH_DENIED, /**< number of times we would have given an ah but for the peer limit */
 	LWSSTATS_C_PEER_LIMIT_WSI_DENIED, /**< number of times we would have given a wsi but for the peer limit */
-	LWSSTATS_C_CONNECTIONS_CLIENT, /**< attempted client conns */
-	LWSSTATS_C_CONNECTIONS_CLIENT_FAILED, /**< failed client conns */
+	LWSSTATS_C_CONNS_CLIENT, /**< attempted client conns */
+	LWSSTATS_C_CONNS_CLIENT_FAILED, /**< failed client conns */
 
 	/* Add new things just above here ---^
 	 * This is part of the ABI, don't needlessly break compatibility
diff --git a/lib/core-net/close.c b/lib/core-net/close.c
index d5ac4aa2f..f561e94e7 100644
--- a/lib/core-net/close.c
+++ b/lib/core-net/close.c
@@ -127,6 +127,24 @@ lws_close_trans_q_leader(struct lws_dll2 *d, void *user)
 
 	return 0;
 }
+
+void
+lws_inform_client_conn_fail(struct lws *wsi, void *arg, size_t len)
+{
+	if (wsi->already_did_cce)
+		return;
+
+	wsi->already_did_cce = 1;
+	lws_stats_bump(&wsi->context->pt[(int)wsi->tsi],
+		       LWSSTATS_C_CONNS_CLIENT_FAILED, 1);
+
+	if (!wsi->protocol)
+		return;
+
+	wsi->protocol->callback(wsi,
+			        LWS_CALLBACK_CLIENT_CONNECTION_ERROR,
+				wsi->user_space, arg, len);
+}
 #endif
 
 void
@@ -349,13 +367,13 @@ just_kill_connection:
 		wsi->protocol_bind_balance = 0;
 	}
 
+#if !defined(LWS_NO_CLIENT)
 	if ((lwsi_state(wsi) == LRS_WAITING_SERVER_REPLY ||
 	     lwsi_state(wsi) == LRS_WAITING_CONNECT) &&
 	     !wsi->already_did_cce && wsi->protocol)
-		wsi->protocol->callback(wsi,
-				        LWS_CALLBACK_CLIENT_CONNECTION_ERROR,
-					wsi->user_space,
-					(void *)"closed before established", 24);
+		lws_inform_client_conn_fail(wsi,
+				(void *)"closed before established", 24);
+#endif
 
 	/*
 	 * Testing with ab shows that we have to stage the socket close when
diff --git a/lib/core-net/connect.c b/lib/core-net/connect.c
index a3c34564c..8eacb8184 100644
--- a/lib/core-net/connect.c
+++ b/lib/core-net/connect.c
@@ -45,8 +45,9 @@ lws_client_connect_via_info(const struct lws_client_connect_info *i)
 	struct lws *wsi, *safe = NULL;
 	const struct lws_protocols *p;
 	const char *local = i->protocol;
+	int tid = 0;
 #if LWS_MAX_SMP > 1
-	int n, tid;
+	int n;
 #endif
 
 	if (i->context->requested_kill)
@@ -56,6 +57,11 @@ lws_client_connect_via_info(const struct lws_client_connect_info *i)
 		if (lws_protocol_init(i->context))
 			return NULL;
 
+#if LWS_MAX_SMP > 1
+	tid = wsi->vhost->protocols[0].callback(wsi, LWS_CALLBACK_GET_THREAD_ID,
+						NULL, NULL, 0);
+#endif
+
 	/*
 	 * If we have .local_protocol_name, use it to select the local protocol
 	 * handler to bind to.  Otherwise use .protocol if http[s].
@@ -63,6 +69,8 @@ lws_client_connect_via_info(const struct lws_client_connect_info *i)
 	if (i->local_protocol_name)
 		local = i->local_protocol_name;
 
+	lws_stats_bump(&i->context->pt[tid], LWSSTATS_C_CONNS_CLIENT, 1);
+
 	/* PHASE 1: create a bare wsi */
 
 	wsi = lws_zalloc(sizeof(struct lws), "client wsi");
@@ -91,9 +99,6 @@ lws_client_connect_via_info(const struct lws_client_connect_info *i)
 	 */
 
 #if LWS_MAX_SMP > 1
-	tid = wsi->vhost->protocols[0].callback(wsi, LWS_CALLBACK_GET_THREAD_ID,
-						NULL, NULL, 0);
-
 	lws_context_lock(i->context, "client find tsi");
 
 	for (n = 0; n < i->context->count_threads; n++)
@@ -110,10 +115,6 @@ lws_client_connect_via_info(const struct lws_client_connect_info *i)
 	 */
 
 	lws_context_unlock(i->context);
-
-	lws_stats_bump(&i->context->pt[tid], LWSSTATS_C_CONNECTIONS_CLIENT, 1);
-#else
-	lws_stats_bump(&i->context->pt[0], LWSSTATS_C_CONNECTIONS_CLIENT, 1);
 #endif
 
 	/*
@@ -308,5 +309,7 @@ bail2:
 	if (i->pwsi)
 		*i->pwsi = NULL;
 
+	lws_stats_bump(&i->context->pt[tid], LWSSTATS_C_CONNS_CLIENT_FAILED, 1);
+
 	return NULL;
 }
diff --git a/lib/core-net/private.h b/lib/core-net/private.h
index 77789328b..37bf0668c 100644
--- a/lib/core-net/private.h
+++ b/lib/core-net/private.h
@@ -1121,6 +1121,9 @@ lws_buflist_aware_consume(struct lws *wsi, struct lws_tokens *ebuf, int used,
 extern const struct lws_protocols protocol_abs_client_raw_skt,
 				  protocol_abs_client_unit_test;
 
+void
+lws_inform_client_conn_fail(struct lws *wsi, void *arg, size_t len);
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 };
 #endif
diff --git a/lib/core-net/wsi-timeout.c b/lib/core-net/wsi-timeout.c
index 0e65c0129..88d0cb301 100644
--- a/lib/core-net/wsi-timeout.c
+++ b/lib/core-net/wsi-timeout.c
@@ -107,11 +107,11 @@ lws_sul_wsitimeout_cb(lws_sorted_usec_list_t *sul)
 		 * don't try to do protocol cleanup like flush partials.
 		 */
 		wsi->socket_is_permanently_unusable = 1;
-	if (lwsi_state(wsi) == LRS_WAITING_SSL && wsi->protocol)
-		wsi->protocol->callback(wsi,
-			LWS_CALLBACK_CLIENT_CONNECTION_ERROR,
-			wsi->user_space,
+#if !defined(LWS_NO_CLIENT)
+	if (lwsi_state(wsi) == LRS_WAITING_SSL)
+		lws_inform_client_conn_fail(wsi,
 			(void *)"Timed out waiting SSL", 21);
+#endif
 
 	__lws_close_free_wsi(wsi, LWS_CLOSE_STATUS_NOSTATUS, "timeout");
 }
diff --git a/lib/roles/http/client/client-handshake.c b/lib/roles/http/client/client-handshake.c
index a2767c53a..53498ec9d 100644
--- a/lib/roles/http/client/client-handshake.c
+++ b/lib/roles/http/client/client-handshake.c
@@ -198,10 +198,7 @@ send_hs:
 	return wsi;
 
 failed:
-	wsi->protocol->callback(wsi,
-		LWS_CALLBACK_CLIENT_CONNECTION_ERROR,
-		wsi->user_space, (void *)cce, strlen(cce));
-	wsi->already_did_cce = 1;
+	lws_inform_client_conn_fail(wsi, (void *)cce, strlen(cce));
 
 	lws_close_free_wsi(wsi, LWS_CLOSE_STATUS_NOSTATUS, "client_connect2");
 
@@ -735,12 +732,9 @@ ads_known:
 
 
 oom4:
-	if (lwsi_role_client(wsi) && wsi->protocol /* && lwsi_state_est(wsi) */) {
-		wsi->protocol->callback(wsi,
-			LWS_CALLBACK_CLIENT_CONNECTION_ERROR,
-			wsi->user_space, (void *)cce, strlen(cce));
-		wsi->already_did_cce = 1;
-	}
+	if (lwsi_role_client(wsi) && wsi->protocol /* && lwsi_state_est(wsi) */)
+		lws_inform_client_conn_fail(wsi,(void *)cce, strlen(cce));
+
 	/* take care that we might be inserted in fds already */
 	if (wsi->position_in_fds_table != LWS_NO_FDS_POS)
 		goto failed1;
@@ -763,10 +757,8 @@ oom4:
 	return NULL;
 
 failed:
-	wsi->protocol->callback(wsi,
-		LWS_CALLBACK_CLIENT_CONNECTION_ERROR,
-		wsi->user_space, (void *)cce, strlen(cce));
-	wsi->already_did_cce = 1;
+	lws_inform_client_conn_fail(wsi, (void *)cce, strlen(cce));
+
 failed1:
 	lws_close_free_wsi(wsi, LWS_CLOSE_STATUS_NOSTATUS, "client_connect2");
 
diff --git a/lib/roles/http/client/client.c b/lib/roles/http/client/client.c
index dc9882814..65b7c548b 100644
--- a/lib/roles/http/client/client.c
+++ b/lib/roles/http/client/client.c
@@ -565,10 +565,8 @@ bail3:
 		lwsl_info("closing conn at LWS_CONNMODE...SERVER_REPLY\n");
 		if (cce)
 			lwsl_info("reason: %s\n", cce);
-		wsi->protocol->callback(wsi,
-			LWS_CALLBACK_CLIENT_CONNECTION_ERROR,
-			wsi->user_space, (void *)cce, strlen(cce));
-		wsi->already_did_cce = 1;
+		lws_inform_client_conn_fail(wsi, (void *)cce, strlen(cce));
+
 		lws_close_free_wsi(wsi, LWS_CLOSE_STATUS_NOSTATUS, "cbail3");
 		return -1;
 
@@ -1030,12 +1028,9 @@ bail2:
 		n = 0;
 		if (cce)
 			n = (int)strlen(cce);
-		w->protocol->callback(w,
-				LWS_CALLBACK_CLIENT_CONNECTION_ERROR,
-				w->user_space, (void *)cce,
-				(unsigned int)n);
+
+		lws_inform_client_conn_fail(wsi, (void *)cce, (unsigned int)n);
 	}
-	wsi->already_did_cce = 1;
 
 	lwsl_info("closing connection (prot %s) "
 		  "due to bail2 connection error: %s\n", wsi->protocol ?