diff --git a/android/src/main/java/com/tradle/react/UdpSocketClient.java b/android/src/main/java/com/tradle/react/UdpSocketClient.java
index 63e2479..15d6526 100644
--- a/android/src/main/java/com/tradle/react/UdpSocketClient.java
+++ b/android/src/main/java/com/tradle/react/UdpSocketClient.java
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ public final class UdpSocketClient implements UdpReceiverTask.OnDataReceivedList
 
     private final Map<UdpSenderTask, Callback> mPendingSends;
     private DatagramSocket mSocket;
+    private boolean mIsMulticastSocket = false;
 
     private UdpSocketClient(Builder builder) {
         this.mReceiverListener = builder.receiverListener;
@@ -52,7 +53,7 @@ public final class UdpSocketClient implements UdpReceiverTask.OnDataReceivedList
      * @return boolean true IF the socket is part of a multi-cast group.
      */
     public boolean isMulticast() {
-        return (mSocket != null && mSocket instanceof MulticastSocket);
+        return mIsMulticastSocket;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -68,7 +69,7 @@ public final class UdpSocketClient implements UdpReceiverTask.OnDataReceivedList
      *             binding.
      */
     public void bind(Integer port, @Nullable String address) throws IOException {
-        mSocket = new DatagramSocket(null);
+        mSocket = new MulticastSocket(null);
 
         mReceiverTask = new UdpReceiverTask();
 
@@ -101,25 +102,8 @@ public final class UdpSocketClient implements UdpReceiverTask.OnDataReceivedList
             throw new IllegalStateException("Socket is not bound.");
         }
 
-        if (!(mSocket instanceof MulticastSocket)) {
-            // cancel the current receiver task
-            if (mReceiverTask != null) {
-                mReceiverTask.cancel(true);
-            }
-
-            mReceiverTask = new UdpReceiverTask();
-
-            // tear down the DatagramSocket, and rebuild as a MulticastSocket
-            final int port = mSocket.getLocalPort();
-            mSocket.close();
-            mSocket = new MulticastSocket(port);
-
-            // begin listening for data in the background
-            mReceiverTask.executeOnExecutor(AsyncTask.THREAD_POOL_EXECUTOR,
-                    new Pair<DatagramSocket, UdpReceiverTask.OnDataReceivedListener>(mSocket, this));
-        }
-
         ((MulticastSocket) mSocket).joinGroup(InetAddress.getByName(address));
+        mIsMulticastSocket = true;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -130,9 +114,8 @@ public final class UdpSocketClient implements UdpReceiverTask.OnDataReceivedList
      * @throws IOException
      */
     public void dropMembership(String address) throws UnknownHostException, IOException {
-        if (mSocket instanceof MulticastSocket) {
-            ((MulticastSocket) mSocket).leaveGroup(InetAddress.getByName(address));
-        }
+        ((MulticastSocket) mSocket).leaveGroup(InetAddress.getByName(address));
+        mIsMulticastSocket = false;
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/android/src/main/java/com/tradle/react/UdpSockets.java b/android/src/main/java/com/tradle/react/UdpSockets.java
index 15af71d..3b8f5d4 100644
--- a/android/src/main/java/com/tradle/react/UdpSockets.java
+++ b/android/src/main/java/com/tradle/react/UdpSockets.java
@@ -177,22 +177,26 @@ public final class UdpSockets extends ReactContextBaseJavaModule
                     mMulticastLock.setReferenceCounted(true);
                 }
 
-                if (!client.isMulticast()) {
-                    // acquire the multi-cast lock, IF this is the
-                    // first addMembership call for this client.
+               try {
                     mMulticastLock.acquire();
-                }
-
-                try {
                     client.addMembership(multicastAddress);
                 } catch (IllegalStateException ise) {
                     // an exception occurred
+                    if (mMulticastLock != null && mMulticastLock.isHeld()) {
+                        mMulticastLock.release();
+                    }
                     FLog.e(TAG, "addMembership", ise);
                 } catch (UnknownHostException uhe) {
                     // an exception occurred
+                    if (mMulticastLock != null && mMulticastLock.isHeld()) {
+                        mMulticastLock.release();
+                    }
                     FLog.e(TAG, "addMembership", uhe);
                 } catch (IOException ioe) {
                     // an exception occurred
+                    if (mMulticastLock != null && mMulticastLock.isHeld()) {
+                        mMulticastLock.release();
+                    }
                     FLog.e(TAG, "addMembership", ioe);
                 }
             }
@@ -217,6 +221,10 @@ public final class UdpSockets extends ReactContextBaseJavaModule
                 } catch (IOException ioe) {
                     // an exception occurred
                     FLog.e(TAG, "dropMembership", ioe);
+                } finally {
+                    if (mMulticastLock != null && mMulticastLock.isHeld()) {
+                        mMulticastLock.release();
+                    }
                 }
             }
         }.execute();
@@ -263,7 +271,7 @@ public final class UdpSockets extends ReactContextBaseJavaModule
                     return;
                 }
 
-                if (client.isMulticast() && mMulticastLock.isHeld()) {
+                if (mMulticastLock != null && mMulticastLock.isHeld() && client.isMulticast()) {
                     // drop the multi-cast lock if this is a multi-cast client
                     mMulticastLock.release();
                 }