diff --git a/src/main/java/com/zaxxer/hikari/pool/ProxyConnection.java b/src/main/java/com/zaxxer/hikari/pool/ProxyConnection.java
index ec10e4bf..57046eaa 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/zaxxer/hikari/pool/ProxyConnection.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/zaxxer/hikari/pool/ProxyConnection.java
@@ -143,9 +143,9 @@ public abstract class ProxyConnection implements Connection
 
    final SQLException checkException(final SQLException sqle)
    {
-      final String sqlState = sqle.getSQLState();
-      if (sqlState != null && delegate != ClosedConnection.CLOSED_CONNECTION) {
-         if (sqlState.startsWith("08") || SQL_ERRORS.contains(sqlState)) {
+      if (delegate != ClosedConnection.CLOSED_CONNECTION) {
+         final String sqlState = sqle.getSQLState();
+         if (sqlState != null && (sqlState.startsWith("08") || SQL_ERRORS.contains(sqlState))) {
             LOGGER.warn("{} - Connection {} marked as broken because of SQLSTATE({}), ErrorCode({})",
                         poolEntry.getPoolName(), delegate, sqlState, sqle.getErrorCode(), sqle);
             leakTask.cancel();