diff --git a/zebra-network/src/peer/client.rs b/zebra-network/src/peer/client.rs
index 16101bd4..faa6fcab 100644
--- a/zebra-network/src/peer/client.rs
+++ b/zebra-network/src/peer/client.rs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ use tokio::{sync::broadcast, task::JoinHandle};
 use tower::Service;
 
 use crate::{
-    peer::error::AlreadyErrored,
+    peer::error::{AlreadyErrored, ErrorSlot, PeerError, SharedPeerError},
     peer_set::InventoryChange,
     protocol::{
         external::{types::Version, InventoryHash},
@@ -27,8 +27,6 @@ use crate::{
     },
 };
 
-use super::{ErrorSlot, PeerError, SharedPeerError};
-
 #[cfg(any(test, feature = "proptest-impl"))]
 pub mod tests;
 
@@ -491,11 +489,12 @@ impl Client {
 
     /// Poll for space in the shared request sender channel.
     fn poll_request(&mut self, cx: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<Result<(), SharedPeerError>> {
-        if ready!(self.server_tx.poll_ready(cx)).is_err() {
+        let server_result = ready!(self.server_tx.poll_ready(cx));
+        if server_result.is_err() {
             Poll::Ready(Err(self
                 .error_slot
                 .try_get_error()
-                .expect("failed servers must set their error slot")))
+                .unwrap_or_else(|| PeerError::ConnectionTaskExited.into())))
         } else if let Some(error) = self.error_slot.try_get_error() {
             Poll::Ready(Err(error))
         } else {
@@ -569,13 +568,15 @@ impl Service<Request> for Client {
         }) {
             Err(e) => {
                 if e.is_disconnected() {
-                    let ClientRequest { tx, .. } = e.into_inner();
-                    let _ = tx.send(Err(PeerError::ConnectionClosed.into()));
-                    future::ready(Err(self
+                    let peer_error = self
                         .error_slot
                         .try_get_error()
-                        .expect("failed servers must set their error slot")))
-                    .boxed()
+                        .unwrap_or_else(|| PeerError::ConnectionTaskExited.into());
+
+                    let ClientRequest { tx, .. } = e.into_inner();
+                    let _ = tx.send(Err(peer_error.clone()));
+
+                    future::ready(Err(peer_error)).boxed()
                 } else {
                     // sending fails when there's not enough
                     // channel space, but we called poll_ready