diff --git a/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/many.rs b/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/many.rs
index c50bab61..4222798e 100644
--- a/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/many.rs
+++ b/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/many.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ use crate::rpcs::transactions::TxStatus;
 use counter::Counter;
 use derive_more::From;
 use ethers::prelude::{ProviderError, TxHash, H256, U64};
-use futures::future::{join_all, try_join_all};
+use futures::future::try_join_all;
 use futures::stream::FuturesUnordered;
 use futures::StreamExt;
 use hashbrown::{HashMap, HashSet};
@@ -108,9 +108,15 @@ impl Web3Rpcs {
 
                         // trace!("http interval ready");
 
-                        // errors are okay. they mean that all receivers have been dropped
-                        let _ = sender.send(());
+                        if let Err(_) = sender.send(()) {
+                            // errors are okay. they mean that all receivers have been dropped. that is normal if there are only websocket backend rpcs
+                            // TODO: if error, await a `std::future::pending::<()>`? whats the right thing here?
+                            info!("all http receivers have been dropped");
+                            break;
+                        };
                     }
+
+                    info!("http interval sender exited");
                 }
             };
 
@@ -125,7 +131,7 @@ impl Web3Rpcs {
         // turn configs into connections (in parallel)
         // TODO: move this into a helper function. then we can use it when configs change (will need a remove function too)
         // TODO: futures unordered?
-        let spawn_handles: Vec<_> = server_configs
+        let mut spawn_handles: FuturesUnordered<_> = server_configs
             .into_iter()
             .filter_map(|(server_name, server_config)| {
                 if server_config.disabled {
@@ -170,20 +176,21 @@ impl Web3Rpcs {
         let mut connections = HashMap::new();
         let mut handles = vec![];
 
-        // TODO: futures unordered?
-        for x in join_all(spawn_handles).await {
+        for x in spawn_handles.next().await {
             // TODO: how should we handle errors here? one rpc being down shouldn't cause the program to exit
             match x {
                 Ok(Ok((connection, handle))) => {
+                    // web3 connection worked
                     connections.insert(connection.name.clone(), connection);
                     handles.push(handle);
                 }
                 Ok(Err(err)) => {
-                    // if we got an error here, it is not retryable
+                    // if we got an error here, the app can continue on
                     // TODO: include context about which connection failed
                     error!("Unable to create connection. err={:?}", err);
                 }
                 Err(err) => {
+                    // something actually bad happened. exit with an error
                     return Err(err.into());
                 }
             }