diff --git a/pool.go b/pool.go
index 28480bf..58e0271 100644
--- a/pool.go
+++ b/pool.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
+	"net"
 	"sync"
 
 	"github.com/chromedp/chromedp/runner"
@@ -70,6 +71,18 @@ func (p *Pool) Allocate(ctxt context.Context, opts ...runner.CommandLineOption)
 
 	r := p.next(ctxt)
 
+	// Check if the port is available first. If it's not, Chrome will print
+	// an "address already in use" error, but it will otherwise keep
+	// running. This can lead to Allocate succeeding, while the chrome
+	// process isn't actually listening on the port we need.
+	l, err := net.Listen("tcp", fmt.Sprintf("localhost:%d", r.port))
+	if err != nil {
+		// we can't use this port, e.g. address already in use
+		p.errf("pool could not allocate runner on port %d: %v", r.port, err)
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	l.Close()
+
 	p.debugf("pool allocating %d", r.port)
 
 	// create runner
diff --git a/pool_test.go b/pool_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7f96e64
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pool_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+package chromedp
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"net"
+	"strconv"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestAllocatePortInUse(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	// take a random available port
+	l, err := net.Listen("tcp4", "localhost:0")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer l.Close()
+
+	ctxt, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	defer cancel()
+
+	// make the pool use the port already in use via a port range
+	_, portStr, _ := net.SplitHostPort(l.Addr().String())
+	port, _ := strconv.Atoi(portStr)
+	pool, err := NewPool(PortRange(port, port+1))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	c, err := pool.Allocate(ctxt)
+	if err != nil {
+		want := "address already in use"
+		got := err.Error()
+		if !strings.Contains(got, want) {
+			t.Fatalf("wanted error to contain %q, but got %q", want, got)
+		}
+	} else {
+		t.Fatal("wanted Allocate to error if port is in use")
+		c.Release()
+	}
+}