diff --git a/src/adaptors/tcp_lite/tcp_lite.c b/src/adaptors/tcp_lite/tcp_lite.c
index 7a2747c32..dd65d7d88 100644
--- a/src/adaptors/tcp_lite/tcp_lite.c
+++ b/src/adaptors/tcp_lite/tcp_lite.c
@@ -445,7 +445,9 @@ static void free_connection_IO(void *context)
     tcplite_connection_t *conn = (tcplite_connection_t*) context;
     qd_log(LOG_TCP_ADAPTOR, QD_LOG_DEBUG, "[C%"PRIu64"] Cleaning up resources", conn->conn_id);
 
-    // disable activation via Core thread
+    // Disable activation via Core thread. The lock needs to be taken to ensure the core thread is not currently
+    // attempting to activate the connection: after the mutex is unlocked we're guaranteed no further activations can
+    // take place.
     sys_mutex_lock(&conn->activation_lock);
     CLEAR_ATOMIC_FLAG(&conn->raw_opened);
     sys_mutex_unlock(&conn->activation_lock);
@@ -1208,9 +1210,7 @@ static uint64_t handle_first_outbound_delivery_CSIDE(tcplite_connector_t *cr, qd
     // The raw connection establishment must be the last thing done in this function.
     // After this call, a separate IO thread may immediately be invoked in the context
     // of the new connection to handle raw connection events.
-    // ISSUE-1202 - Set the conn->raw_opened flag before calling pn_proactor_raw_connect()
     //
-    SET_ATOMIC_FLAG(&conn->raw_opened);
     pn_proactor_raw_connect(tcplite_context->proactor, conn->raw_conn, cr->adaptor_config->host_port);
 
     return QD_DELIVERY_MOVED_TO_NEW_LINK;
@@ -1586,14 +1586,15 @@ static void connection_run_LSIDE_IO(tcplite_connection_t *conn)
 
         switch (conn->state) {
         case LSIDE_INITIAL:
-            // raw connection is active
-            if (conn->tls) {
-                qd_log(LOG_TCP_ADAPTOR, QD_LOG_DEBUG, "[C%"PRIu64"] LSIDE_IO performing TLS handshake", conn->conn_id);
-                set_state_XSIDE_IO(conn, LSIDE_TLS_HANDSHAKE);
-                repeat = true;
-            } else {
-                link_setup_LSIDE_IO(conn);
-                set_state_XSIDE_IO(conn, LSIDE_LINK_SETUP);
+            if (IS_ATOMIC_FLAG_SET(&conn->raw_opened)) { // raw connection is active
+                if (conn->tls) {
+                    qd_log(LOG_TCP_ADAPTOR, QD_LOG_DEBUG, "[C%"PRIu64"] LSIDE_IO performing TLS handshake", conn->conn_id);
+                    set_state_XSIDE_IO(conn, LSIDE_TLS_HANDSHAKE);
+                    repeat = true;
+                } else {
+                    link_setup_LSIDE_IO(conn);
+                    set_state_XSIDE_IO(conn, LSIDE_LINK_SETUP);
+                }
             }
             break;
 
@@ -1685,9 +1686,10 @@ static void connection_run_CSIDE_IO(tcplite_connection_t *conn)
 
         switch (conn->state) {
         case CSIDE_INITIAL:
-            // raw connection is active
-            link_setup_CSIDE_IO(conn, conn->outbound_delivery);
-            set_state_XSIDE_IO(conn, CSIDE_LINK_SETUP);
+            if (IS_ATOMIC_FLAG_SET(&conn->raw_opened)) { // raw connection is active
+                link_setup_CSIDE_IO(conn, conn->outbound_delivery);
+                set_state_XSIDE_IO(conn, CSIDE_LINK_SETUP);
+            }
             break;
 
         case CSIDE_LINK_SETUP:
@@ -1835,10 +1837,15 @@ static char *get_tls_negotiated_alpn(qd_message_t *msg)
 static void on_connection_event_LSIDE_IO(pn_event_t *e, qd_server_t *qd_server, void *context)
 {
     SET_THREAD_RAW_IO;
-    tcplite_connection_t *conn = (tcplite_connection_t*) context;
-    qd_log(LOG_TCP_ADAPTOR, QD_LOG_DEBUG, "[C%"PRIu64"] on_connection_event_LSIDE_IO: %s", conn->conn_id, pn_event_type_name(pn_event_type(e)));
-
-    if (pn_event_type(e) == PN_RAW_CONNECTION_DISCONNECTED) {
+    pn_event_type_t       etype = pn_event_type(e);
+    tcplite_connection_t *conn  = (tcplite_connection_t*) context;
+    qd_log(LOG_TCP_ADAPTOR, QD_LOG_DEBUG, "[C%"PRIu64"] on_connection_event_LSIDE_IO: %s", conn->conn_id, pn_event_type_name(etype));
+
+    if (etype == PN_RAW_CONNECTION_CONNECTED) {
+        // it is safe to call pn_raw_connection_wake() now
+        assert(!IS_ATOMIC_FLAG_SET(&conn->raw_opened));
+        SET_ATOMIC_FLAG(&conn->raw_opened);
+    } else if (etype == PN_RAW_CONNECTION_DISCONNECTED) {
         conn->error = !!conn->raw_conn ? pn_raw_connection_condition(conn->raw_conn) : 0;
 
         if (!!conn->error) {
@@ -1867,10 +1874,15 @@ static void on_connection_event_LSIDE_IO(pn_event_t *e, qd_server_t *qd_server,
 static void on_connection_event_CSIDE_IO(pn_event_t *e, qd_server_t *qd_server, void *context)
 {
     SET_THREAD_RAW_IO;
-    tcplite_connection_t *conn = (tcplite_connection_t*) context;
-    qd_log(LOG_TCP_ADAPTOR, QD_LOG_DEBUG, "[C%"PRIu64"] on_connection_event_CSIDE_IO: %s", conn->conn_id, pn_event_type_name(pn_event_type(e)));
-
-    if (pn_event_type(e) == PN_RAW_CONNECTION_DISCONNECTED) {
+    pn_event_type_t       etype = pn_event_type(e);
+    tcplite_connection_t *conn  = (tcplite_connection_t*) context;
+    qd_log(LOG_TCP_ADAPTOR, QD_LOG_DEBUG, "[C%"PRIu64"] on_connection_event_CSIDE_IO: %s", conn->conn_id, pn_event_type_name(etype));
+
+    if (etype == PN_RAW_CONNECTION_CONNECTED) {
+        // it is safe to call pn_raw_connection_wake() now
+        assert(!IS_ATOMIC_FLAG_SET(&conn->raw_opened));
+        SET_ATOMIC_FLAG(&conn->raw_opened);
+    } else if (etype == PN_RAW_CONNECTION_DISCONNECTED) {
         conn->error = !!conn->raw_conn ? pn_raw_connection_condition(conn->raw_conn) : 0;
 
         if (!!conn->error) {
@@ -1931,7 +1943,7 @@ static void on_accept(qd_adaptor_listener_t *listener, pn_listener_t *pn_listene
 
     sys_mutex_init(&conn->activation_lock);
     sys_atomic_init(&conn->core_activation, 0);
-    sys_atomic_init(&conn->raw_opened, 1);
+    sys_atomic_init(&conn->raw_opened, 0);
 
     conn->listener_side = true;
     conn->state         = LSIDE_INITIAL;