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diff --git b/lib/gnutls_handshake.c a/lib/gnutls_handshake.c
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index 5930941..e904f2e 100644
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--- b/lib/gnutls_handshake.c
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+++ a/lib/gnutls_handshake.c
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@@ -2510,7 +2510,8 @@ static int _gnutls_recv_supplemental(gnutls_session_t session)
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  * are non fatal errors, only in the specific case of a rehandshake.
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  * Their meaning is that the client rejected the rehandshake request or
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  * in the case of %GNUTLS_E_GOT_APPLICATION_DATA it could also mean that
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- * some data were pending.
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+ * some data were pending. A client may receive that error code if
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+ * it initiates the handshake and the server doesn't agreed.
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  *
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  * Returns: %GNUTLS_E_SUCCESS on success, otherwise a negative error code.
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  **/
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diff --git b/lib/gnutls_record.c a/lib/gnutls_record.c
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index 157d12a..40c20fe 100644
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--- b/lib/gnutls_record.c
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+++ a/lib/gnutls_record.c
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@@ -837,7 +837,7 @@ record_add_to_buffers(gnutls_session_t session,
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 			 * reasons). Otherwise it is an unexpected packet
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 			 */
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 			if (type == GNUTLS_ALERT
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-			    || (htype == GNUTLS_HANDSHAKE_CLIENT_HELLO
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+			    || ((htype == GNUTLS_HANDSHAKE_SERVER_HELLO || htype == GNUTLS_HANDSHAKE_CLIENT_HELLO)
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 				&& type == GNUTLS_HANDSHAKE)) {
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 				/* even if data is unexpected put it into the buffer */
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 				_gnutls_record_buffer_put(session, recv->type,