diff --git a/changes-entries/ap_pre_connection.txt b/changes-entries/ap_pre_connection.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..bc21afd4160
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes-entries/ap_pre_connection.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+  *) core: Add ap_pre_connection() as a wrapper to ap_run_pre_connection()
+     and use it to prevent that failures in running the pre_connection
+     hook cause crashes afterwards. [Ruediger Pluem]
diff --git a/include/ap_mmn.h b/include/ap_mmn.h
index f874f96f2df..52876f843f2 100644
--- a/include/ap_mmn.h
+++ b/include/ap_mmn.h
@@ -578,6 +578,7 @@
  * 20120211.115 (2.4.49-dev) Add ap_proxy_get_worker_ex() and
  *                           ap_proxy_define_worker_ex() to mod_proxy.h
  * 20120211.116 (2.4.49-dev) add conn_rec->outgoing and ap_ssl_bind_outgoing()
+ * 20120211.117 (2.4.50-dev) Add ap_pre_connection
  */
 
 #define MODULE_MAGIC_COOKIE 0x41503234UL /* "AP24" */
@@ -585,7 +586,7 @@
 #ifndef MODULE_MAGIC_NUMBER_MAJOR
 #define MODULE_MAGIC_NUMBER_MAJOR 20120211
 #endif
-#define MODULE_MAGIC_NUMBER_MINOR 116                 /* 0...n */
+#define MODULE_MAGIC_NUMBER_MINOR 117                 /* 0...n */
 
 /**
  * Determine if the server's current MODULE_MAGIC_NUMBER is at least a
diff --git a/include/http_connection.h b/include/http_connection.h
index 8bc009da3b7..71f02bdd14b 100644
--- a/include/http_connection.h
+++ b/include/http_connection.h
@@ -135,6 +135,21 @@ AP_DECLARE_HOOK(int,process_connection,(conn_rec *c))
  */
 AP_DECLARE_HOOK(int,pre_close_connection,(conn_rec *c))
 
+/**
+ * This is a wrapper around ap_run_pre_connection. In case that
+ * ap_run_pre_connection returns an error it marks the connection as
+ * aborted and ensures that the basic connection setup normally done
+ * by the core module is done in case it was not done so far.
+ * @param c The connection on which the request has been received.
+ *          Same as for the pre_connection hook.
+ * @param csd The mechanism on which this connection is to be read.
+ *            Most times this will be a socket, but it is up to the module
+ *            that accepts the request to determine the exact type.
+ *            Same as for the pre_connection hook.
+ * @return The result of ap_run_pre_connection
+ */
+AP_DECLARE(int) ap_pre_connection(conn_rec *c, void *csd);
+
 /** End Of Connection (EOC) bucket */
 AP_DECLARE_DATA extern const apr_bucket_type_t ap_bucket_type_eoc;
 
diff --git a/server/connection.c b/server/connection.c
index b0093e16c9d..03ecd90107c 100644
--- a/server/connection.c
+++ b/server/connection.c
@@ -202,13 +202,9 @@ AP_DECLARE(void) ap_lingering_close(conn_rec *c)
 
 AP_CORE_DECLARE(void) ap_process_connection(conn_rec *c, void *csd)
 {
-    int rc;
     ap_update_vhost_given_ip(c);
 
-    rc = ap_run_pre_connection(c, csd);
-    if (rc != OK && rc != DONE) {
-        c->aborted = 1;
-    }
+    ap_pre_connection(c, csd);
 
     if (!c->aborted) {
         ap_run_process_connection(c);
diff --git a/server/core.c b/server/core.c
index 15645210762..f30e23715cb 100644
--- a/server/core.c
+++ b/server/core.c
@@ -5300,6 +5300,31 @@ static int core_pre_connection(conn_rec *c, void *csd)
     return DONE;
 }
 
+AP_DECLARE(int) ap_pre_connection(conn_rec *c, void *csd)
+{
+    int rc = OK;
+
+    rc = ap_run_pre_connection(c, csd);
+    if (rc != OK && rc != DONE) {
+        c->aborted = 1;
+        /*
+         * In case we errored, the pre_connection hook of the core
+         * module maybe did not run (it is APR_HOOK_REALLY_LAST) and
+         * hence we missed to
+         *
+         * - Put the socket in c->conn_config
+         * - Setup core output and input filters
+         * - Set socket options and timeouts
+         *
+         * Hence call it in this case.
+         */
+        if (!ap_get_conn_socket(c)) {
+            core_pre_connection(c, csd);
+        }
+    }
+    return rc;
+}
+
 AP_DECLARE(int) ap_state_query(int query)
 {
     switch (query) {
diff --git a/server/mpm/event/event.c b/server/mpm/event/event.c
index 8302091cd5c..5458aa85e97 100644
--- a/server/mpm/event/event.c
+++ b/server/mpm/event/event.c
@@ -995,11 +995,10 @@ static void process_socket(apr_thread_t *thd, apr_pool_t * p, apr_socket_t * soc
 
         ap_update_vhost_given_ip(c);
 
-        rc = ap_run_pre_connection(c, sock);
+        rc = ap_pre_connection(c, sock);
         if (rc != OK && rc != DONE) {
             ap_log_cerror(APLOG_MARK, APLOG_DEBUG, 0, c, APLOGNO(00469)
                           "process_socket: connection aborted");
-            c->aborted = 1;
         }
 
         /**