diff --git a/src/njsSubscription.c b/src/njsSubscription.c
index 4c6cb2f3..a826e648 100644
--- a/src/njsSubscription.c
+++ b/src/njsSubscription.c
@@ -442,12 +442,15 @@ bool njsSubscription_startNotifications(njsSubscription *subscr,
 // subscription is deregistered, either directly via a call to unsubscribe()
 // or indirectly via the timeout attribute or the quality of service flag that
 // tells a subscription to deregister after the first notification has been
-// received.
+// received. If notifications were never started (due to an error of some kind)
+// nothing needs to be done at this point.
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 bool njsSubscription_stopNotifications(njsSubscription *subscr)
 {
-    uv_close((uv_handle_t*) &subscr->async,
-            njsSubscription_onStopNotifications);
+    if (subscr->name) {
+        uv_close((uv_handle_t*) &subscr->async,
+                njsSubscription_onStopNotifications);
+    }
     return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/test/runCQN.js b/test/runCQN.js
index f357e00b..d61844d6 100644
--- a/test/runCQN.js
+++ b/test/runCQN.js
@@ -433,7 +433,7 @@ describe('185. runCQN.js', function() {
   }); // 185.8
 
   // An variation of 185.4
-  it.skip('185.9 Negative - unsubscribe the invalid subscription', async () => {
+  it('185.9 Negative - unsubscribe the invalid subscription', async () => {
     try {
       const TABLE = 'nodb_tab_cqn_9';
       const myCallback = async function(message) {
@@ -456,11 +456,11 @@ describe('185. runCQN.js', function() {
       );
       // DPI-1013: not supported
 
-      conn.unsubscribe('sub9');
+      await conn.unsubscribe('sub9');
 
     } catch (err) {
       should.not.exist(err);
     }
   }); // 185.9
 
-});
\ No newline at end of file
+});