diff --git a/AUTHORS b/AUTHORS
index fb1478c3b..36a947268 100644
--- a/AUTHORS
+++ b/AUTHORS
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ Maciej Zimnoch <maciej.zimnoch at codilime.com>
 Michael Woolnough <michael.woolnough at gmail.com>
 Nathanial Murphy <nathanial.murphy at gmail.com>
 Nicola Peduzzi <thenikso at gmail.com>
+Oliver Bone <owbone at github.com>
 Olivier Mengué <dolmen at cpan.org>
 oscarzhao <oscarzhaosl at gmail.com>
 Paul Bonser <misterpib at gmail.com>
diff --git a/packets.go b/packets.go
index ee05c95a8..c916ff913 100644
--- a/packets.go
+++ b/packets.go
@@ -43,10 +43,20 @@ func (mc *mysqlConn) readPacket() ([]byte, error) {
 		pktLen := int(uint32(data[0]) | uint32(data[1])<<8 | uint32(data[2])<<16)
 
 		// check packet sync [8 bit]
-		if data[3] != mc.sequence {
-			if data[3] > mc.sequence {
+		if sequenceID := data[3]; sequenceID != mc.sequence {
+			if sequenceID > mc.sequence {
 				return nil, ErrPktSyncMul
 			}
+
+			if sequenceID == 0 {
+				// If the sequence ID is zero then this is not a response to any
+				// packet that the client has sent. It's likely an error packet
+				// that the server sent simultaneously.
+				errLog.Print("received packet with zero sequence ID")
+				mc.Close()
+				return nil, ErrInvalidConn
+			}
+
 			return nil, ErrPktSync
 		}
 		mc.sequence++
diff --git a/packets_test.go b/packets_test.go
index b61e4dbf7..0a9de0869 100644
--- a/packets_test.go
+++ b/packets_test.go
@@ -134,9 +134,9 @@ func TestReadPacketWrongSequenceID(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// too low sequence id
-	conn.data = []byte{0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0xff}
+	conn.data = []byte{0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0xff}
 	conn.maxReads = 1
-	mc.sequence = 1
+	mc.sequence = 2
 	_, err := mc.readPacket()
 	if err != ErrPktSync {
 		t.Errorf("expected ErrPktSync, got %v", err)
@@ -155,6 +155,27 @@ func TestReadPacketWrongSequenceID(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestReadPacketZeroSequenceID(t *testing.T) {
+	conn := new(mockConn)
+	mc := &mysqlConn{
+		buf:     newBuffer(conn),
+		closech: make(chan struct{}),
+	}
+
+	conn.data = []byte{0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0xff}
+	conn.maxReads = 1
+	mc.sequence = 1
+	_, err := mc.readPacket()
+	if err != ErrInvalidConn {
+		t.Errorf("expected ErrInvalidConn, got %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// The connection should not be returned to the pool.
+	if mc.IsValid() {
+		t.Errorf("expected connection to no longer be valid")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestReadPacketSplit(t *testing.T) {
 	conn := new(mockConn)
 	mc := &mysqlConn{