diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/launcher/LauncherBackend.scala b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/launcher/LauncherBackend.scala
index aaae33ca4e6f..1b049b786023 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/launcher/LauncherBackend.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/launcher/LauncherBackend.scala
@@ -67,13 +67,13 @@ private[spark] abstract class LauncherBackend {
   }
 
   def setAppId(appId: String): Unit = {
-    if (connection != null) {
+    if (connection != null && isConnected) {
       connection.send(new SetAppId(appId))
     }
   }
 
   def setState(state: SparkAppHandle.State): Unit = {
-    if (connection != null && lastState != state) {
+    if (connection != null && isConnected && lastState != state) {
       connection.send(new SetState(state))
       lastState = state
     }
@@ -114,10 +114,10 @@ private[spark] abstract class LauncherBackend {
 
     override def close(): Unit = {
       try {
+        _isConnected = false
         super.close()
       } finally {
         onDisconnected()
-        _isConnected = false
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/launcher/src/test/java/org/apache/spark/launcher/LauncherServerSuite.java b/launcher/src/test/java/org/apache/spark/launcher/LauncherServerSuite.java
index d16337a319be..5413d3a41654 100644
--- a/launcher/src/test/java/org/apache/spark/launcher/LauncherServerSuite.java
+++ b/launcher/src/test/java/org/apache/spark/launcher/LauncherServerSuite.java
@@ -185,6 +185,26 @@ public void testStreamFiltering() throws Exception {
     }
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void testAppHandleDisconnect() throws Exception {
+    LauncherServer server = LauncherServer.getOrCreateServer();
+    ChildProcAppHandle handle = new ChildProcAppHandle(server);
+    String secret = server.registerHandle(handle);
+
+    TestClient client = null;
+    try {
+      Socket s = new Socket(InetAddress.getLoopbackAddress(), server.getPort());
+      client = new TestClient(s);
+      client.send(new Hello(secret, "1.4.0"));
+      handle.disconnect();
+      waitForError(client, secret);
+    } finally {
+      handle.kill();
+      close(client);
+      client.clientThread.join();
+    }
+  }
+
   private void close(Closeable c) {
     if (c != null) {
       try {