diff --git a/src/Connection/Aggregate/MasterSlaveReplication.php b/src/Connection/Aggregate/MasterSlaveReplication.php
index 8a8bda02..a87db892 100644
--- a/src/Connection/Aggregate/MasterSlaveReplication.php
+++ b/src/Connection/Aggregate/MasterSlaveReplication.php
@@ -53,16 +53,6 @@ class MasterSlaveReplication implements ReplicationInterface
         $this->strategy = $strategy ?: new ReplicationStrategy();
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Checks if one master and at least one slave have been defined.
-     */
-    protected function check()
-    {
-        if (!isset($this->master) || !$this->slaves) {
-            throw new \RuntimeException('Replication needs one master and at least one slave.');
-        }
-    }
-
     /**
      * Resets the connection state.
      */
@@ -156,8 +146,6 @@ class MasterSlaveReplication implements ReplicationInterface
      */
     public function switchTo($connection)
     {
-        $this->check();
-
         if (!$connection instanceof NodeConnectionInterface) {
             $connection = $this->getConnectionById($connection);
         }
@@ -242,9 +230,12 @@ class MasterSlaveReplication implements ReplicationInterface
      */
     public function connect()
     {
-        if ($this->current === null) {
-            $this->check();
-            $this->current = $this->pickSlave();
+        if (!$this->current) {
+            if (!$this->current = $this->pickSlave()) {
+                if (!$this->current = $this->getMaster()) {
+                    throw new ClientException("No available connection for replication");
+                }
+            }
         }
 
         $this->current->connect();
diff --git a/tests/Predis/Connection/Aggregate/MasterSlaveReplicationTest.php b/tests/Predis/Connection/Aggregate/MasterSlaveReplicationTest.php
index f0e8836c..ff702920 100644
--- a/tests/Predis/Connection/Aggregate/MasterSlaveReplicationTest.php
+++ b/tests/Predis/Connection/Aggregate/MasterSlaveReplicationTest.php
@@ -65,8 +65,8 @@ class MasterSlaveReplicationTest extends PredisTestCase
 
     /**
      * @group disconnected
-     * @expectedException \RuntimeException
-     * @expectedExceptionMessage Replication needs one master and at least one slave.
+     * @expectedException \Predis\ClientException
+     * @expectedExceptionMessage No available connection for replication
      */
     public function testThrowsExceptionOnEmptyReplication()
     {
@@ -76,34 +76,8 @@ class MasterSlaveReplicationTest extends PredisTestCase
 
     /**
      * @group disconnected
-     * @expectedException \RuntimeException
-     * @expectedExceptionMessage Replication needs one master and at least one slave.
      */
-    public function testThrowsExceptionOnMissingMaster()
-    {
-        $replication = new MasterSlaveReplication();
-        $replication->add($this->getMockConnection('tcp://host2?alias=slave1'));
-
-        $replication->connect();
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * @group disconnected
-     * @expectedException \RuntimeException
-     * @expectedExceptionMessage Replication needs one master and at least one slave.
-     */
-    public function testThrowsExceptionOnMissingSlave()
-    {
-        $replication = new MasterSlaveReplication();
-        $replication->add($this->getMockConnection('tcp://host1?alias=master'));
-
-        $replication->connect();
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * @group disconnected
-     */
-    public function testConnectForcesConnectionToOneOfSlaves()
+    public function testConnectsToOneOfSlaves()
     {
         $master = $this->getMockConnection('tcp://host1?alias=master');
         $master->expects($this->never())->method('connect');
@@ -118,6 +92,20 @@ class MasterSlaveReplicationTest extends PredisTestCase
         $replication->connect();
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @group disconnected
+     */
+    public function testConnectsToMasterOnMissingSlaves()
+    {
+        $master = $this->getMockConnection('tcp://host1?alias=master');
+
+        $replication = new MasterSlaveReplication();
+        $replication->add($master);
+
+        $replication->connect();
+        $this->assertSame($master, $replication->getCurrent());
+    }
+
     /**
      * @group disconnected
      */