diff --git a/src/vcl/vcl_event.c b/src/vcl/vcl_event.c
index 65d2870..64f55b9 100644
--- a/src/vcl/vcl_event.c
+++ b/src/vcl/vcl_event.c
@@ -80,6 +80,21 @@
 }
 
 vce_event_handler_reg_t *
+vce_get_event_handler (vce_event_thread_t *evt, vce_event_key_t *evk)
+{
+  vce_event_handler_reg_t *handler = 0;
+  uword *p;
+
+  clib_spinlock_lock (&evt->handlers_lockp);
+  p = hash_get (evt->handlers_index_by_event_key, evk->as_u64);
+  if (p)
+    handler = pool_elt_at_index (evt->vce_event_handlers, p[0]);
+  clib_spinlock_unlock (&evt->handlers_lockp);
+
+  return handler;
+}
+
+vce_event_handler_reg_t *
 vce_register_handler (vce_event_thread_t *evt, vce_event_key_t *evk,
 		      vce_event_callback_t cb)
 {
diff --git a/src/vcl/vcl_event.h b/src/vcl/vcl_event.h
index 7b64ede..a2e247e 100644
--- a/src/vcl/vcl_event.h
+++ b/src/vcl/vcl_event.h
@@ -101,6 +101,16 @@
 vce_event_t * vce_get_event_from_index(vce_event_thread_t *evt, u32 ev_idx);
 
 /**
+ * @brief vce_get_event_handler()
+ * - returns handler if exists or 0
+ * @param evt - vce_event_thread_t - event system state
+ * @param evk - event key
+ * @return vce_event_handler_reg_t *
+ */
+vce_event_handler_reg_t * vce_get_event_handler (vce_event_thread_t *evt,
+						 vce_event_key_t *evk);
+
+/**
  * @brief vce_register_handler
  * - used by functions who need to be notified that an event has occurred
  *   on a vce_event_key_t (i.e. event type (enum) and sessionID)
diff --git a/src/vcl/vppcom.c b/src/vcl/vppcom.c
index 1f98576..4dea4aa 100644
--- a/src/vcl/vppcom.c
+++ b/src/vcl/vppcom.c
@@ -2754,7 +2754,8 @@
   reg = vce_register_handler (&vcm->event_thread, &evk,
 			      vce_connect_request_handler_fn);
 
-  ev = 0;
+  ev = vce_get_event_from_index (&vcm->event_thread, reg->ev_idx);
+
   pthread_mutex_lock (&reg->handler_lock);
   while (!ev)
     {