diff --git a/mitmproxy/protocol/http2.py b/mitmproxy/protocol/http2.py
index 0e42d619a..ee1057813 100644
--- a/mitmproxy/protocol/http2.py
+++ b/mitmproxy/protocol/http2.py
@@ -96,15 +96,17 @@ class Http2Layer(base.Layer):
         self.server_to_client_stream_ids = dict([(0, 0)])
         self.client_conn.h2 = SafeH2Connection(self.client_conn, client_side=False, header_encoding=False)
 
-        # make sure that we only pass actual SSL.Connection objects in here,
-        # because otherwise ssl_read_select fails!
-        self.active_conns = [self.client_conn.connection]
-
     def _initiate_server_conn(self):
-        self.server_conn.h2 = SafeH2Connection(self.server_conn, client_side=True, header_encoding=False)
-        self.server_conn.h2.initiate_connection()
-        self.server_conn.send(self.server_conn.h2.data_to_send())
-        self.active_conns.append(self.server_conn.connection)
+        if self.server_conn:
+            self.server_conn.h2 = SafeH2Connection(self.server_conn, client_side=True, header_encoding=False)
+            self.server_conn.h2.initiate_connection()
+            self.server_conn.send(self.server_conn.h2.data_to_send())
+
+    def _complete_handshake(self):
+        preamble = self.client_conn.rfile.read(24)
+        self.client_conn.h2.initiate_connection()
+        self.client_conn.h2.receive_data(preamble)
+        self.client_conn.send(self.client_conn.h2.data_to_send())
 
     def next_layer(self):  # pragma: no cover
         # WebSockets over HTTP/2?
@@ -301,20 +303,19 @@ class Http2Layer(base.Layer):
                 stream.data_finished.set()
 
     def __call__(self):
-        if self.server_conn:
-            self._initiate_server_conn()
+        self._initiate_server_conn()
+        self._complete_handshake()
 
-        preamble = self.client_conn.rfile.read(24)
-        self.client_conn.h2.initiate_connection()
-        self.client_conn.h2.receive_data(preamble)
-        self.client_conn.send(self.client_conn.h2.data_to_send())
+        client = self.client_conn.connection
+        server = self.server_conn.connection
+        conns = [client, server]
 
         try:
             while True:
-                r = tcp.ssl_read_select(self.active_conns, 1)
+                r = tcp.ssl_read_select(conns, 1)
                 for conn in r:
-                    source_conn = self.client_conn if conn == self.client_conn.connection else self.server_conn
-                    other_conn = self.server_conn if conn == self.client_conn.connection else self.client_conn
+                    source_conn = self.client_conn if conn == client else self.server_conn
+                    other_conn = self.server_conn if conn == client else self.client_conn
                     is_server = (conn == self.server_conn.connection)
 
                     with source_conn.h2.lock:
diff --git a/test/mitmproxy/protocol/test_http2.py b/test/mitmproxy/protocol/test_http2.py
index 1eabebf11..4dce698d4 100644
--- a/test/mitmproxy/protocol/test_http2.py
+++ b/test/mitmproxy/protocol/test_http2.py
@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@ class _Http2TestBase(object):
             b"\r\n" % (self.server.server.address.port, self.server.server.address.port)
         )
         client.wfile.flush()
+        # TODO: rewrite as http.Request object with http.assemble_request
 
         # read CONNECT response
         while client.rfile.readline() != b"\r\n":