diff --git a/lib/vssh/libssh.c b/lib/vssh/libssh.c
index df466dac4c..af3767ca71 100644
--- a/lib/vssh/libssh.c
+++ b/lib/vssh/libssh.c
@@ -1979,13 +1979,15 @@ static CURLcode myssh_statemach_act(struct Curl_easy *data,
       rc = myssh_in_SFTP_REALPATH(data, sshc);
       break;
     case SSH_SFTP_QUOTE_INIT:
-      rc = myssh_in_SFTP_QUOTE_INIT(data, sshc, sshp);
+      rc = sshp ? myssh_in_SFTP_QUOTE_INIT(data, sshc, sshp) :
+           CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
       break;
     case SSH_SFTP_POSTQUOTE_INIT:
       rc = myssh_in_SFTP_POSTQUOTE_INIT(data, sshc);
       break;
     case SSH_SFTP_QUOTE:
-      rc = myssh_in_SFTP_QUOTE(data, sshc, sshp);
+      rc = sshp ? myssh_in_SFTP_QUOTE(data, sshc, sshp) :
+           CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
       break;
     case SSH_SFTP_NEXT_QUOTE:
       rc = myssh_in_SFTP_NEXT_QUOTE(data, sshc);
@@ -2115,7 +2117,10 @@ static CURLcode myssh_statemach_act(struct Curl_easy *data,
 
     case SSH_SFTP_FILETIME: {
       sftp_attributes attrs;
-
+      if(!sshp) {
+        result = CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
+        break;
+      }
       attrs = sftp_stat(sshc->sftp_session, sshp->path);
       if(attrs) {
         data->info.filetime = attrs->mtime;
@@ -2129,20 +2134,27 @@ static CURLcode myssh_statemach_act(struct Curl_easy *data,
     case SSH_SFTP_TRANS_INIT:
       if(data->state.upload)
         myssh_to(data, sshc, SSH_SFTP_UPLOAD_INIT);
-      else {
+      else if(sshp) {
         if(sshp->path[strlen(sshp->path)-1] == '/')
           myssh_to(data, sshc, SSH_SFTP_READDIR_INIT);
         else
           myssh_to(data, sshc, SSH_SFTP_DOWNLOAD_INIT);
       }
+      else
+        result = CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
       break;
 
     case SSH_SFTP_UPLOAD_INIT:
-      rc = myssh_in_UPLOAD_INIT(data, sshc, sshp);
+      rc = sshp ? myssh_in_UPLOAD_INIT(data, sshc, sshp) :
+           CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
       break;
 
     case SSH_SFTP_CREATE_DIRS_INIT:
-      if(strlen(sshp->path) > 1) {
+      if(!sshp) {
+        result = CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
+        break;
+      }
+      else if(strlen(sshp->path) > 1) {
         sshc->slash_pos = sshp->path + 1; /* ignore the leading '/' */
         myssh_to(data, sshc, SSH_SFTP_CREATE_DIRS);
       }
@@ -2153,7 +2165,11 @@ static CURLcode myssh_statemach_act(struct Curl_easy *data,
 
     case SSH_SFTP_CREATE_DIRS:
       sshc->slash_pos = strchr(sshc->slash_pos, '/');
-      if(sshc->slash_pos) {
+      if(!sshp) {
+        result = CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
+        break;
+      }
+      else if(sshc->slash_pos) {
         *sshc->slash_pos = 0;
 
         infof(data, "Creating directory '%s'", sshp->path);
@@ -2165,6 +2181,10 @@ static CURLcode myssh_statemach_act(struct Curl_easy *data,
 
     case SSH_SFTP_CREATE_DIRS_MKDIR:
       /* 'mode' - parameter is preliminary - default to 0644 */
+      if(!sshp) {
+        result = CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
+        break;
+      }
       rc = sftp_mkdir(sshc->sftp_session, sshp->path,
                       (mode_t)data->set.new_directory_perms);
       *sshc->slash_pos = '/';
@@ -2188,10 +2208,12 @@ static CURLcode myssh_statemach_act(struct Curl_easy *data,
       break;
 
     case SSH_SFTP_READDIR_INIT:
-      rc = myssh_in_SFTP_READDIR_INIT(data, sshc, sshp);
+      rc = sshp ? myssh_in_SFTP_READDIR_INIT(data, sshc, sshp) :
+           CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
       break;
     case SSH_SFTP_READDIR:
-      rc = myssh_in_SFTP_READDIR(data, sshc, sshp);
+      rc = sshp ? myssh_in_SFTP_READDIR(data, sshc, sshp) :
+           CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
       break;
     case SSH_SFTP_READDIR_LINK:
       rc = myssh_in_SFTP_READDIR_LINK(data, sshc);
@@ -2203,19 +2225,25 @@ static CURLcode myssh_statemach_act(struct Curl_easy *data,
       rc = myssh_in_SFTP_READDIR_DONE(data, sshc);
       break;
     case SSH_SFTP_DOWNLOAD_INIT:
-      rc = myssh_in_SFTP_DOWNLOAD_INIT(data, sshc, sshp);
+      rc = sshp ? myssh_in_SFTP_DOWNLOAD_INIT(data, sshc, sshp) :
+           CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
       break;
     case SSH_SFTP_DOWNLOAD_STAT:
       rc = myssh_in_SFTP_DOWNLOAD_STAT(data, sshc);
       break;
     case SSH_SFTP_CLOSE:
-      rc = myssh_in_SFTP_CLOSE(data, sshc, sshp);
+      rc = sshp ? myssh_in_SFTP_CLOSE(data, sshc, sshp) :
+           CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
       break;
     case SSH_SFTP_SHUTDOWN:
       rc = myssh_in_SFTP_SHUTDOWN(data, sshc);
       break;
 
     case SSH_SCP_TRANS_INIT:
+      if(!sshp) {
+        result = CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
+        break;
+      }
       result = Curl_getworkingpath(data, sshc->homedir, &sshp->path);
       if(result) {
         sshc->actualcode = result;
@@ -2252,7 +2280,10 @@ static CURLcode myssh_statemach_act(struct Curl_easy *data,
       break;
 
     case SSH_SCP_UPLOAD_INIT:
-
+      if(!sshp) {
+        result = CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
+        break;
+      }
       rc = ssh_scp_init(sshc->scp_session);
       if(rc != SSH_OK) {
         err_msg = ssh_get_error(sshc->ssh_session);
@@ -2832,11 +2863,9 @@ static CURLcode scp_disconnect(struct Curl_easy *data,
   struct SSHPROTO *sshp = Curl_meta_get(data, CURL_META_SSH_EASY);
   (void)dead_connection;
 
-  if(sshc && sshc->ssh_session && sshp) {
+  if(sshc && sshc->ssh_session) {
     /* only if there is a session still around to use! */
-
     myssh_to(data, sshc, SSH_SESSION_DISCONNECT);
-
     result = myssh_block_statemach(data, sshc, sshp, TRUE);
   }
 
@@ -3012,7 +3041,7 @@ static CURLcode sftp_disconnect(struct Curl_easy *data,
 
   DEBUGF(infof(data, "SSH DISCONNECT starts now"));
 
-  if(sshc && sshc->ssh_session && sshp) {
+  if(sshc && sshc->ssh_session) {
     /* only if there is a session still around to use! */
     myssh_to(data, sshc, SSH_SFTP_SHUTDOWN);
     result = myssh_block_statemach(data, sshc, sshp, TRUE);
diff --git a/lib/vssh/libssh2.c b/lib/vssh/libssh2.c
index 18e3cdb1d5..5990da25bf 100644
--- a/lib/vssh/libssh2.c
+++ b/lib/vssh/libssh2.c
@@ -826,7 +826,7 @@ static CURLcode ssh_force_knownhost_key_type(struct Curl_easy *data,
         char *errmsg = NULL;
         int errlen;
         libssh2_session_last_error(sshc->ssh_session, &errmsg, &errlen, 0);
-        failf(data, "libssh2: %s", errmsg);
+        failf(data, "libssh2 method '%s' failed: %s", hostkey_method, errmsg);
         result = libssh2_session_error_to_CURLE(rc);
       }
     }
@@ -2721,11 +2721,13 @@ static CURLcode ssh_statemachine(struct Curl_easy *data,
       break;
 
     case SSH_SFTP_REALPATH:
-      result = ssh_state_sftp_realpath(data, sshc, sshp);
+      result = sshp ? ssh_state_sftp_realpath(data, sshc, sshp) :
+               CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
       break;
 
     case SSH_SFTP_QUOTE_INIT:
-      result = ssh_state_sftp_quote_init(data, sshc, sshp);
+      result = sshp ? ssh_state_sftp_quote_init(data, sshc, sshp) :
+               CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
       break;
 
     case SSH_SFTP_POSTQUOTE_INIT:
@@ -2733,7 +2735,8 @@ static CURLcode ssh_statemachine(struct Curl_easy *data,
       break;
 
     case SSH_SFTP_QUOTE:
-      result = ssh_state_sftp_quote(data, sshc, sshp);
+      result = sshp ? ssh_state_sftp_quote(data, sshc, sshp) :
+               CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
       break;
 
     case SSH_SFTP_NEXT_QUOTE:
@@ -2741,11 +2744,13 @@ static CURLcode ssh_statemachine(struct Curl_easy *data,
       break;
 
     case SSH_SFTP_QUOTE_STAT:
-      result = ssh_state_sftp_quote_stat(data, sshc, sshp, block);
+      result = sshp ? ssh_state_sftp_quote_stat(data, sshc, sshp, block) :
+               CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
       break;
 
     case SSH_SFTP_QUOTE_SETSTAT:
-      result = ssh_state_sftp_quote_setstat(data, sshc, sshp);
+      result = sshp ? ssh_state_sftp_quote_setstat(data, sshc, sshp) :
+               CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
       break;
 
     case SSH_SFTP_QUOTE_SYMLINK:
@@ -2784,10 +2789,15 @@ static CURLcode ssh_statemachine(struct Curl_easy *data,
     case SSH_SFTP_FILETIME:
     {
       LIBSSH2_SFTP_ATTRIBUTES attrs;
+      int rc;
 
-      int rc = libssh2_sftp_stat_ex(sshc->sftp_session, sshp->path,
-                                    curlx_uztoui(strlen(sshp->path)),
-                                    LIBSSH2_SFTP_STAT, &attrs);
+      if(!sshp) {
+        result = CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
+        break;
+      }
+      rc = libssh2_sftp_stat_ex(sshc->sftp_session, sshp->path,
+                                curlx_uztoui(strlen(sshp->path)),
+                                LIBSSH2_SFTP_STAT, &attrs);
       if(rc == LIBSSH2_ERROR_EAGAIN) {
         result = CURLE_AGAIN;
         break;
@@ -2803,16 +2813,19 @@ static CURLcode ssh_statemachine(struct Curl_easy *data,
     case SSH_SFTP_TRANS_INIT:
       if(data->state.upload)
         myssh_state(data, sshc, SSH_SFTP_UPLOAD_INIT);
-      else {
+      else if(sshp) {
         if(sshp->path[strlen(sshp->path)-1] == '/')
           myssh_state(data, sshc, SSH_SFTP_READDIR_INIT);
         else
           myssh_state(data, sshc, SSH_SFTP_DOWNLOAD_INIT);
       }
+      else
+        result = CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
       break;
 
     case SSH_SFTP_UPLOAD_INIT:
-      result = sftp_upload_init(data, sshc, sshp, block);
+      result = sshp ? sftp_upload_init(data, sshc, sshp, block) :
+               CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
       if(result) {
         myssh_state(data, sshc, SSH_SFTP_CLOSE);
         sshc->nextstate = SSH_NO_STATE;
@@ -2820,7 +2833,9 @@ static CURLcode ssh_statemachine(struct Curl_easy *data,
       break;
 
     case SSH_SFTP_CREATE_DIRS_INIT:
-      if(strlen(sshp->path) > 1) {
+      if(!sshp)
+        result = CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
+      else if(strlen(sshp->path) > 1) {
         sshc->slash_pos = sshp->path + 1; /* ignore the leading '/' */
         myssh_state(data, sshc, SSH_SFTP_CREATE_DIRS);
       }
@@ -2830,6 +2845,10 @@ static CURLcode ssh_statemachine(struct Curl_easy *data,
       break;
 
     case SSH_SFTP_CREATE_DIRS:
+      if(!sshp) {
+        result = CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
+        break;
+      }
       sshc->slash_pos = strchr(sshc->slash_pos, '/');
       if(sshc->slash_pos) {
         *sshc->slash_pos = 0;
@@ -2842,25 +2861,33 @@ static CURLcode ssh_statemachine(struct Curl_easy *data,
       break;
 
     case SSH_SFTP_CREATE_DIRS_MKDIR:
-      result = ssh_state_sftp_create_dirs_mkdir(data, sshc, sshp);
+      result = sshp ? ssh_state_sftp_create_dirs_mkdir(data, sshc, sshp) :
+               CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
       break;
 
     case SSH_SFTP_READDIR_INIT:
-      result = ssh_state_sftp_readdir_init(data, sshc, sshp);
+      result = sshp ? ssh_state_sftp_readdir_init(data, sshc, sshp) :
+               CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
       break;
 
     case SSH_SFTP_READDIR:
-      result = sftp_readdir(data, sshc, sshp, block);
+      result = sshp ? sftp_readdir(data, sshc, sshp, block) :
+               CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
       if(result) {
         myssh_state(data, sshc, SSH_SFTP_CLOSE);
       }
       break;
 
     case SSH_SFTP_READDIR_LINK:
-      result = ssh_state_sftp_readdir_link(data, sshc, sshp);
+      result = sshp ? ssh_state_sftp_readdir_link(data, sshc, sshp) :
+               CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
       break;
 
     case SSH_SFTP_READDIR_BOTTOM:
+      if(!sshp) {
+        result = CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
+        break;
+      }
       result = curlx_dyn_addn(&sshp->readdir, "\n", 1);
       if(!result)
         result = Curl_client_write(data, CLIENTWRITE_BODY,
@@ -2890,11 +2917,13 @@ static CURLcode ssh_statemachine(struct Curl_easy *data,
       break;
 
     case SSH_SFTP_DOWNLOAD_INIT:
-      result = ssh_state_sftp_download_init(data, sshc, sshp);
+      result = sshp ? ssh_state_sftp_download_init(data, sshc, sshp) :
+               CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
       break;
 
     case SSH_SFTP_DOWNLOAD_STAT:
-      result = sftp_download_stat(data, sshc, sshp, block);
+      result = sshp ? sftp_download_stat(data, sshc, sshp, block) :
+               CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
       if(result) {
         myssh_state(data, sshc, SSH_SFTP_CLOSE);
         sshc->nextstate = SSH_NO_STATE;
@@ -2902,7 +2931,8 @@ static CURLcode ssh_statemachine(struct Curl_easy *data,
       break;
 
     case SSH_SFTP_CLOSE:
-      result = ssh_state_sftp_close(data, sshc, sshp);
+      result = sshp ? ssh_state_sftp_close(data, sshc, sshp) :
+               CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
       break;
 
     case SSH_SFTP_SHUTDOWN:
@@ -2910,7 +2940,8 @@ static CURLcode ssh_statemachine(struct Curl_easy *data,
       break;
 
     case SSH_SCP_TRANS_INIT:
-      result = Curl_getworkingpath(data, sshc->homedir, &sshp->path);
+      result = sshp ? Curl_getworkingpath(data, sshc->homedir, &sshp->path) :
+               CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
       if(result) {
         myssh_state(data, sshc, SSH_STOP);
         break;
@@ -2931,11 +2962,13 @@ static CURLcode ssh_statemachine(struct Curl_easy *data,
       break;
 
     case SSH_SCP_UPLOAD_INIT:
-      result = ssh_state_scp_upload_init(data, sshc, sshp);
+      result = sshp ? ssh_state_scp_upload_init(data, sshc, sshp) :
+               CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
       break;
 
     case SSH_SCP_DOWNLOAD_INIT:
-      result = ssh_state_scp_download_init(data, sshc, sshp);
+      result = sshp ? ssh_state_scp_download_init(data, sshc, sshp) :
+               CURLE_FAILED_INIT;
       break;
 
     case SSH_SCP_DONE:
@@ -3559,9 +3592,6 @@ static CURLcode sshc_cleanup(struct ssh_conn *sshc, struct Curl_easy *data,
 
   if(sshc->ssh_agent) {
     rc = libssh2_agent_disconnect(sshc->ssh_agent);
-    if(!block && (rc == LIBSSH2_ERROR_EAGAIN))
-      return CURLE_AGAIN;
-
     if((rc < 0) && data) {
       char *err_msg = NULL;
       (void)libssh2_session_last_error(sshc->ssh_session,
@@ -3569,6 +3599,9 @@ static CURLcode sshc_cleanup(struct ssh_conn *sshc, struct Curl_easy *data,
       infof(data, "Failed to disconnect from libssh2 agent: %d %s",
             rc, err_msg);
     }
+    if(!block && (rc == LIBSSH2_ERROR_EAGAIN))
+      return CURLE_AGAIN;
+
     libssh2_agent_free(sshc->ssh_agent);
     sshc->ssh_agent = NULL;
 
@@ -3580,23 +3613,20 @@ static CURLcode sshc_cleanup(struct ssh_conn *sshc, struct Curl_easy *data,
 
   if(sshc->sftp_handle) {
     rc = libssh2_sftp_close(sshc->sftp_handle);
-    if(!block && (rc == LIBSSH2_ERROR_EAGAIN))
-      return CURLE_AGAIN;
-
     if((rc < 0) && data) {
       char *err_msg = NULL;
       (void)libssh2_session_last_error(sshc->ssh_session, &err_msg,
                                        NULL, 0);
       infof(data, "Failed to close libssh2 file: %d %s", rc, err_msg);
     }
+    if(!block && (rc == LIBSSH2_ERROR_EAGAIN))
+      return CURLE_AGAIN;
+
     sshc->sftp_handle = NULL;
   }
 
   if(sshc->ssh_channel) {
     rc = libssh2_channel_free(sshc->ssh_channel);
-    if(!block && (rc == LIBSSH2_ERROR_EAGAIN))
-      return CURLE_AGAIN;
-
     if((rc < 0) && data) {
       char *err_msg = NULL;
       (void)libssh2_session_last_error(sshc->ssh_session,
@@ -3604,30 +3634,37 @@ static CURLcode sshc_cleanup(struct ssh_conn *sshc, struct Curl_easy *data,
       infof(data, "Failed to free libssh2 scp subsystem: %d %s",
             rc, err_msg);
     }
+    if(!block && (rc == LIBSSH2_ERROR_EAGAIN))
+      return CURLE_AGAIN;
+
     sshc->ssh_channel = NULL;
   }
 
   if(sshc->sftp_session) {
     rc = libssh2_sftp_shutdown(sshc->sftp_session);
+    if((rc < 0) && data) {
+      char *err_msg = NULL;
+      (void)libssh2_session_last_error(sshc->ssh_session,
+                                       &err_msg, NULL, 0);
+      infof(data, "Failed to stop libssh2 sftp subsystem: %d %s", rc, err_msg);
+    }
     if(!block && (rc == LIBSSH2_ERROR_EAGAIN))
       return CURLE_AGAIN;
 
-    if((rc < 0) && data)
-      infof(data, "Failed to stop libssh2 sftp subsystem");
     sshc->sftp_session = NULL;
   }
 
   if(sshc->ssh_session) {
     rc = libssh2_session_free(sshc->ssh_session);
-    if(!block && (rc == LIBSSH2_ERROR_EAGAIN))
-      return CURLE_AGAIN;
-
     if((rc < 0) && data) {
       char *err_msg = NULL;
       (void)libssh2_session_last_error(sshc->ssh_session,
                                        &err_msg, NULL, 0);
       infof(data, "Failed to free libssh2 session: %d %s", rc, err_msg);
     }
+    if(!block && (rc == LIBSSH2_ERROR_EAGAIN))
+      return CURLE_AGAIN;
+
     sshc->ssh_session = NULL;
   }
 
@@ -3661,7 +3698,7 @@ static CURLcode scp_disconnect(struct Curl_easy *data,
   struct SSHPROTO *sshp = Curl_meta_get(data, CURL_META_SSH_EASY);
   (void)dead_connection;
 
-  if(sshc && sshc->ssh_session && sshp) {
+  if(sshc && sshc->ssh_session) {
     /* only if there is a session still around to use! */
     myssh_state(data, sshc, SSH_SESSION_DISCONNECT);
     result = ssh_block_statemach(data, sshc, sshp, TRUE);
@@ -3834,7 +3871,7 @@ static CURLcode sftp_disconnect(struct Curl_easy *data,
   (void)dead_connection;
 
   if(sshc) {
-    if(sshc->ssh_session && sshp) {
+    if(sshc->ssh_session) {
       /* only if there is a session still around to use! */
       DEBUGF(infof(data, "SSH DISCONNECT starts now"));
       myssh_state(data, sshc, SSH_SFTP_SHUTDOWN);