diff --git a/salt/transport/zeromq.py b/salt/transport/zeromq.py
index fa8c336d5a..97b8aef9b1 100644
--- a/salt/transport/zeromq.py
+++ b/salt/transport/zeromq.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import os
 import errno
 import hashlib
 import weakref
+import gc
 from random import randint
 
 # Import Salt Libs
@@ -61,6 +62,7 @@ class AsyncZeroMQReqChannel(salt.transport.client.ReqChannel):
         '''
         Only create one instance of channel per __key()
         '''
+
         # do we have any mapping for this io_loop
         io_loop = kwargs.get('io_loop') or tornado.ioloop.IOLoop.current()
         if io_loop not in cls.instance_map:
@@ -78,7 +80,18 @@ class AsyncZeroMQReqChannel(salt.transport.client.ReqChannel):
             loop_instance_map[key] = new_obj
         else:
             log.debug('Re-using AsyncZeroMQReqChannel for {0}'.format(key))
-        return loop_instance_map[key]
+        try:
+            return loop_instance_map[key]
+        except KeyError:
+            # In iterating over the loop_instance_map, we may have triggered
+            # garbage collection. Therefore, the key is no longer present in
+            # the map. Re-gen and add to map.
+            log.debug('Initializing new AsyncZeroMQReqChannel due to GC for {0}'.format(key))
+            new_obj = object.__new__(cls)
+            new_obj.__singleton_init__(opts, **kwargs)
+            loop_instance_map[key] = new_obj
+            return loop_instance_map[key]
+
 
     @classmethod
     def __key(cls, opts, **kwargs):
@@ -118,7 +131,10 @@ class AsyncZeroMQReqChannel(salt.transport.client.ReqChannel):
         Since the message_client creates sockets and assigns them to the IOLoop we have to
         specifically destroy them, since we aren't the only ones with references to the FDs
         '''
-        self.message_client.destroy()
+        if hasattr(self, 'message_client'):
+            self.message_client.destroy()
+        else:
+            log.debug('No message_client attr for AsyncZeroMQReqChannel found. Not destroying sockets.')
 
     @property
     def master_uri(self):