diff --git a/protocoludp.c b/protocoludp.c
index e688c45..e4eb66b 100644
--- a/protocoludp.c
+++ b/protocoludp.c
@@ -35,59 +35,25 @@ cIptvProtocolUdp::~cIptvProtocolUdp()
   free(sourceAddr);
 }
 
-bool cIptvProtocolUdp::JoinMulticast(void)
-{
-  debug("cIptvProtocolUdp::JoinMulticast()\n");
-  // Check that stream address is valid
-  if (!isActive && !isempty(streamAddr)) {
-     // Ensure that socket is valid
-     OpenSocket(socketPort, isempty(sourceAddr) ? INADDR_ANY : inet_addr(sourceAddr));
-     // Join a new multicast group
-     struct ip_mreq mreq;
-     mreq.imr_multiaddr.s_addr = inet_addr(streamAddr);
-     mreq.imr_interface.s_addr = htonl(INADDR_ANY);
-     int err = setsockopt(socketDesc, IPPROTO_IP, IP_ADD_MEMBERSHIP, &mreq,
-                          sizeof(mreq));
-     ERROR_IF_RET(err < 0, "setsockopt()", return false);
-     // Update multicasting flag
-     isActive = true;
-     }
-  return true;
-}
-
-bool cIptvProtocolUdp::DropMulticast(void)
-{
-  debug("cIptvProtocolUdp::DropMulticast()\n");
-  // Check that stream address is valid
-  if (isActive && !isempty(streamAddr)) {
-      // Ensure that socket is valid
-      OpenSocket(socketPort, isempty(sourceAddr) ? INADDR_ANY : inet_addr(sourceAddr));
-      // Drop the multicast group
-      struct ip_mreq mreq;
-      mreq.imr_multiaddr.s_addr = inet_addr(streamAddr);
-      mreq.imr_interface.s_addr = htonl(INADDR_ANY);
-      int err = setsockopt(socketDesc, IPPROTO_IP, IP_DROP_MEMBERSHIP, &mreq,
-                           sizeof(mreq));
-      ERROR_IF_RET(err < 0, "setsockopt()", return false);
-      // Update multicasting flag
-      isActive = false;
-     }
-  return true;
-}
-
 bool cIptvProtocolUdp::Open(void)
 {
   debug("cIptvProtocolUdp::Open()\n");
-  // Join a new multicast group
-  JoinMulticast();
+  if (!isempty(streamAddr)) {
+     // Join a new multicast group
+     OpenSocket(socketPort, isempty(sourceAddr) ? INADDR_ANY : inet_addr(sourceAddr));
+     JoinMulticast(inet_addr(streamAddr));
+     }
   return true;
 }
 
 bool cIptvProtocolUdp::Close(void)
 {
   debug("cIptvProtocolUdp::Close()\n");
-  // Drop the multicast group
-  DropMulticast();
+  if (!isempty(streamAddr)) {
+     // Drop the multicast group
+     OpenSocket(socketPort, isempty(sourceAddr) ? INADDR_ANY : inet_addr(sourceAddr));
+     DropMulticast(inet_addr(streamAddr));
+     }
   // Close the socket
   CloseSocket();
   return true;
@@ -103,7 +69,10 @@ bool cIptvProtocolUdp::Set(const char* Location, const int Parameter, const int
   debug("cIptvProtocolUdp::Set(): Location=%s Parameter=%d Index=%d\n", Location, Parameter, Index);
   if (!isempty(Location)) {
      // Drop the multicast group
-     DropMulticast();
+     if (!isempty(streamAddr)) {
+        OpenSocket(socketPort, isempty(sourceAddr) ? INADDR_ANY : inet_addr(sourceAddr));
+        DropMulticast(inet_addr(streamAddr));
+        }
      // Update stream address and port
      streamAddr = strcpyrealloc(streamAddr, Location);
      char *p = strstr(streamAddr, ";");
@@ -115,7 +84,10 @@ bool cIptvProtocolUdp::Set(const char* Location, const int Parameter, const int
         sourceAddr = strcpyrealloc(sourceAddr, "");
      socketPort = Parameter;
      // Join a new multicast group
-     JoinMulticast();
+     if (!isempty(streamAddr)) {
+        OpenSocket(socketPort, isempty(sourceAddr) ? INADDR_ANY : inet_addr(sourceAddr));
+        JoinMulticast(inet_addr(streamAddr));
+        }
      }
   return true;
 }
diff --git a/protocoludp.h b/protocoludp.h
index 1d35f53..3cfe0af 100644
--- a/protocoludp.h
+++ b/protocoludp.h
@@ -17,10 +17,6 @@ private:
   char* streamAddr;
   char* sourceAddr;
 
-private:
-  bool JoinMulticast(void);
-  bool DropMulticast(void);
-
 public:
   cIptvProtocolUdp();
   virtual ~cIptvProtocolUdp();
diff --git a/socket.c b/socket.c
index 62c67a1..05ade5d 100644
--- a/socket.c
+++ b/socket.c
@@ -113,6 +113,39 @@ void cIptvUdpSocket::CloseSocket(void)
   cIptvSocket::CloseSocket();
 }
 
+bool cIptvUdpSocket::JoinMulticast(const in_addr_t StreamAddr)
+{
+  debug("cIptvUdpSocket::JoinMulticast()\n");
+  // Check if socket exists
+  if (!isActive && (socketDesc >= 0)) {
+     // Join a new multicast group
+     struct ip_mreq mreq;
+     mreq.imr_multiaddr.s_addr = StreamAddr;
+     mreq.imr_interface.s_addr = htonl(INADDR_ANY);
+     ERROR_IF_RET(setsockopt(socketDesc, IPPROTO_IP, IP_ADD_MEMBERSHIP, &mreq, sizeof(mreq)) < 0, "setsockopt(IP_ADD_MEMBERSHIP)", return false);
+     // Update multicasting flag
+     isActive = true;
+     }
+  return true;
+}
+
+bool cIptvUdpSocket::DropMulticast(const in_addr_t StreamAddr)
+{
+  debug("cIptvUdpSocket::DropMulticast()\n");
+  // Check if socket exists
+  if (isActive && (socketDesc >= 0)) {
+     // Drop the existing multicast group
+     struct ip_mreq mreq;
+     mreq.imr_multiaddr.s_addr = StreamAddr;
+     mreq.imr_interface.s_addr = htonl(INADDR_ANY);
+     ERROR_IF_RET(setsockopt(socketDesc, IPPROTO_IP, IP_DROP_MEMBERSHIP, &mreq, sizeof(mreq)) < 0, "setsockopt(IP_DROP_MEMBERSHIP)", return false);
+     // Update multicasting flag
+     isActive = false;
+     }
+  return true;
+}
+
+
 int cIptvUdpSocket::Read(unsigned char* BufferAddr, unsigned int BufferLen)
 {
   //debug("cIptvUdpSocket::Read()\n");
diff --git a/socket.h b/socket.h
index 0abae60..3331cc5 100644
--- a/socket.h
+++ b/socket.h
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ public:
   virtual int Read(unsigned char* BufferAddr, unsigned int BufferLen);
   bool OpenSocket(const int Port, const in_addr_t SourceAddr = INADDR_ANY);
   void CloseSocket(void);
+  bool JoinMulticast(const in_addr_t StreamAddr);
+  bool DropMulticast(const in_addr_t StreamAddr);
 };
 
 class cIptvTcpSocket : public cIptvSocket {