diff --git a/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/consensus.rs b/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/consensus.rs
index d4d5e552..8fd28639 100644
--- a/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/consensus.rs
+++ b/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/consensus.rs
@@ -402,6 +402,8 @@ impl ConsensusFinder {
         rpc: Option<&Arc<Web3Rpc>>,
         new_block: Option<Web3ProxyBlock>,
     ) -> Web3ProxyResult<bool> {
+        let rpc_block_sender = rpc.and_then(|x| x.head_block_sender.as_ref());
+
         let new_ranked_rpcs = match self
             .rank_rpcs(web3_rpcs)
             .await
@@ -409,6 +411,11 @@ impl ConsensusFinder {
         {
             None => {
                 warn!(?rpc, ?new_block, "no ranked rpcs found!");
+
+                if let Some(rpc_block_sender) = rpc_block_sender {
+                    rpc_block_sender.send_replace(new_block);
+                }
+
                 return Ok(false);
             }
             Some(x) => x,
@@ -428,6 +435,10 @@ impl ConsensusFinder {
 
         let new_ranked_rpcs = Arc::new(new_ranked_rpcs);
 
+        if let Some(rpc_block_sender) = rpc_block_sender {
+            rpc_block_sender.send_replace(new_block.clone());
+        }
+
         let old_ranked_rpcs = web3_rpcs
             .watch_ranked_rpcs
             .send_replace(Some(new_ranked_rpcs.clone()));
diff --git a/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/one.rs b/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/one.rs
index 71b5c653..84c44266 100644
--- a/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/one.rs
+++ b/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/one.rs
@@ -567,7 +567,10 @@ impl Web3Rpc {
         self: &Arc<Self>,
         new_head_block: Web3ProxyResult<Option<ArcBlock>>,
     ) -> Web3ProxyResult<()> {
-        let head_block_sender = self.head_block_sender.as_ref().unwrap();
+        let head_block_sender = self
+            .head_block_sender
+            .as_ref()
+            .expect("head_block_sender is always set");
 
         let new_head_block = match new_head_block {
             Ok(x) => {
@@ -584,11 +587,9 @@ impl Web3Rpc {
 
                         trace!("clearing head block on {} ({}ms old)!", self, age);
 
-                        // send an empty block to take this server out of rotation
-                        head_block_sender.send_replace(None);
-
                         // TODO: clear self.block_data_limit?
 
+                        // send an empty block to take this server out of rotation
                         None
                     }
                     Some(new_head_block) => {
@@ -603,7 +604,6 @@ impl Web3Rpc {
                             .await;
 
                         // we are synced! yey!
-                        head_block_sender.send_replace(Some(new_head_block.clone()));
 
                         // TODO: checking this every time seems excessive
                         if self.block_data_limit() == U64::zero() {
@@ -631,11 +631,14 @@ impl Web3Rpc {
             }
         };
 
-        // tell web3rpcs about this rpc having this block
         if let Some(block_and_rpc_sender) = &self.block_and_rpc_sender {
+            // tell web3rpcs about this rpc having this block
+            // web3rpcs will do `self.head_block_sender.send_replace(new_head_block)`
             block_and_rpc_sender
                 .send((new_head_block, self.clone()))
                 .context("block_and_rpc_sender failed sending")?;
+        } else {
+            head_block_sender.send_replace(new_head_block);
         }
 
         Ok(())