diff --git a/lib/zlib.js b/lib/zlib.js
index 029c13a5f47cc6..d5c82f2fbba9ab 100644
--- a/lib/zlib.js
+++ b/lib/zlib.js
@@ -469,7 +469,9 @@ Zlib.prototype.close = function(callback) {
 
   this._closed = true;
 
-  this._handle.close();
+  if (this._handle) {
+    this._handle.close();
+  }
 
   process.nextTick(emitCloseNT, this);
 };