diff --git a/sjrpc/core/rpcconnection.py b/sjrpc/core/rpcconnection.py
index 21e06bb0d2b7b79099d3c49a5816dad71f8cccfd..9c1c4b51dba1e84c5066e5af849a143e58751c0b 100644
--- a/sjrpc/core/rpcconnection.py
+++ b/sjrpc/core/rpcconnection.py
@@ -193,7 +193,6 @@ class RpcConnection(object):
         handler.
         '''
         # Try to received remaining data from the socket:
-        if buf == '':
         try:
             buf = self._sock.recv(self._remains)
         except socket.error as err:
@@ -205,9 +204,12 @@ class RpcConnection(object):
                 return
             else:
                 raise
+        if not buf:
+            # Empty data on non-blocking socket means that the connection
+            # has been closed:
             self.shutdown()
-        self._remains -= len(buf)
 
+        self._remains -= len(buf)
         if self._proto_receiving is None:
             self._inbound_buffer += buf
             if self._remains == 0: