In all truss-type welded hollow structural section connection design procedures, the chord member is assumed continuous on both sides of the branch. New limits of applicability have recently been advocated, which specify minimum end distances from an open chord end to achieve the full connection strength. To investigate their suitability for rectangular hollow section (RHS) connections, an experimental program consisting of 12 RHS-to-RHS X-connections subject to branch axial compression was undertaken. For connections near a chord end, a modified yield line mechanism controlled. A proposed analytical model is derived, and by evaluating against the experimental results, is shown to accurately predict the yield loads. An EN 1993-1-8 amendment, transcribed from circular hollow section connections, is deemed excessively conservative, and a closed-form solution for the end distance, presented herein, is recommended for use with RHS connections. Alternatively, providing a cap plate is determined to be an effective stiffening method.