diff --git a/src/WebSocketsServer.cpp b/src/WebSocketsServer.cpp
index c2f533b..af95023 100644
--- a/src/WebSocketsServer.cpp
+++ b/src/WebSocketsServer.cpp
@@ -627,6 +627,7 @@ WSclient_t * WebSocketsServerCore::handleNewClient(WEBSOCKETS_NETWORK_CLASS * tc
         client           = &dummy;
         client->tcp      = tcpClient;
         dropNativeClient(client);
+        return nullptr;
     }
 
     WEBSOCKETS_YIELD();