diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index bb0f709..bd3a1a2 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ function TCP () {
 
   this.close = (callback) => {
     if (listeners.length === 0) {
-      throw new Error('there are no listeners')
+      callback(new Error('there are no listeners'))
     }
     var count = 0
     listeners.forEach((listener) => {