diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index cab851245..26c3dd2a9 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -194,72 +194,131 @@ type message struct {
 	err error
 }
 
-type receiver struct {
-	wg       *sync.WaitGroup
-	messages chan *message
-	err      error
+// callMap provides access to a map of active calls, guarded by a mutex.
+type callMap struct {
+	m           sync.Mutex
+	activeCalls map[uint32]*callRequest
+	closeErr    error
 }
 
-func (r *receiver) run(ctx context.Context, c *channel) {
-	defer r.wg.Done()
+// newCallMap returns a new callMap with an empty set of active calls.
+func newCallMap() *callMap {
+	return &callMap{
+		activeCalls: make(map[uint32]*callRequest),
+	}
+}
 
-	for {
-		select {
-		case <-ctx.Done():
-			r.err = ctx.Err()
-			return
-		default:
-			mh, p, err := c.recv()
-			if err != nil {
-				_, ok := status.FromError(err)
-				if !ok {
-					// treat all errors that are not an rpc status as terminal.
-					// all others poison the connection.
-					r.err = filterCloseErr(err)
-					return
-				}
-			}
-			select {
-			case r.messages <- &message{
-				messageHeader: mh,
-				p:             p[:mh.Length],
-				err:           err,
-			}:
-			case <-ctx.Done():
-				r.err = ctx.Err()
-				return
-			}
-		}
+// set adds a call entry to the map with the given streamID key.
+func (cm *callMap) set(streamID uint32, cr *callRequest) error {
+	cm.m.Lock()
+	defer cm.m.Unlock()
+	if cm.closeErr != nil {
+		return cm.closeErr
 	}
+	cm.activeCalls[streamID] = cr
+	return nil
+}
+
+// get looks up the call entry for the given streamID key, then removes it
+// from the map and returns it.
+func (cm *callMap) get(streamID uint32) (cr *callRequest, ok bool, err error) {
+	cm.m.Lock()
+	defer cm.m.Unlock()
+	if cm.closeErr != nil {
+		return nil, false, cm.closeErr
+	}
+	cr, ok = cm.activeCalls[streamID]
+	if ok {
+		delete(cm.activeCalls, streamID)
+	}
+	return
+}
+
+// abort sends the given error to each active call, and clears the map.
+// Once abort has been called, any subsequent calls to the callMap will return the error passed to abort.
+func (cm *callMap) abort(err error) error {
+	cm.m.Lock()
+	defer cm.m.Unlock()
+	if cm.closeErr != nil {
+		return cm.closeErr
+	}
+	for streamID, call := range cm.activeCalls {
+		call.errs <- err
+		delete(cm.activeCalls, streamID)
+	}
+	cm.closeErr = err
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (c *Client) run() {
 	var (
-		streamID      uint32 = 1
-		waiters              = make(map[uint32]*callRequest)
-		calls                = c.calls
-		incoming             = make(chan *message)
-		receiversDone        = make(chan struct{})
-		wg            sync.WaitGroup
+		waiters      = newCallMap()
+		receiverDone = make(chan struct{})
 	)
 
-	// broadcast the shutdown error to the remaining waiters.
-	abortWaiters := func(wErr error) {
-		for _, waiter := range waiters {
-			waiter.errs <- wErr
+	// Sender goroutine
+	// Receives calls from dispatch, adds them to the set of active calls, and sends them
+	// to the server.
+	go func() {
+		var streamID uint32 = 1
+		for {
+			select {
+			case <-c.ctx.Done():
+				return
+			case call := <-c.calls:
+				id := streamID
+				streamID += 2 // enforce odd client initiated request ids
+				if err := waiters.set(id, call); err != nil {
+					call.errs <- err // errs is buffered so should not block.
+					continue
+				}
+				if err := c.send(id, messageTypeRequest, call.req); err != nil {
+					call.errs <- err // errs is buffered so should not block.
+					waiters.get(id)  // remove from waiters set
+				}
+			}
 		}
-	}
-	recv := &receiver{
-		wg:       &wg,
-		messages: incoming,
-	}
-	wg.Add(1)
+	}()
 
+	// Receiver goroutine
+	// Receives responses from the server, looks up the call info in the set of active calls,
+	// and notifies the caller of the response.
 	go func() {
-		wg.Wait()
-		close(receiversDone)
+		defer close(receiverDone)
+		for {
+			select {
+			case <-c.ctx.Done():
+				c.setError(c.ctx.Err())
+				return
+			default:
+				mh, p, err := c.channel.recv()
+				if err != nil {
+					_, ok := status.FromError(err)
+					if !ok {
+						// treat all errors that are not an rpc status as terminal.
+						// all others poison the connection.
+						c.setError(filterCloseErr(err))
+						return
+					}
+				}
+				msg := &message{
+					messageHeader: mh,
+					p:             p[:mh.Length],
+					err:           err,
+				}
+				call, ok, err := waiters.get(mh.StreamID)
+				if err != nil {
+					logrus.Errorf("ttrpc: failed to look up active call: %s", err)
+					continue
+				}
+				if !ok {
+					logrus.Errorf("ttrpc: received message for unknown channel %v", mh.StreamID)
+					continue
+				}
+				call.errs <- c.recv(call.resp, msg)
+			}
+		}
 	}()
-	go recv.run(c.ctx, c.channel)
 
 	defer func() {
 		c.conn.Close()
@@ -269,32 +328,14 @@ func (c *Client) run() {
 
 	for {
 		select {
-		case call := <-calls:
-			if err := c.send(streamID, messageTypeRequest, call.req); err != nil {
-				call.errs <- err
-				continue
-			}
-
-			waiters[streamID] = call
-			streamID += 2 // enforce odd client initiated request ids
-		case msg := <-incoming:
-			call, ok := waiters[msg.StreamID]
-			if !ok {
-				logrus.Errorf("ttrpc: received message for unknown channel %v", msg.StreamID)
-				continue
-			}
-
-			call.errs <- c.recv(call.resp, msg)
-			delete(waiters, msg.StreamID)
-		case <-receiversDone:
-			// all the receivers have exited
-			if recv.err != nil {
-				c.setError(recv.err)
-			}
+		case <-receiverDone:
+			// The receiver has exited.
 			// don't return out, let the close of the context trigger the abort of waiters
 			c.Close()
 		case <-c.ctx.Done():
-			abortWaiters(c.error())
+			// Abort all active calls. This will also prevent any new calls from being added
+			// to waiters.
+			waiters.abort(c.error())
 			return
 		}
 	}