diff --git a/src/crypto/tls/conn.go b/src/crypto/tls/conn.go
index ea299930a9..a44d56dcb1 100644
--- a/src/crypto/tls/conn.go
+++ b/src/crypto/tls/conn.go
@@ -1235,6 +1235,10 @@ func (c *Conn) Handshake() error {
 	}
 	if c.handshakeErr == nil {
 		c.handshakes++
+	} else {
+		// If an error occurred during the hadshake try to flush the
+		// alert that might be left in the buffer.
+		c.flush()
 	}
 	return c.handshakeErr
 }
diff --git a/src/crypto/tls/handshake_client_test.go b/src/crypto/tls/handshake_client_test.go
index a5491bcdf3..c87ad5babd 100644
--- a/src/crypto/tls/handshake_client_test.go
+++ b/src/crypto/tls/handshake_client_test.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
+	"math/big"
 	"net"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
@@ -1123,3 +1124,47 @@ func TestBuffering(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("expected server handshake to complete with only two writes, but saw %d", n)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestAlertFlushing(t *testing.T) {
+	c, s := net.Pipe()
+	done := make(chan bool)
+
+	clientWCC := &writeCountingConn{Conn: c}
+	serverWCC := &writeCountingConn{Conn: s}
+
+	serverConfig := testConfig.Clone()
+
+	// Cause a signature-time error
+	brokenKey := rsa.PrivateKey{PublicKey: testRSAPrivateKey.PublicKey}
+	brokenKey.D = big.NewInt(42)
+	serverConfig.Certificates = []Certificate{{
+		Certificate: [][]byte{testRSACertificate},
+		PrivateKey:  &brokenKey,
+	}}
+
+	go func() {
+		Server(serverWCC, serverConfig).Handshake()
+		serverWCC.Close()
+		done <- true
+	}()
+
+	err := Client(clientWCC, testConfig).Handshake()
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("client unexpectedly returned no error")
+	}
+
+	const expectedError = "remote error: tls: handshake failure"
+	if e := err.Error(); !strings.Contains(e, expectedError) {
+		t.Fatalf("expected to find %q in error but error was %q", expectedError, e)
+	}
+	clientWCC.Close()
+	<-done
+
+	if n := clientWCC.numWrites; n != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("expected client handshake to complete with one write, but saw %d", n)
+	}
+
+	if n := serverWCC.numWrites; n != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("expected server handshake to complete with one write, but saw %d", n)
+	}
+}