diff --git a/src/AsyncWebSocket.cpp b/src/AsyncWebSocket.cpp
index f76f2fc96..478ea7814 100644
--- a/src/AsyncWebSocket.cpp
+++ b/src/AsyncWebSocket.cpp
@@ -263,6 +263,8 @@ class AsyncWebSocketControl {
     uint8_t opcode(){ return _opcode; }
     uint8_t len(){ return _len + 2; }
     size_t send(AsyncClient *client){
+      if (_finished)
+        return 0;
       _finished = true;
       return webSocketSendFrame(client, true, _opcode & 0x0F, _mask, _data, _len);
     }
diff --git a/src/AsyncWebSocket.h b/src/AsyncWebSocket.h
index 5b03aceb9..4e60384b4 100644
--- a/src/AsyncWebSocket.h
+++ b/src/AsyncWebSocket.h
@@ -166,8 +166,9 @@ class AsyncWebSocketClient {
 
     uint8_t _pstate;
     AwsFrameInfo _pinfo;
-
+public:
     uint32_t _lastMessageTime;
+private:
     uint32_t _keepAlivePeriod;
 
     void _queueMessage(AsyncWebSocketMessage *dataMessage);