diff --git a/assemblyai.go b/assemblyai.go
index 449d9a6..67b7b66 100644
--- a/assemblyai.go
+++ b/assemblyai.go
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	version              = "1.8.0"
+	version              = "1.8.1"
 	defaultBaseURLScheme = "https"
 	defaultBaseURLHost   = "api.assemblyai.com"
 )
diff --git a/realtime.go b/realtime.go
index 3365476..3e3f541 100644
--- a/realtime.go
+++ b/realtime.go
@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@ var (
 	// ErrDisconnected is returned when attempting to write to a disconnected
 	// client.
 	ErrDisconnected = errors.New("client is disconnected")
+
+	// ErrConnectionNotFound is returned when attempting to disconnect a
+	// nil connection
+	ErrConnectionNotFound = errors.New("client connection does not exist")
 )
 
 type MessageType string
@@ -481,6 +485,10 @@ func (c *RealTimeClient) queryFromOptions() string {
 // Disconnect sends the terminate_session message and waits for the server to
 // send a SessionTerminated message before closing the connection.
 func (c *RealTimeClient) Disconnect(ctx context.Context, waitForSessionTermination bool) error {
+	if c.conn == nil {
+		return ErrConnectionNotFound
+	}
+
 	terminate := TerminateSession{TerminateSession: true}
 
 	if err := wsjson.Write(ctx, c.conn, terminate); err != nil {
diff --git a/realtime_test.go b/realtime_test.go
index e1e4739..ed3d30b 100644
--- a/realtime_test.go
+++ b/realtime_test.go
@@ -149,6 +149,32 @@ func TestRealTime_Connect(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 }
 
+func TestRealTime_ConnectFailsDisconnect(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	// setup webhook server that fails to make a connection
+	ts := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		apiKey := r.Header.Get("Authorization")
+		require.Equal(t, "api-key", apiKey)
+	}))
+	defer ts.Close()
+
+	client := NewRealTimeClientWithOptions(
+		WithRealTimeAPIKey("api-key"),
+		WithRealTimeBaseURL(ts.URL),
+		WithRealTimeTranscriber(&RealTimeTranscriber{}),
+	)
+
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), testTimeout)
+	defer cancel()
+
+	// try to connect, note error is returned, but ignore it and proceed to Disconnect
+	_ = client.Connect(ctx)
+
+	err := client.Disconnect(ctx, true)
+	require.Errorf(t, err, "client connection does not exist")
+}
+
 func TestRealTime_Send(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()