diff --git a/momoko/connection.py b/momoko/connection.py
index 2fe25f2..bbeb15c 100644
--- a/momoko/connection.py
+++ b/momoko/connection.py
@@ -71,6 +71,11 @@ def add_dead(self, conn):
         self.pending.discard(conn)
         self.dead.add(conn)
 
+        # If everything is dead, abort anything pending.
+        if not self.pending:
+            self.abort_waiting_queue(Pool.DatabaseNotAvailable(
+                "No database connection available"))
+
     def acquire(self):
         """Occupy free connection"""
         future = Future()
@@ -84,6 +89,10 @@ def acquire(self):
             log.debug("No free connections, and some are busy - put in waiting queue")
             self.waiting_queue.appendleft(future)
             return future
+        elif self.pending:
+            log.debug("No free connections, but some are pending - put in waiting queue")
+            self.waiting_queue.appendleft(future)
+            return future
         else:
             log.debug("All connections are dead")
             return None
@@ -115,7 +124,7 @@ def shrink(self, target_size, delay_in_seconds):
 
     @property
     def all_dead(self):
-        return not (self.free or self.busy)
+        return not (self.free or self.busy or self.waiting_queue)
 
     @property
     def total(self):
@@ -295,8 +304,6 @@ def getconn(self, ping=True):
             future = rv
         else:
             # Else, all connections are dead
-            assert len(self.conns.pending) == 0, "BUG! should be no pending connection"
-
             future = Future()
 
             def on_reanimate_done(fut):
diff --git a/tests.py b/tests.py
index 37d91ae..26e2e3b 100644
--- a/tests.py
+++ b/tests.py
@@ -812,9 +812,71 @@ def test_abort_waiting_queue(self):
             pass
         self.assertEqual(len(db.conns.waiting_queue), 0)
 
+    @gen_test
+    def test_execute_can_start_before_connection_is_done(self):
+        db = momoko.Pool(dsn=self.good_dsn, size=1, ioloop=self.io_loop)
+        db.connect()
+        cursor = yield db.execute("SELECT 1")
+        self.assertEqual(cursor.fetchone()[0], 1)
+
+    @gen_test
+    def test_execute_before_connection_is_done_will_error(self):
+        db = momoko.Pool(dsn=bad_dsn, size=1, ioloop=self.io_loop)
+        db.connect()
+
+        try:
+            yield db.execute("SELECT 1")
+
+            # This likely won't get hit; instead the test will timeout on
+            # failure.
+            self.fail("Exception should have been raised")
+        except psycopg2.DatabaseError:
+            pass
+
 
 class MomokoPoolVolatileDbTestProxy(ProxyMixIn, MomokoPoolVolatileDbTest):
-    pass
+
+    @gen_test
+    def test_execute_can_wait_for_connection_after_disconnect(self):
+        db = yield self.build_pool(dsn=self.good_dsn, size=1)
+
+        f1 = db.execute("SELECT 1")
+        self.terminate_proxy()
+        try:
+            yield f1
+        except psycopg2.DatabaseError:
+            pass
+        self.start_proxy()
+        yield gen.sleep(db.reconnect_interval)
+        f2 = db.execute("SELECT 1")
+        f3 = db.execute("SELECT 1")
+
+        cursors = yield [f2, f3]
+        self.assertEqual(cursors[0].fetchone()[0], 1)
+        self.assertEqual(cursors[1].fetchone()[0], 1)
+
+    @gen_test
+    def test_execute_can_fail_after_disconnect_with_no_reconnect(self):
+        db = yield self.build_pool(dsn=self.good_dsn, size=1)
+
+        f1 = db.execute("SELECT 1")
+        self.terminate_proxy()
+        try:
+            yield f1
+        except psycopg2.DatabaseError:
+            pass
+
+        # No start proxy here!
+        yield gen.sleep(db.reconnect_interval)
+        f2 = db.execute("SELECT 1")
+        f3 = db.execute("SELECT 1")
+
+        try:
+            yield [f2, f3]
+            self.fail("Exception should have been raised")
+        except psycopg2.DatabaseError:
+            pass
+        self.assertEqual(len(db.conns.waiting_queue), 0)
 
 
 class MomokoPoolPartiallyConnectedTest(PoolBaseTest):