diff --git a/nest/cli.c b/nest/cli.c
index 469d45b6..1debfccf 100644
--- a/nest/cli.c
+++ b/nest/cli.c
@@ -307,14 +307,14 @@ cli_event(void *data)
 }
 
 cli *
-cli_new(void *priv)
+cli_new(struct birdsock *sock)
 {
   pool *p = rp_new(cli_pool, "CLI");
   cli *c = mb_alloc(p, sizeof(cli));
 
   bzero(c, sizeof(cli));
   c->pool = p;
-  c->priv = priv;
+  c->sock = sock;
   c->event = ev_new(p);
   c->event->hook = cli_event;
   c->event->data = c;
@@ -415,7 +415,12 @@ cli_free(cli *c)
   if (c == cmd_reconfig_stored_cli)
     cmd_reconfig_stored_cli = NULL;
 
-  if (!defer)
+  if (defer)
+  {
+    rfree(c->sock);
+    c->sock = NULL;
+  }
+  else
     rfree(c->pool);
 }
 
diff --git a/nest/cli.h b/nest/cli.h
index 92572968..2b96da5b 100644
--- a/nest/cli.h
+++ b/nest/cli.h
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ struct cli_out {
 typedef struct cli {
   node n;				/* Node in list of all log hooks */
   pool *pool;
-  void *priv;				/* Private to sysdep layer */
+  struct birdsock *sock;		/* Underlying socket */
   byte *rx_buf, *rx_pos, *rx_aux;	/* sysdep */
   struct cli_out *tx_buf, *tx_pos, *tx_write;
   event *event;
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ static inline void cli_separator(cli *c)
 
 /* Functions provided to sysdep layer */
 
-cli *cli_new(void *);
+cli *cli_new(struct birdsock *);
 void cli_init(void);
 void cli_free(cli *);
 void cli_kick(cli *);
diff --git a/nest/rt-show.c b/nest/rt-show.c
index dc88047a..d8eb2174 100644
--- a/nest/rt-show.c
+++ b/nest/rt-show.c
@@ -233,6 +233,7 @@ static int
 rt_show_cleanup(struct cli *c)
 {
   struct rt_show_data *d = c->rover;
+  c->cleanup = NULL;
 
   /* Cancel the feed */
   if (d->req.hook)
diff --git a/sysdep/unix/main.c b/sysdep/unix/main.c
index bf9f2be0..74827d98 100644
--- a/sysdep/unix/main.c
+++ b/sysdep/unix/main.c
@@ -395,7 +395,8 @@ static char *path_control_socket = PATH_CONTROL_SOCKET;
 static void
 cli_write(cli *c)
 {
-  sock *s = c->priv;
+  sock *s = c->sock;
+  ASSERT_DIE(c->sock);
 
   while (c->tx_pos)
     {
@@ -419,7 +420,9 @@ cli_write(cli *c)
 void
 cli_write_trigger(cli *c)
 {
-  sock *s = c->priv;
+  sock *s = c->sock;
+  if (!s)
+    return;
 
   if (s->tbuf == NULL)
     cli_write(c);
@@ -434,7 +437,8 @@ cli_tx(sock *s)
 int
 cli_get_command(cli *c)
 {
-  sock *s = c->priv;
+  sock *s = c->sock;
+  ASSERT_DIE(c->sock);
   byte *t = c->rx_aux ? : s->rbuf;
   byte *tend = s->rpos;
   byte *d = c->rx_pos;
@@ -477,6 +481,7 @@ cli_err(sock *s, int err)
       else
 	log(L_INFO "CLI connection closed");
     }
+
   cli_free(s->data);
 }