diff --git a/lib/core/common.py b/lib/core/common.py
index 3e8603a4d..3f65b0125 100644
--- a/lib/core/common.py
+++ b/lib/core/common.py
@@ -928,12 +928,18 @@ def getDelayQuery(andCond=False):
     return query
 
 def getLocalIP():
-    s = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
-    s.connect((conf.hostname, conf.port))
-    ip, _ = s.getsockname()
-    s.close()
+    retVal = None
+    try:
+        s = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
+        s.connect((conf.hostname, conf.port))
+        retVal, _ = s.getsockname()
+        s.close()
+    except:
+        debugMsg = "there was an error in opening socket "
+        debugMsg += "connection toward '%s'" % conf.hostname
+        logger.debug(debugMsg)
 
-    return ip
+    return retVal
 
 def getRemoteIP():
     return socket.gethostbyname(conf.hostname)