diff -ur mysql-5.1.34/client/mysql.cc mysql-5.1.34-bug-37274/client/mysql.cc
--- mysql-5.1.34/client/mysql.cc	2009-03-31 15:35:30.000000000 +0100
+++ mysql-5.1.34-bug-37274/client/mysql.cc	2009-04-27 03:57:16.000000000 +0100
@@ -4246,9 +4246,21 @@
   const char *status_str;
   char buff[40];
   ulonglong id;
+  int error;
   MYSQL_RES *result;
   LINT_INIT(result);
 
+  /* Test to see if connection is alive first */
+
+  if (mysql_ping(&mysql))
+  {
+    error= mysql_errno(&mysql);
+    if ((error != 0) && (error != CR_SERVER_GONE_ERROR))
+      return error;
+    if ((error == CR_SERVER_GONE_ERROR) && (reconnect()))
+      return error;
+  }
+
   tee_puts("--------------", stdout);
   usage(1);					/* Print version */
   if (connected)