diff --git a/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/one.rs b/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/one.rs
index 86ee7019..2ac4a765 100644
--- a/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/one.rs
+++ b/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/one.rs
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ pub struct Web3Rpc {
     pub(super) total_requests: AtomicUsize,
     pub(super) active_requests: AtomicUsize,
     pub(super) reconnect: AtomicBool,
+    /// this is only inside an Option so that the "Default" derive works. it will always be set.
     pub(super) disconnect_watch: Option<watch::Sender<bool>>,
     pub(super) created_at: Option<Instant>,
 }
@@ -676,6 +677,10 @@ impl Web3Rpc {
         Ok(())
     }
 
+    fn should_disconnect(&self) -> bool {
+        *self.disconnect_watch.as_ref().unwrap().borrow()
+    }
+
     /// subscribe to blocks and transactions with automatic reconnects
     /// This should only exit when the program is exiting.
     /// TODO: should more of these args be on self?
@@ -885,29 +890,6 @@ impl Web3Rpc {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    fn should_disconnect(&self) -> bool {
-        *self.disconnect_watch.as_ref().unwrap().borrow()
-    }
-
-    async fn wait_for_provider(&self) -> Arc<Web3Provider> {
-        let mut provider = self.provider.read().await.clone();
-
-        let mut logged = false;
-        while provider.is_none() {
-            // trace!("waiting on unlocked_provider: locking...");
-            sleep(Duration::from_millis(100)).await;
-
-            if !logged {
-                debug!("waiting for provider on {}", self);
-                logged = true;
-            }
-
-            provider = self.provider.read().await.clone();
-        }
-
-        provider.unwrap()
-    }
-
     /// Subscribe to new blocks.
     async fn subscribe_new_heads(
         self: Arc<Self>,
@@ -1099,41 +1081,19 @@ impl Web3Rpc {
     ) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         // TODO: give this a separate client. don't use new_head_client for everything. especially a firehose this big
         // TODO: timeout
-        let mut provider = self.provider.read().await.clone();
-
-        let mut logged = false;
-        while provider.is_none() {
-            // trace!("waiting on provider: locking...");
-            // TODO: can we subscribe to something instead? should self.provider be a watch channel?
-            sleep(Duration::from_millis(100)).await;
-
-            if !logged {
-                debug!(
-                    "no provider for subscribe_pending_transactions handle on {}",
-                    self
-                );
-                logged = true;
-            }
-
-            provider = self.provider.read().await.clone();
-        }
+        let provider = self.wait_for_provider().await;
 
         trace!("watching pending transactions on {}", self);
         // TODO: does this keep the lock open for too long?
-        match provider.as_deref() {
-            None => {
-                unimplemented!("no provider");
-            }
-            Some(Web3Provider::Http(provider)) => {
+        match provider.as_ref() {
+            Web3Provider::Http(provider) => {
                 // there is a "watch_pending_transactions" function, but a lot of public nodes do not support the necessary rpc endpoints
-                // TODO: maybe subscribe to self.head_block?
-                // TODO: this keeps a read lock guard open on provider_state forever. is that okay for an http client?
-                futures::future::pending::<()>().await;
+                self.wait_for_disconnect().await?;
             }
-            Some(Web3Provider::Both(_, client)) | Some(Web3Provider::Ws(client)) => {
+            Web3Provider::Both(_, client) | Web3Provider::Ws(client) => {
                 // TODO: maybe the subscribe_pending_txs function should be on the active_request_handle
                 let active_request_handle = self
-                    .wait_for_request_handle(&authorization, None, provider.clone())
+                    .wait_for_request_handle(&authorization, None, Some(provider.clone()))
                     .await?;
 
                 let mut stream = client.subscribe_pending_txs().await?;
@@ -1159,13 +1119,8 @@ impl Web3Rpc {
                 debug!("pending_transactions subscription ended on {}", self);
             }
             #[cfg(test)]
-            Some(Web3Provider::Mock) => {
-                let mut disconnect_watch = self.disconnect_watch.as_ref().unwrap().subscribe();
-
-                if !*disconnect_watch.borrow_and_update() {
-                    // wait for disconnect_watch to change
-                    disconnect_watch.changed().await?;
-                }
+            Web3Provider::Mock => {
+                self.wait_for_disconnect().await?;
             }
         }
 
@@ -1293,6 +1248,39 @@ impl Web3Rpc {
         Ok(OpenRequestResult::Handle(handle))
     }
 
+    async fn wait_for_disconnect(&self) -> Result<(), tokio::sync::watch::error::RecvError> {
+        let mut disconnect_watch = self.disconnect_watch.as_ref().unwrap().subscribe();
+
+        loop {
+            if *disconnect_watch.borrow_and_update() {
+                // disconnect watch is set to "true"
+                return Ok(());
+            }
+
+            // wait for disconnect_watch to change
+            disconnect_watch.changed().await?;
+        }
+    }
+
+    async fn wait_for_provider(&self) -> Arc<Web3Provider> {
+        let mut provider = self.provider.read().await.clone();
+
+        let mut logged = false;
+        while provider.is_none() {
+            // trace!("waiting on unlocked_provider: locking...");
+            sleep(Duration::from_millis(100)).await;
+
+            if !logged {
+                debug!("waiting for provider on {}", self);
+                logged = true;
+            }
+
+            provider = self.provider.read().await.clone();
+        }
+
+        provider.unwrap()
+    }
+
     pub async fn wait_for_query<P, R>(
         self: &Arc<Self>,
         method: &str,