diff --git a/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/streams/impl/PipeImpl.java b/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/streams/impl/PipeImpl.java
index a9f0661c850..d4dc9ab5719 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/streams/impl/PipeImpl.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/streams/impl/PipeImpl.java
@@ -84,7 +84,6 @@ public void to(WriteStream<T> ws, Handler<AsyncResult<Void>> completionHandler)
         ws.drainHandler(drainHandler);
       }
     });
-    src.resume();
     result.future().onComplete(ar -> {
       try {
         src.handler(null);
@@ -109,6 +108,7 @@ public void to(WriteStream<T> ws, Handler<AsyncResult<Void>> completionHandler)
         handleFailure(err, completionHandler);
       }
     });
+    src.resume();
   }
 
   private void handleSuccess(Handler<AsyncResult<Void>> completionHandler) {
diff --git a/src/test/java/io/vertx/test/fakestream/FakeStream.java b/src/test/java/io/vertx/test/fakestream/FakeStream.java
index 77e13bb6fe3..67afd836ab6 100644
--- a/src/test/java/io/vertx/test/fakestream/FakeStream.java
+++ b/src/test/java/io/vertx/test/fakestream/FakeStream.java
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 public class FakeStream<T> implements ReadStream<T>, WriteStream<T> {
 
   private static final Object END_SENTINEL = new Object();
+  private static final Object ERR_SENTINEL = new Object();
 
   static class Op<T> {
     final T item;
@@ -143,10 +144,21 @@ public void end(Handler<AsyncResult<Void>> h) {
   }
 
   public synchronized void fail(Throwable err) {
-    Handler<Throwable> handler = exceptionHandler;
-    if (handler != null) {
-      exceptionHandler.handle(err);
+    synchronized(this) {
+      if (ended) {
+        throw new IllegalStateException();
+      }
+      ended = true;
+      Promise<Void> promise = Promise.promise();
+      promise.future().onComplete(ar -> {
+        Handler<Throwable> handler = exceptionHandler;
+        if (handler != null) {
+          handler.handle(err);
+        }
+      });
+      pending.add(new Op<>((T)ERR_SENTINEL, promise));
     }
+    checkPending();
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -178,6 +190,8 @@ private void checkPending() {
       }
       if (op.item == END_SENTINEL) {
         end.onComplete(op.ack);
+      } else if(op.item == ERR_SENTINEL) {
+        op.ack.complete();
       } else {
         Handler<T> handler = itemHandler;
         try {