diff --git a/extmod/network_ppp_lwip.c b/extmod/network_ppp_lwip.c
index 15e3ba0292..d7a1cf5e0c 100644
--- a/extmod/network_ppp_lwip.c
+++ b/extmod/network_ppp_lwip.c
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ static mp_obj_t network_ppp_poll(size_t n_args, const mp_obj_t *args) {
 
     mp_int_t total_len = 0;
     mp_obj_t stream;
-    while ((stream = self->stream) != mp_const_none) {
+    while (self->state >= STATE_ACTIVE && (stream = self->stream) != mp_const_none) {
         uint8_t buf[256];
         int err;
         mp_uint_t len = mp_stream_rw(stream, buf, sizeof(buf), &err, 0);
diff --git a/ports/esp32/network_ppp.c b/ports/esp32/network_ppp.c
index 97536267b8..725d210488 100644
--- a/ports/esp32/network_ppp.c
+++ b/ports/esp32/network_ppp.c
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ static mp_obj_t network_ppp_poll(size_t n_args, const mp_obj_t *args) {
 
     mp_int_t total_len = 0;
     mp_obj_t stream;
-    while ((stream = self->stream) != mp_const_none) {
+    while (self->state >= STATE_ACTIVE && (stream = self->stream) != mp_const_none) {
         uint8_t buf[256];
         int err;
         mp_uint_t len = mp_stream_rw(stream, buf, sizeof(buf), &err, 0);