diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index a4ef4802..98096ff3 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -465,7 +465,8 @@ impl Web3ProxyState {
 
                 match private_rpcs.get_upstream_servers().await {
                     Ok(upstream_servers) => {
-                        let (tx, mut rx) = mpsc::unbounded_channel::<serde_json::Value>();
+                        let (tx, mut rx) =
+                            mpsc::unbounded_channel::<anyhow::Result<serde_json::Value>>();
 
                         let clone = self.clone();
                         let connections = private_rpcs.connections.clone();
@@ -480,9 +481,11 @@ impl Web3ProxyState {
                         let response = rx
                             .recv()
                             .await
-                            .ok_or_else(|| anyhow::anyhow!("no response"))?;
+                            .ok_or_else(|| anyhow::anyhow!("no successful response"))?;
 
-                        return Ok(warp::reply::json(&response));
+                        if let Ok(response) = response {
+                            return Ok(warp::reply::json(&response));
+                        }
                     }
                     Err(not_until) => {
                         // TODO: move this to a helper function
@@ -500,6 +503,7 @@ impl Web3ProxyState {
             }
         } else {
             // this is not a private transaction (or no private relays are configured)
+            // try to send to each tier, stopping at the first success
             loop {
                 let read_lock = self.balanced_rpc_ratelimiter_lock.read().await;
 
@@ -509,7 +513,8 @@ impl Web3ProxyState {
                 for balanced_rpcs in self.balanced_rpc_tiers.iter() {
                     match balanced_rpcs.next_upstream_server().await {
                         Ok(upstream_server) => {
-                            let (tx, mut rx) = mpsc::unbounded_channel::<serde_json::Value>();
+                            let (tx, mut rx) =
+                                mpsc::unbounded_channel::<anyhow::Result<serde_json::Value>>();
 
                             let clone = self.clone();
                             let connections = balanced_rpcs.connections.clone();
@@ -529,9 +534,11 @@ impl Web3ProxyState {
                             let response = rx
                                 .recv()
                                 .await
-                                .ok_or_else(|| anyhow::anyhow!("no response"))?;
+                                .ok_or_else(|| anyhow::anyhow!("no successful response"))?;
 
-                            return Ok(warp::reply::json(&response));
+                            if let Ok(response) = response {
+                                return Ok(warp::reply::json(&response));
+                            }
                         }
                         Err(not_until) => {
                             // save the smallest not_until. if nothing succeeds, return an Err with not_until in it
@@ -557,7 +564,12 @@ impl Web3ProxyState {
                 let write_lock = self.balanced_rpc_ratelimiter_lock.write().await;
 
                 // unwrap should be safe since we would have returned if it wasn't set
-                let deadline = earliest_not_until.unwrap().wait_time_from(self.clock.now());
+                let deadline = if let Some(earliest_not_until) = earliest_not_until {
+                    earliest_not_until.wait_time_from(self.clock.now())
+                } else {
+                    // TODO: exponential backoff?
+                    Duration::from_secs(1)
+                };
 
                 sleep(deadline).await;
 
@@ -571,7 +583,7 @@ impl Web3ProxyState {
         rpc_servers: Vec<String>,
         connections: Arc<ConnectionsMap>,
         json_request_body: serde_json::Value,
-        tx: mpsc::UnboundedSender<serde_json::Value>,
+        tx: mpsc::UnboundedSender<anyhow::Result<serde_json::Value>>,
     ) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         // {"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"eth_syncing","params":[],"id":1}
         let incoming_id = json_request_body
@@ -612,7 +624,7 @@ impl Web3ProxyState {
                 // send the first good response to a one shot channel. that way we respond quickly
                 // drop the result because errors are expected after the first send
                 // TODO: if "no block with that header" or some other jsonrpc errors, skip this response
-                let _ = tx.send(response);
+                let _ = tx.send(Ok(response));
 
                 Ok::<(), anyhow::Error>(())
             }
@@ -632,10 +644,19 @@ impl Web3ProxyState {
             }
         }
 
-        if !errs.is_empty() {
+        let e: anyhow::Result<serde_json::Value> = if !errs.is_empty() {
             Err(errs.pop().unwrap())
         } else {
+            Err(anyhow::anyhow!("no successful responses"))
+        };
+
+        // TODO: think about this more. we want to send it
+        if tx.send(e).is_ok() {
+            // if we were able to send an error, then we never sent a success
             return Err(anyhow::anyhow!("no successful responses"));
+        } else {
+            // sending the error failed. the other side must be closed (which means we sent a success)
+            Ok(())
         }
     }
 }