cannot re-connect

Here is the scenario:

Spread is running and from a java application I join the spread ring
on the same machine. Now when I stop the spread ring I see a
SpreadException raised in the java code.

SpreadException: spread.SpreadException: Connection closed while reading header

Now trying to start spread again it refuses to start because it claims
to be already running

Sess_init: INET unable to bind to port 4803, already running

But all there is is a tcp connection in CLOSE_WAIT

$ netstat -an|grep 4803
tcp4       0      0  127.0.0.1.61648        127.0.0.1.4803         CLOSE_WAIT

Any clues what migh be the problem? I want to be able to re-start
spread and have the java code re-establish the connection. Some
SpreadConnection.isConnected() would nice for that too btw.
Using spread 4rc2.

cheers
--
Torsten