diff --git a/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/examples/BearSSL_CertStore/BearSSL_CertStore.ino b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/examples/BearSSL_CertStore/BearSSL_CertStore.ino
index fd543933b4..f96a4ccf83 100644
--- a/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/examples/BearSSL_CertStore/BearSSL_CertStore.ino
+++ b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/examples/BearSSL_CertStore/BearSSL_CertStore.ino
@@ -75,8 +75,7 @@ void fetchURL(BearSSL::WiFiClientSecure *client, const char *host, const uint16_
   if (!path) { path = "/"; }
 
   Serial.printf("Trying: %s:443...", host);
-  client->connect(host, port);
-  if (!client->connected()) {
+  if (!client->connect(host, port)) {
     Serial.printf("*** Can't connect. ***\n-------\n");
     return;
   }
@@ -88,7 +87,7 @@ void fetchURL(BearSSL::WiFiClientSecure *client, const char *host, const uint16_
   client->write("\r\nUser-Agent: ESP8266\r\n");
   client->write("\r\n");
   uint32_t to = millis() + 5000;
-  if (client->connected()) {
+  while (client->available()) {
     do {
       char tmp[32];
       memset(tmp, 0, 32);
diff --git a/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/examples/BearSSL_MaxFragmentLength/BearSSL_MaxFragmentLength.ino b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/examples/BearSSL_MaxFragmentLength/BearSSL_MaxFragmentLength.ino
index 03b619f932..70e7f789e4 100644
--- a/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/examples/BearSSL_MaxFragmentLength/BearSSL_MaxFragmentLength.ino
+++ b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/examples/BearSSL_MaxFragmentLength/BearSSL_MaxFragmentLength.ino
@@ -44,8 +44,7 @@ int fetchNoMaxFragmentLength() {
 
   BearSSL::WiFiClientSecure client;
   client.setInsecure();
-  client.connect("tls.mbed.org", 443);
-  if (client.connected()) {
+  if (client.connect("tls.mbed.org", 443)) {
     Serial.printf("Memory used: %d\n", ret - ESP.getFreeHeap());
     ret -= ESP.getFreeHeap();
     fetch(&client);
@@ -81,8 +80,7 @@ int fetchMaxFragmentLength() {
   Serial.printf("\nConnecting to https://tls.mbed.org\n");
   Serial.printf("MFLN supported: %s\n", mfln ? "yes" : "no");
   if (mfln) { client.setBufferSizes(512, 512); }
-  client.connect("tls.mbed.org", 443);
-  if (client.connected()) {
+  if (client.connect("tls.mbed.org", 443)) {
     Serial.printf("MFLN status: %s\n", client.getMFLNStatus() ? "true" : "false");
     Serial.printf("Memory used: %d\n", ret - ESP.getFreeHeap());
     ret -= ESP.getFreeHeap();
diff --git a/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/examples/BearSSL_Sessions/BearSSL_Sessions.ino b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/examples/BearSSL_Sessions/BearSSL_Sessions.ino
index be1ad6e4b7..cf227403f3 100644
--- a/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/examples/BearSSL_Sessions/BearSSL_Sessions.ino
+++ b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/examples/BearSSL_Sessions/BearSSL_Sessions.ino
@@ -63,8 +63,7 @@ void fetchURL(BearSSL::WiFiClientSecure *client, const char *host, const uint16_
   if (!path) { path = "/"; }
 
   Serial.printf("Trying: %s:443...", host);
-  client->connect(host, port);
-  if (!client->connected()) {
+  if (!client->connect(host, port)) {
     Serial.printf("*** Can't connect. ***\n-------\n");
     return;
   }
@@ -76,7 +75,7 @@ void fetchURL(BearSSL::WiFiClientSecure *client, const char *host, const uint16_
   client->write("\r\nUser-Agent: ESP8266\r\n");
   client->write("\r\n");
   uint32_t to = millis() + 5000;
-  if (client->connected()) {
+  while (client->available()) {
     do {
       char tmp[32];
       memset(tmp, 0, 32);
diff --git a/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/examples/BearSSL_Validation/BearSSL_Validation.ino b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/examples/BearSSL_Validation/BearSSL_Validation.ino
index f1bc55e411..cc76e5d24e 100644
--- a/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/examples/BearSSL_Validation/BearSSL_Validation.ino
+++ b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/examples/BearSSL_Validation/BearSSL_Validation.ino
@@ -49,8 +49,7 @@ void fetchURL(BearSSL::WiFiClientSecure *client, const char *host, const uint16_
   ESP.resetFreeContStack();
   uint32_t freeStackStart = ESP.getFreeContStack();
   Serial.printf("Trying: %s:443...", host);
-  client->connect(host, port);
-  if (!client->connected()) {
+  if (!client->connect(host, port)) {
     Serial.printf("*** Can't connect. ***\n-------\n");
     return;
   }
@@ -62,7 +61,7 @@ void fetchURL(BearSSL::WiFiClientSecure *client, const char *host, const uint16_
   client->write("\r\nUser-Agent: ESP8266\r\n");
   client->write("\r\n");
   uint32_t to = millis() + 5000;
-  if (client->connected()) {
+  while (client->available()) {
     do {
       char tmp[32];
       memset(tmp, 0, 32);
diff --git a/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/examples/HTTPSRequest/HTTPSRequest.ino b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/examples/HTTPSRequest/HTTPSRequest.ino
index 33327cde4f..696d513b52 100644
--- a/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/examples/HTTPSRequest/HTTPSRequest.ino
+++ b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/examples/HTTPSRequest/HTTPSRequest.ino
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ void setup() {
   client.print(String("GET ") + url + " HTTP/1.1\r\n" + "Host: " + github_host + "\r\n" + "User-Agent: BuildFailureDetectorESP8266\r\n" + "Connection: close\r\n\r\n");
 
   Serial.println("Request sent");
-  while (client.connected()) {
+  while (client.available()) {
     String line = client.readStringUntil('\n');
     if (line == "\r") {
       Serial.println("Headers received");
diff --git a/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/WiFiClientSecureBearSSL.cpp b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/WiFiClientSecureBearSSL.cpp
index d97e6be7cb..53b606f8c3 100644
--- a/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/WiFiClientSecureBearSSL.cpp
+++ b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/WiFiClientSecureBearSSL.cpp
@@ -250,19 +250,32 @@ void WiFiClientSecureCtx::_freeSSL() {
 }
 
 bool WiFiClientSecureCtx::_clientConnected() {
-  return (_client && _client->state() == ESTABLISHED);
+  if (!_client || (_client->state() == CLOSED)) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  return _client->state() == ESTABLISHED;
+}
+
+bool WiFiClientSecureCtx::_engineConnected() {
+  return _clientConnected() && _handshake_done && _eng && (br_ssl_engine_current_state(_eng) != BR_SSL_CLOSED);
 }
 
 uint8_t WiFiClientSecureCtx::connected() {
-  if (available() || (_clientConnected() && _handshake_done && (br_ssl_engine_current_state(_eng) != BR_SSL_CLOSED))) {
+  if (!_engineConnected()) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  if (_pollRecvBuffer() > 0) {
     return true;
   }
-  return false;
+
+  return _engineConnected();
 }
 
 int WiFiClientSecureCtx::availableForWrite () {
-  // code taken from ::_write()
-  if (!connected() || !_handshake_done) {
+  // Can't write things when there's no connection or br_ssl engine is closed
+  if (!_engineConnected()) {
     return 0;
   }
   // Get BearSSL to a state where we can send
@@ -284,7 +297,7 @@ int WiFiClientSecureCtx::availableForWrite () {
 size_t WiFiClientSecureCtx::_write(const uint8_t *buf, size_t size, bool pmem) {
   size_t sent_bytes = 0;
 
-  if (!connected() || !size || !_handshake_done) {
+  if (!size || !_engineConnected()) {
     return 0;
   }
 
@@ -331,10 +344,11 @@ size_t WiFiClientSecureCtx::write_P(PGM_P buf, size_t size) {
 }
 
 size_t WiFiClientSecureCtx::write(Stream& stream) {
-  if (!connected() || !_handshake_done) {
-    DEBUG_BSSL("write: Connect/handshake not completed yet\n");
+  if (!_engineConnected()) {
+    DEBUG_BSSL("write: no br_ssl engine to work with\n");
     return 0;
   }
+
   return stream.sendAll(this);
 }
 
@@ -343,12 +357,20 @@ int WiFiClientSecureCtx::read(uint8_t *buf, size_t size) {
     return -1;
   }
 
-  int avail = available();
-  bool conn = connected();
-  if (!avail && conn) {
-    return 0;  // We're still connected, but nothing to read
+  // will either check the internal buffer, or try to wait for some data
+  // *may* attempt to write some pending ::write() data b/c of _run_until
+  int avail = _pollRecvBuffer();
+
+  // internal buffer might still be available for some time
+  bool engine = _engineConnected();
+
+  // we're still connected, but nothing to read
+  if (!avail && engine) {
+    return 0;
   }
-  if (!avail && !conn) {
+
+  // or, available failed to assign the internal buffer and we are already disconnected
+  if (!avail && !engine) {
     DEBUG_BSSL("read: Not connected, none left available\n");
     return -1;
   }
@@ -363,10 +385,11 @@ int WiFiClientSecureCtx::read(uint8_t *buf, size_t size) {
     return to_copy;
   }
 
-  if (!conn) {
+  if (!engine) {
     DEBUG_BSSL("read: Not connected\n");
     return -1;
   }
+
   return 0; // If we're connected, no error but no read.
 }
 
@@ -395,7 +418,7 @@ int WiFiClientSecureCtx::read() {
   return -1;
 }
 
-int WiFiClientSecureCtx::available() {
+int WiFiClientSecureCtx::_pollRecvBuffer() {
   if (_recvapp_buf) {
     return _recvapp_len;  // Anything from last call?
   }
@@ -416,8 +439,12 @@ int WiFiClientSecureCtx::available() {
   return 0;
 }
 
+int WiFiClientSecureCtx::available() {
+  return _pollRecvBuffer();
+}
+
 int WiFiClientSecureCtx::peek() {
-  if (!ctx_present() || !available()) {
+  if (!ctx_present() || (0 == _pollRecvBuffer())) {
     DEBUG_BSSL("peek: Not connected, none left available\n");
     return -1;
   }
@@ -436,7 +463,7 @@ size_t WiFiClientSecureCtx::peekBytes(uint8_t *buffer, size_t length) {
   }
 
   _startMillis = millis();
-  while ((available() < (int) length) && ((millis() - _startMillis) < 5000)) {
+  while ((_pollRecvBuffer() < (int) length) && ((millis() - _startMillis) < 5000)) {
     yield();
   }
 
diff --git a/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/WiFiClientSecureBearSSL.h b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/WiFiClientSecureBearSSL.h
index cc08f10353..d78dad2972 100644
--- a/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/WiFiClientSecureBearSSL.h
+++ b/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/WiFiClientSecureBearSSL.h
@@ -195,7 +195,13 @@ class WiFiClientSecureCtx : public WiFiClient {
     unsigned char *_recvapp_buf;
     size_t _recvapp_len;
 
+    int _pollRecvBuffer(); // If there's a buffer with some pending data, return it's length
+                           // If there's no buffer, poll the engine and store any received data there and return the length
+                           // (which also may change the internal state, e.g. make us disconnected)
+
     bool _clientConnected(); // Is the underlying socket alive?
+    bool _engineConnected(); // Are both socket and the bearssl engine alive?
+
     std::shared_ptr<unsigned char> _alloc_iobuf(size_t sz);
     void _freeSSL();
     int _run_until(unsigned target, bool blocking = true);