diff --git a/TODO-RELEASE b/TODO-RELEASE
index 2658cdd1c..690e9ea2b 100644
--- a/TODO-RELEASE
+++ b/TODO-RELEASE
@@ -13,4 +13,5 @@
 libosmogsm	>1.8.0		circuit switched data stuff (gsm0808_enc/dec_channel_type etc.)
 libosmo-abis	>1.4.0		osmo_ortp.h: add RTP_PT_CSDATA
 libosmo-sccp >1.7.0		osmo_sccp_{get,set}_priv()
-libosmocore 	>1.8.0	GSM48_IE_CIP_MODE_SET_HO and GSM48_IE_SYNC_IND_HO
\ No newline at end of file
+libosmocore 	>1.8.0	GSM48_IE_CIP_MODE_SET_HO and GSM48_IE_SYNC_IND_HO
+libosmo-mgcp-client > 1.11.0	mgcp_client_pool_empty()
diff --git a/src/osmo-bsc/osmo_bsc_main.c b/src/osmo-bsc/osmo_bsc_main.c
index 5866ec1d0..50cc0e099 100644
--- a/src/osmo-bsc/osmo_bsc_main.c
+++ b/src/osmo-bsc/osmo_bsc_main.c
@@ -839,8 +839,12 @@ static int bsc_mgw_setup(void)
 	/* Initialize MGW pool. This initalizes and connects all MGCP clients that are currently configured in
 	 * the pool. Adding additional MGCP clients to the pool is possible but the user has to configure and
 	 * (re)connect them manually from the VTY. */
-	pool_members_initalized = mgcp_client_pool_connect(bsc_gsmnet->mgw.mgw_pool);
-	if (pool_members_initalized) {
+	if (!mgcp_client_pool_empty(bsc_gsmnet->mgw.mgw_pool)) {
+		pool_members_initalized = mgcp_client_pool_connect(bsc_gsmnet->mgw.mgw_pool);
+		if (!pool_members_initalized) {
+			LOGP(DNM, LOGL_ERROR, "MGW pool failed to initialize any pool members\n");
+			return -EINVAL;
+		}
 		LOGP(DNM, LOGL_NOTICE,
 		     "MGW pool with %u pool members configured, (ignoring MGW configuration in VTY node 'msc').\n",
 		     pool_members_initalized);