diff --git a/src/neo4j/_async/io/_bolt3.py b/src/neo4j/_async/io/_bolt3.py
index 2997296fc..d9a13e535 100644
--- a/src/neo4j/_async/io/_bolt3.py
+++ b/src/neo4j/_async/io/_bolt3.py
@@ -591,7 +591,8 @@ async def _process_message(self, tag, fields):
                     )
                 raise
             except Neo4jError as e:
-                await self.pool.on_neo4j_error(e, self)
+                if self.pool:
+                    await self.pool.on_neo4j_error(e, self)
                 raise
         else:
             sig_int = ord(summary_signature)
diff --git a/src/neo4j/_sync/io/_bolt3.py b/src/neo4j/_sync/io/_bolt3.py
index 3f4c93a3b..80e1eb5e9 100644
--- a/src/neo4j/_sync/io/_bolt3.py
+++ b/src/neo4j/_sync/io/_bolt3.py
@@ -591,7 +591,8 @@ def _process_message(self, tag, fields):
                     )
                 raise
             except Neo4jError as e:
-                self.pool.on_neo4j_error(e, self)
+                if self.pool:
+                    self.pool.on_neo4j_error(e, self)
                 raise
         else:
             sig_int = ord(summary_signature)