diff --git a/client/src/main/java/org/asynchttpclient/ws/WebSocketUpgradeHandler.java b/client/src/main/java/org/asynchttpclient/ws/WebSocketUpgradeHandler.java
index 3c59c57924..ac44543e8f 100644
--- a/client/src/main/java/org/asynchttpclient/ws/WebSocketUpgradeHandler.java
+++ b/client/src/main/java/org/asynchttpclient/ws/WebSocketUpgradeHandler.java
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ public WebSocketUpgradeHandler(List<WebSocketListener> listeners) {
         this.listeners = listeners;
     }
     
+    protected void setWebSocket0(NettyWebSocket webSocket) {}
     protected void onStatusReceived0(HttpResponseStatus responseStatus) throws Exception {}
     protected void onHeadersReceived0(HttpHeaders headers) throws Exception {}
     protected void onBodyPartReceived0(HttpResponseBodyPart bodyPart) throws Exception {}
@@ -81,6 +82,7 @@ public final void onThrowable(Throwable t) {
 
     public final void setWebSocket(NettyWebSocket webSocket) {
         this.webSocket = webSocket;
+        setWebSocket0(this.webSocket);
     }
     
     public final void onOpen() {