diff --git a/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/transport/ntcp/NTCPConnection.java b/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/transport/ntcp/NTCPConnection.java
index 0ab8a2e049022df57eabaf55914cfe0c6a189744..2b2ae6a442acb257b44c09b2f536b49e8fdaf302 100644
--- a/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/transport/ntcp/NTCPConnection.java
+++ b/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/transport/ntcp/NTCPConnection.java
@@ -119,7 +119,8 @@ class NTCPConnection {
     private long _lastReceiveTime;
     private long _lastRateUpdated;
     private final long _created;
-    private long _nextMetaTime;
+    // prevent sending meta before established
+    private long _nextMetaTime = Long.MAX_VALUE;
     private int _consecutiveZeroReads;
 
     private static final int BLOCK_SIZE = 16;