diff --git a/common/prque/lazyqueue_test.go b/common/prque/lazyqueue_test.go
index 0bd4fc6597..be9491e24e 100644
--- a/common/prque/lazyqueue_test.go
+++ b/common/prque/lazyqueue_test.go
@@ -74,17 +74,22 @@ func TestLazyQueue(t *testing.T) {
 		q.Push(&items[i])
 	}
 
-	var lock sync.Mutex
-	stopCh := make(chan chan struct{})
+	var (
+		lock   sync.Mutex
+		wg     sync.WaitGroup
+		stopCh = make(chan chan struct{})
+	)
+	defer wg.Wait()
+	wg.Add(1)
 	go func() {
+		defer wg.Done()
 		for {
 			select {
 			case <-clock.After(testQueueRefresh):
 				lock.Lock()
 				q.Refresh()
 				lock.Unlock()
-			case stop := <-stopCh:
-				close(stop)
+			case <-stopCh:
 				return
 			}
 		}
@@ -104,6 +109,8 @@ func TestLazyQueue(t *testing.T) {
 		if rand.Intn(100) == 0 {
 			p := q.PopItem().(*lazyItem)
 			if p.p != maxPri {
+				lock.Unlock()
+				close(stopCh)
 				t.Fatalf("incorrect item (best known priority %d, popped %d)", maxPri, p.p)
 			}
 			q.Push(p)
@@ -113,7 +120,5 @@ func TestLazyQueue(t *testing.T) {
 		clock.WaitForTimers(1)
 	}
 
-	stop := make(chan struct{})
-	stopCh <- stop
-	<-stop
+	close(stopCh)
 }
diff --git a/console/console.go b/console/console.go
index a2f12d8ede..e2b4835e46 100644
--- a/console/console.go
+++ b/console/console.go
@@ -340,62 +340,61 @@ func (c *Console) Evaluate(statement string) {
 // the configured user prompter.
 func (c *Console) Interactive() {
 	var (
-		prompt    = c.prompt          // Current prompt line (used for multi-line inputs)
-		indents   = 0                 // Current number of input indents (used for multi-line inputs)
-		input     = ""                // Current user input
-		scheduler = make(chan string) // Channel to send the next prompt on and receive the input
+		prompt      = c.prompt             // the current prompt line (used for multi-line inputs)
+		indents     = 0                    // the current number of input indents (used for multi-line inputs)
+		input       = ""                   // the current user input
+		inputLine   = make(chan string, 1) // receives user input
+		inputErr    = make(chan error, 1)  // receives liner errors
+		requestLine = make(chan string)    // requests a line of input
+		interrupt   = make(chan os.Signal, 1)
 	)
-	// Start a goroutine to listen for prompt requests and send back inputs
-	go func() {
-		for {
-			// Read the next user input
-			line, err := c.prompter.PromptInput(<-scheduler)
-			if err != nil {
-				// In case of an error, either clear the prompt or fail
-				if err == liner.ErrPromptAborted { // ctrl-C
-					prompt, indents, input = c.prompt, 0, ""
-					scheduler <- ""
-					continue
-				}
-				close(scheduler)
-				return
-			}
-			// User input retrieved, send for interpretation and loop
-			scheduler <- line
-		}
-	}()
-	// Monitor Ctrl-C too in case the input is empty and we need to bail
-	abort := make(chan os.Signal, 1)
-	signal.Notify(abort, syscall.SIGINT, syscall.SIGTERM)
 
-	// Start sending prompts to the user and reading back inputs
+	// Monitor Ctrl-C. While liner does turn on the relevant terminal mode bits to avoid
+	// the signal, a signal can still be received for unsupported terminals. Unfortunately
+	// there is no way to cancel the line reader when this happens. The readLines
+	// goroutine will be leaked in this case.
+	signal.Notify(interrupt, syscall.SIGINT, syscall.SIGTERM)
+	defer signal.Stop(interrupt)
+
+	// The line reader runs in a separate goroutine.
+	go c.readLines(inputLine, inputErr, requestLine)
+	defer close(requestLine)
+
 	for {
-		// Send the next prompt, triggering an input read and process the result
-		scheduler <- prompt
+		// Send the next prompt, triggering an input read.
+		requestLine <- prompt
+
 		select {
-		case <-abort:
-			// User forcefully quite the console
+		case <-interrupt:
 			fmt.Fprintln(c.printer, "caught interrupt, exiting")
 			return
 
-		case line, ok := <-scheduler:
-			// User input was returned by the prompter, handle special cases
-			if !ok || (indents <= 0 && exit.MatchString(line)) {
+		case err := <-inputErr:
+			if err == liner.ErrPromptAborted && indents > 0 {
+				// When prompting for multi-line input, the first Ctrl-C resets
+				// the multi-line state.
+				prompt, indents, input = c.prompt, 0, ""
+				continue
+			}
+			return
+
+		case line := <-inputLine:
+			// User input was returned by the prompter, handle special cases.
+			if indents <= 0 && exit.MatchString(line) {
 				return
 			}
 			if onlyWhitespace.MatchString(line) {
 				continue
 			}
-			// Append the line to the input and check for multi-line interpretation
+			// Append the line to the input and check for multi-line interpretation.
 			input += line + "\n"
-
 			indents = countIndents(input)
 			if indents <= 0 {
 				prompt = c.prompt
 			} else {
 				prompt = strings.Repeat(".", indents*3) + " "
 			}
-			// If all the needed lines are present, save the command and run
+			// If all the needed lines are present, save the command and run it.
 			if indents <= 0 {
 				if len(input) > 0 && input[0] != ' ' && !passwordRegexp.MatchString(input) {
 					if command := strings.TrimSpace(input); len(c.history) == 0 || command != c.history[len(c.history)-1] {
@@ -412,6 +411,18 @@ func (c *Console) Interactive() {
 	}
 }
 
+// readLines runs in its own goroutine, prompting for input.
+func (c *Console) readLines(input chan<- string, errc chan<- error, prompt <-chan string) {
+	for p := range prompt {
+		line, err := c.prompter.PromptInput(p)
+		if err != nil {
+			errc <- err
+		} else {
+			input <- line
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 // countIndents returns the number of identations for the given input.
 // In case of invalid input such as var a = } the result can be negative.
 func countIndents(input string) int {
diff --git a/event/event_test.go b/event/event_test.go
index 2be357ba2d..cc9fa5d7c8 100644
--- a/event/event_test.go
+++ b/event/event_test.go
@@ -203,6 +203,7 @@ func BenchmarkPostConcurrent(b *testing.B) {
 // for comparison
 func BenchmarkChanSend(b *testing.B) {
 	c := make(chan interface{})
+	defer close(c)
 	closed := make(chan struct{})
 	go func() {
 		for range c {
diff --git a/miner/worker_test.go b/miner/worker_test.go
index 78e09a1767..86bb7db646 100644
--- a/miner/worker_test.go
+++ b/miner/worker_test.go
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 package miner
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
 	"math/big"
 	"math/rand"
 	"sync/atomic"
@@ -210,49 +209,37 @@ func testGenerateBlockAndImport(t *testing.T, isClique bool) {
 	w, b := newTestWorker(t, chainConfig, engine, db, 0)
 	defer w.close()
 
+	// This test chain imports the mined blocks.
 	db2 := rawdb.NewMemoryDatabase()
 	b.genesis.MustCommit(db2)
 	chain, _ := core.NewBlockChain(db2, nil, b.chain.Config(), engine, vm.Config{}, nil)
 	defer chain.Stop()
 
-	var (
-		loopErr   = make(chan error)
-		newBlock  = make(chan struct{})
-		subscribe = make(chan struct{})
-	)
-	listenNewBlock := func() {
-		sub := w.mux.Subscribe(core.NewMinedBlockEvent{})
-		defer sub.Unsubscribe()
-
-		subscribe <- struct{}{}
-		for item := range sub.Chan() {
-			block := item.Data.(core.NewMinedBlockEvent).Block
-			_, err := chain.InsertChain([]*types.Block{block})
-			if err != nil {
-				loopErr <- fmt.Errorf("failed to insert new mined block:%d, error:%v", block.NumberU64(), err)
-			}
-			newBlock <- struct{}{}
-		}
-	}
-	// Ignore empty commit here for less noise
+	// Ignore empty commit here for less noise.
 	w.skipSealHook = func(task *task) bool {
 		return len(task.receipts) == 0
 	}
-	go listenNewBlock()
 
-	<-subscribe // Ensure the subscription is created
-	w.start()   // Start mining!
+	// Wait for mined blocks.
+	sub := w.mux.Subscribe(core.NewMinedBlockEvent{})
+	defer sub.Unsubscribe()
+
+	// Start mining!
+	w.start()
 
 	for i := 0; i < 5; i++ {
 		b.txPool.AddLocal(b.newRandomTx(true))
 		b.txPool.AddLocal(b.newRandomTx(false))
 		w.postSideBlock(core.ChainSideEvent{Block: b.newRandomUncle()})
 		w.postSideBlock(core.ChainSideEvent{Block: b.newRandomUncle()})
+
 		select {
-		case e := <-loopErr:
-			t.Fatal(e)
-		case <-newBlock:
-		case <-time.NewTimer(3 * time.Second).C: // Worker needs 1s to include new changes.
+		case ev := <-sub.Chan():
+			block := ev.Data.(core.NewMinedBlockEvent).Block
+			if _, err := chain.InsertChain([]*types.Block{block}); err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("failed to insert new mined block %d: %v", block.NumberU64(), err)
+			}
+		case <-time.After(3 * time.Second): // Worker needs 1s to include new changes.
 			t.Fatalf("timeout")
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/rpc/client_test.go b/rpc/client_test.go
index 1d87d96671..8a996aeda5 100644
--- a/rpc/client_test.go
+++ b/rpc/client_test.go
@@ -413,15 +413,14 @@ func TestClientHTTP(t *testing.T) {
 	// Launch concurrent requests.
 	var (
 		results    = make([]echoResult, 100)
-		errc       = make(chan error)
+		errc       = make(chan error, len(results))
 		wantResult = echoResult{"a", 1, new(echoArgs)}
 	)
 	defer client.Close()
 	for i := range results {
 		i := i
 		go func() {
-			errc <- client.Call(&results[i], "test_echo",
-				wantResult.String, wantResult.Int, wantResult.Args)
+			errc <- client.Call(&results[i], "test_echo", wantResult.String, wantResult.Int, wantResult.Args)
 		}()
 	}
 
diff --git a/rpc/subscription_test.go b/rpc/subscription_test.go
index c3a918a832..54a053dba8 100644
--- a/rpc/subscription_test.go
+++ b/rpc/subscription_test.go
@@ -125,22 +125,25 @@ func TestSubscriptions(t *testing.T) {
 
 // This test checks that unsubscribing works.
 func TestServerUnsubscribe(t *testing.T) {
+	p1, p2 := net.Pipe()
+	defer p2.Close()
+
 	// Start the server.
 	server := newTestServer()
-	service := &notificationTestService{unsubscribed: make(chan string)}
+	service := &notificationTestService{unsubscribed: make(chan string, 1)}
 	server.RegisterName("nftest2", service)
-	p1, p2 := net.Pipe()
 	go server.ServeCodec(NewCodec(p1), 0)
 
-	p2.SetDeadline(time.Now().Add(10 * time.Second))
-
 	// Subscribe.
+	p2.SetDeadline(time.Now().Add(10 * time.Second))
 	p2.Write([]byte(`{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"nftest2_subscribe","params":["someSubscription",0,10]}`))
 
 	// Handle received messages.
-	resps := make(chan subConfirmation)
-	notifications := make(chan subscriptionResult)
-	errors := make(chan error)
+	var (
+		resps         = make(chan subConfirmation)
+		notifications = make(chan subscriptionResult)
+		errors        = make(chan error, 1)
+	)
 	go waitForMessages(json.NewDecoder(p2), resps, notifications, errors)
 
 	// Receive the subscription ID.
@@ -173,34 +176,45 @@ type subConfirmation struct {
 	subid ID
 }
 
+// waitForMessages reads RPC messages from 'in' and dispatches them into the given channels.
+// It stops if there is an error.
 func waitForMessages(in *json.Decoder, successes chan subConfirmation, notifications chan subscriptionResult, errors chan error) {
 	for {
-		var msg jsonrpcMessage
-		if err := in.Decode(&msg); err != nil {
-			errors <- fmt.Errorf("decode error: %v", err)
-			return
-		}
-		switch {
-		case msg.isNotification():
-			var res subscriptionResult
-			if err := json.Unmarshal(msg.Params, &res); err != nil {
-				errors <- fmt.Errorf("invalid subscription result: %v", err)
-			} else {
-				notifications <- res
-			}
-		case msg.isResponse():
-			var c subConfirmation
-			if msg.Error != nil {
-				errors <- msg.Error
-			} else if err := json.Unmarshal(msg.Result, &c.subid); err != nil {
-				errors <- fmt.Errorf("invalid response: %v", err)
-			} else {
-				json.Unmarshal(msg.ID, &c.reqid)
-				successes <- c
-			}
-		default:
-			errors <- fmt.Errorf("unrecognized message: %v", msg)
+		resp, notification, err := readAndValidateMessage(in)
+		if err != nil {
+			errors <- err
 			return
+		} else if resp != nil {
+			successes <- *resp
+		} else {
+			notifications <- *notification
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func readAndValidateMessage(in *json.Decoder) (*subConfirmation, *subscriptionResult, error) {
+	var msg jsonrpcMessage
+	if err := in.Decode(&msg); err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("decode error: %v", err)
+	}
+	switch {
+	case msg.isNotification():
+		var res subscriptionResult
+		if err := json.Unmarshal(msg.Params, &res); err != nil {
+			return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid subscription result: %v", err)
+		}
+		return nil, &res, nil
+	case msg.isResponse():
+		var c subConfirmation
+		if msg.Error != nil {
+			return nil, nil, msg.Error
+		} else if err := json.Unmarshal(msg.Result, &c.subid); err != nil {
+			return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid response: %v", err)
+		} else {
+			json.Unmarshal(msg.ID, &c.reqid)
+			return &c, nil, nil
+		}
+	default:
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("unrecognized message: %v", msg)
+	}
+}