diff --git a/rtmp/rtmp.c b/rtmp/rtmp.c
index 5a63bdf1..26aa44e0 100644
--- a/rtmp/rtmp.c
+++ b/rtmp/rtmp.c
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ LICENSE
 #include <log.h>
 #include <rtmp.h>
 
-unsigned int start_session(RTMP* rtmp, char* url, uint connect_timeout) {
+RTMP* start_session(RTMP* rtmp, char* url, uint connect_timeout) {
 	printf("RTMP url: %s\n", url);
 	rtmp = RTMP_Alloc();
 	RTMP_Init(rtmp);
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ unsigned int start_session(RTMP* rtmp, char* url, uint connect_timeout) {
 		printf("Can't setup url!\n");
 		RTMP_Close(rtmp);
 		RTMP_Free(rtmp);
-		return 1;
+		return NULL;
 	}
 
 	RTMP_EnableWrite(rtmp);
@@ -51,17 +51,17 @@ unsigned int start_session(RTMP* rtmp, char* url, uint connect_timeout) {
 		printf("RTMP can't connect!\n");
 		RTMP_Close(rtmp);
 		RTMP_Free(rtmp);
-		return 1;
+		return NULL;
 	}
 
 	if (!RTMP_ConnectStream(rtmp, 0)) {
 		printf("RTMP can't connect stream!\n");
 		RTMP_Close(rtmp);
 		RTMP_Free(rtmp);
-		return 1;
+		return NULL;
 	}
 
-	return 0;
+	return rtmp;
 }
 
 unsigned int write_frame(RTMP* rtmp, char* data, uint data_length) {
@@ -92,6 +92,5 @@ unsigned int end_session(RTMP* rtmp) {
 
 	RTMP_Close(rtmp);
 	RTMP_Free(rtmp);
-	rtmp = NULL;
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/rtmp/rtmp.go b/rtmp/rtmp.go
index 24420927..784f1a94 100644
--- a/rtmp/rtmp.go
+++ b/rtmp/rtmp.go
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ package rtmp
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <rtmp.h>
 
-int start_session(RTMP* rtmp, char* url, uint connect_timeout);
+RTMP* start_session(RTMP* rtmp, char* url, uint connect_timeout);
 int write_frame(RTMP* rtmp, char* data, uint data_length);
 int end_session(RTMP* rtmp);
 */
@@ -59,7 +59,6 @@ type session struct {
 
 	url     string
 	timeout uint
-	running bool
 }
 
 var _ Session = (*session)(nil)
@@ -75,19 +74,19 @@ func NewSession(url string, connectTimeout uint) Session {
 // StartSession establishes an rtmp connection with the url passed into the
 // constructor
 func (s *session) StartSession() error {
-	if s.running {
+	if s.rtmp != nil {
 		return errors.New("rtmp: attempt to start already running session")
 	}
-	if C.start_session(s.rtmp, C.CString(s.url), C.uint(s.timeout)) != 0 {
+	s.rtmp = C.start_session(s.rtmp, C.CString(s.url), C.uint(s.timeout))
+	if s.rtmp == nil {
 		return errors.New("RTMP start error! Check rtmp log for details!")
 	}
-	s.running = true
 	return nil
 }
 
 // Write writes a frame (flv tag) to the rtmp connection
 func (s *session) Write(data []byte) error {
-	if !s.running {
+	if s.rtmp == nil {
 		return errors.New("rtmp: attempt to write to non-running session")
 	}
 	if C.write_frame(s.rtmp, (*C.char)(unsafe.Pointer(&data[0])), C.uint(len(data))) != 0 {
@@ -98,11 +97,12 @@ func (s *session) Write(data []byte) error {
 
 // Close terminates the rtmp connection
 func (s *session) Close() error {
-	if !s.running {
+	if s.rtmp == nil {
 		return errors.New("Tried to stop rtmp session, but not running!")
 	}
-	s.running = false
-	if C.end_session(s.rtmp) != 0 {
+	ret := C.end_session(s.rtmp)
+	s.rtmp = nil
+	if ret != 0 {
 		return errors.New("RTMP end session error! Check rtmp log for details!")
 	}
 	return nil