diff --git a/akka-stream-tests/src/test/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/FlowGroupBySpec.scala b/akka-stream-tests/src/test/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/FlowGroupBySpec.scala
index 8a12c5592ee..116c8bfd672 100644
--- a/akka-stream-tests/src/test/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/FlowGroupBySpec.scala
+++ b/akka-stream-tests/src/test/scala/akka/stream/scaladsl/FlowGroupBySpec.scala
@@ -680,6 +680,23 @@ class FlowGroupBySpec extends StreamSpec("""
       queue.complete()
     }
 
+    "not throw tooManySubstreamsOpenException for element on closed substream" in {
+      val publisher = TestPublisher.Probe[(Int, Boolean)]()
+      val outProbe =
+        Source.fromPublisher(publisher).groupBy(2, _._1).takeWhile(_._2 != false).mergeSubstreams.runWith(TestSink())
+      outProbe.request(4)
+      publisher.sendNext((1, true))
+      outProbe.expectNext((1, true))
+      publisher.sendNext((2, true))
+      outProbe.expectNext((2, true))
+      publisher.sendNext((2, false)) // substream 2 completed
+      publisher.sendNext((2, false)) // should be dropped, not crash the stream
+      publisher.sendNext((1, true))
+      outProbe.expectNext((1, true))
+
+      outProbe.cancel()
+    }
+
   }
 
 }
diff --git a/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/impl/fusing/StreamOfStreams.scala b/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/impl/fusing/StreamOfStreams.scala
index ec475d46822..640308938b4 100644
--- a/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/impl/fusing/StreamOfStreams.scala
+++ b/akka-stream/src/main/scala/akka/stream/impl/fusing/StreamOfStreams.scala
@@ -351,10 +351,10 @@ import akka.util.ccompat.JavaConverters._
               nextElementValue = elem
             }
           } else {
-            if (activeSubstreamsMap.size + closedSubstreams.size == maxSubstreams)
-              throw tooManySubstreamsOpenException
-            else if (closedSubstreams.contains(key) && !hasBeenPulled(in))
+            if (closedSubstreams.contains(key))
               pull(in)
+            else if (activeSubstreamsMap.size + closedSubstreams.size == maxSubstreams)
+              throw tooManySubstreamsOpenException
             else runSubstream(key, elem)
           }
         } catch {