diff --git a/sbin/hastd/hastd.c b/sbin/hastd/hastd.c
index 5af814b70fde..09c45bce3828 100644
--- a/sbin/hastd/hastd.c
+++ b/sbin/hastd/hastd.c
@@ -224,7 +224,8 @@ descriptors_assert(const struct hast_resource *res, int pjdlogmode)
 				    fd, dtype2str(mode), dtype2str(S_IFSOCK));
 				break;
 			}
-		} else if (fd == proto_descriptor(res->hr_conn)) {
+		} else if (res->hr_role == HAST_ROLE_PRIMARY &&
+		    fd == proto_descriptor(res->hr_conn)) {
 			if (!isopen) {
 				(void)snprintf(msg, sizeof(msg),
 				    "Descriptor %d (conn) is closed, but should be open.",
@@ -237,6 +238,15 @@ descriptors_assert(const struct hast_resource *res, int pjdlogmode)
 				    fd, dtype2str(mode), dtype2str(S_IFSOCK));
 				break;
 			}
+		} else if (res->hr_role == HAST_ROLE_SECONDARY &&
+		    res->hr_conn != NULL &&
+		    fd == proto_descriptor(res->hr_conn)) {
+			if (isopen) {
+				(void)snprintf(msg, sizeof(msg),
+				    "Descriptor %d (conn) is open, but should be closed.",
+				    fd);
+				break;
+			}
 		} else if (res->hr_role == HAST_ROLE_SECONDARY &&
 		    fd == proto_descriptor(res->hr_remotein)) {
 			if (!isopen) {
@@ -851,6 +861,8 @@ connection_migrate(struct hast_resource *res)
 
 	pjdlog_prefix_set("[%s] (%s) ", res->hr_name, role2str(res->hr_role));
 
+	PJDLOG_ASSERT(res->hr_role == HAST_ROLE_PRIMARY);
+
 	if (proto_recv(res->hr_conn, &val, sizeof(val)) < 0) {
 		pjdlog_errno(LOG_WARNING,
 		    "Unable to receive connection command");
@@ -951,17 +963,19 @@ main_loop(void)
 		TAILQ_FOREACH(res, &cfg->hc_resources, hr_next) {
 			if (res->hr_event == NULL)
 				continue;
-			PJDLOG_ASSERT(res->hr_conn != NULL);
 			fd = proto_descriptor(res->hr_event);
 			PJDLOG_ASSERT(fd >= 0);
 			FD_SET(fd, &rfds);
 			maxfd = fd > maxfd ? fd : maxfd;
 			if (res->hr_role == HAST_ROLE_PRIMARY) {
 				/* Only primary workers asks for connections. */
+				PJDLOG_ASSERT(res->hr_conn != NULL);
 				fd = proto_descriptor(res->hr_conn);
 				PJDLOG_ASSERT(fd >= 0);
 				FD_SET(fd, &rfds);
 				maxfd = fd > maxfd ? fd : maxfd;
+			} else {
+				PJDLOG_ASSERT(res->hr_conn == NULL);
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -998,20 +1012,26 @@ main_loop(void)
 		TAILQ_FOREACH(res, &cfg->hc_resources, hr_next) {
 			if (res->hr_event == NULL)
 				continue;
-			PJDLOG_ASSERT(res->hr_conn != NULL);
 			if (FD_ISSET(proto_descriptor(res->hr_event), &rfds)) {
 				if (event_recv(res) == 0)
 					continue;
 				/* The worker process exited? */
 				proto_close(res->hr_event);
 				res->hr_event = NULL;
-				proto_close(res->hr_conn);
-				res->hr_conn = NULL;
+				if (res->hr_conn != NULL) {
+					proto_close(res->hr_conn);
+					res->hr_conn = NULL;
+				}
 				continue;
 			}
-			if (res->hr_role == HAST_ROLE_PRIMARY &&
-			    FD_ISSET(proto_descriptor(res->hr_conn), &rfds)) {
-				connection_migrate(res);
+			if (res->hr_role == HAST_ROLE_PRIMARY) {
+				PJDLOG_ASSERT(res->hr_conn != NULL);
+				if (FD_ISSET(proto_descriptor(res->hr_conn),
+				    &rfds)) {
+					connection_migrate(res);
+				}
+			} else {
+				PJDLOG_ASSERT(res->hr_conn == NULL);
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/sbin/hastd/secondary.c b/sbin/hastd/secondary.c
index 39aa40458865..714588facd80 100644
--- a/sbin/hastd/secondary.c
+++ b/sbin/hastd/secondary.c
@@ -378,16 +378,6 @@ hastd_secondary(struct hast_resource *res, struct nv *nvin)
 		pjdlog_exit(EX_OSERR,
 		    "Unable to create event sockets between child and parent");
 	}
-	/*
-	 * Create communication channel for sending connection requests from
-	 * parent to child.
-	 */
-	if (proto_client(NULL, "socketpair://", &res->hr_conn) < 0) {
-		/* TODO: There's no need for this to be fatal error. */
-		KEEP_ERRNO((void)pidfile_remove(pfh));
-		pjdlog_exit(EX_OSERR,
-		    "Unable to create connection sockets between parent and child");
-	}
 
 	pid = fork();
 	if (pid < 0) {
@@ -405,7 +395,6 @@ hastd_secondary(struct hast_resource *res, struct nv *nvin)
 		proto_recv(res->hr_event, NULL, 0);
 		/* Declare that we are sender. */
 		proto_send(res->hr_ctrl, NULL, 0);
-		proto_send(res->hr_conn, NULL, 0);
 		res->hr_workerpid = pid;
 		return;
 	}
@@ -418,7 +407,6 @@ hastd_secondary(struct hast_resource *res, struct nv *nvin)
 	proto_send(res->hr_event, NULL, 0);
 	/* Declare that we are receiver. */
 	proto_recv(res->hr_ctrl, NULL, 0);
-	proto_recv(res->hr_conn, NULL, 0);
 	descriptors_cleanup(res);
 
 	descriptors_assert(res, mode);