diff --git a/gomilter.go b/gomilter.go
index 891bd36..47a9e32 100644
--- a/gomilter.go
+++ b/gomilter.go
@@ -200,7 +200,14 @@ func GobDecode(buf []byte, data interface{}) error {
 // They are only called if they get registered but need to be defined anyway
 
 //export Go_xxfi_connect
-func Go_xxfi_connect(ctx *C.SMFICTX, hostname *C.char, hostaddr *C._SOCK_ADDR) C.sfsistat {
+func Go_xxfi_connect(ctx *C.SMFICTX, hostname *C.char, hostaddr *C._SOCK_ADDR) (sfsistat C.sfsistat) {
+	defer func(sfsistat *C.sfsistat) {
+		if r := recover(); r != nil {
+			LoggerPrintf("Panic caught in Go_xxfi_connect(): %s", r)
+			*sfsistat = 75 // tempfail
+		}
+	}(&sfsistat)
+
 	ctxptr := ctx2int(ctx)
 	var ip net.IP