diff --git a/CHANGELOG.rst b/CHANGELOG.rst
index c53c6731..04c30069 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.rst
+++ b/CHANGELOG.rst
@@ -11,6 +11,11 @@ Bug Fixes
 * Avoid handling a node coming up multiple times due to a reconnection attempt
   succeeding close to the same time that an UP notification is pushed
 
+Other
+-----
+* Don't log at ERROR when a connection is closed during the startup
+  communications
+
 1.1.1
 =====
 April 16, 2014
diff --git a/cassandra/connection.py b/cassandra/connection.py
index 79c04605..153015a7 100644
--- a/cassandra/connection.py
+++ b/cassandra/connection.py
@@ -415,6 +415,9 @@ class Connection(object):
                 raise ConnectionException(
                     "Failed to initialize new connection to %s: %s"
                     % (self.host, startup_response.summary_msg()))
+        elif isinstance(startup_response, ConnectionShutdown):
+            log.debug("Connection to %s was closed during the startup handshake", (self.host))
+            raise startup_response
         else:
             msg = "Unexpected response during Connection setup: %r"
             log.error(msg, startup_response)