diff --git a/shell/utils.cpp b/shell/utils.cpp
index e7db1ed7d2c..1fd3ef02a53 100644
--- a/shell/utils.cpp
+++ b/shell/utils.cpp
@@ -271,10 +271,13 @@ namespace mongo {
                     cerr << "count for port: " << port_ << " is not 0 is: " << dbs.count( port_ ) << endl;
                     assert( dbs.count( port_ ) == 0 );        
                 }
-                if ( port_ <= 0 || portToSocket.find( port_ ) == portToSocket.end() || portToSocket[ port_ ] <= 0 ) {
+                if ( port_ > 0 ) {
+                    if ( portToSocket.find( port_ ) == portToSocket.end() ) {
                         oldSocket_ = -1;
-                } else {
-                    oldSocket_ = portToSocket[ port_ ];
+                    } else {
+                        oldSocket_ = portToSocket[ port_ ];
+                        assert( oldSocket_ > 0 );
+                    }
                 }
             }
             
@@ -284,11 +287,8 @@ namespace mongo {
 
                 // port allocator left this socket open to prevent someone else from grabbing
                 // the port -- now we need to close the socket
-                if ( oldSocket_ > 0 ) {
+                if ( oldSocket_ > 0 )
                     assert( 0 == close( oldSocket_ ) );
-                    portToSocket[ port_ ] = -1;
-                    oldSocket_ = -1;
-                }
                                 
                 fflush( 0 );
                 pid_ = fork();