} elsif ( $self->_hosts_available ) {
        $self->on_connect ( $request, $response, $entry );
        my $err_msg = $self->_connect ( $entry );
        unless ( $err_msg ) {
            # only increase connection count if _connect doesn't return error
            $self->{'current_connections'}->{$netloc}++;
        } else {
            # calling ->on_failure is done within ->_connect
            LWP::Debug::debug ("Failed connection for '" . $netloc ."'\nError: $err_msg");
            $self->{'failed_connections'}->{$netloc}++;