Index: libs/libmyth/mythcontext.cpp
===================================================================
--- libs/libmyth/mythcontext.cpp	(revision 14591)
+++ libs/libmyth/mythcontext.cpp	(working copy)
@@ -1001,7 +1001,7 @@
     QString server = gContext->GetSetting("MasterServerIP", "localhost");
     int port = gContext->GetNumSetting("MasterServerPort", 6543);
 
-    if (!d->eventSock)
+    if (!d->eventSock && !IsMasterBackend())
         d->eventSock = new MythSocket();
 
     if (!d->serverSock)
@@ -2708,6 +2708,15 @@
 {
     (void)sock;
 
+    if (!d->eventSock)
+    {
+        VERBOSE(VB_IMPORTANT, "MythContext: "
+                "Programmer Error: readyRead() called with no eventSock!"
+                "\n\t\t\tYou should not connect to the master backend "
+                "from the master backend using an event socket.");
+        return;
+    }
+
     while (d->eventSock->state() == MythSocket::Connected &&
            d->eventSock->bytesAvailable() > 0)
     {