diff --git a/crates/gatewayd/src/gateway.rs b/crates/gatewayd/src/gateway.rs
index 5b544ee..1d65fd8 100644
--- a/crates/gatewayd/src/gateway.rs
+++ b/crates/gatewayd/src/gateway.rs
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ pub fn connection(mut stream: UnixStream, to_loop: &Sender<ToLoop>, timing: Timi
     };
     let rx = match frames(&stream) {
         Ok(rx) => rx,
-        Err(_) => return end(to_loop, id, Ending::NoLonger),
+        Err(_) => return end(to_loop, id, Ending::NoLonger, answer_rx),
     };
     if write_frame(
         &mut stream,
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ pub fn connection(mut stream: UnixStream, to_loop: &Sender<ToLoop>, timing: Timi
     )
     .is_err()
     {
-        return end(to_loop, id, Ending::NoLonger);
+        return end(to_loop, id, Ending::NoLonger, answer_rx);
     }
     // 3. An answer from an approver, or brokerd closing first.
     let mut answers = Some(answer_rx);
@@ -261,13 +261,13 @@ pub fn connection(mut stream: UnixStream, to_loop: &Sender<ToLoop>, timing: Timi
             // brokerd closed (the approval ended elsewhere), or sent what it may not.
             _ => {
                 let _ = stream.shutdown(std::net::Shutdown::Both);
-                return end(to_loop, id, Ending::NoLonger);
+                return end(to_loop, id, Ending::NoLonger, answers);
             }
         }
     };
     let (by, reason) = (reply.by.clone(), reply.reason.clone());
     if write_frame(&mut stream, &frame(1, true, Message::ApprovalReply(reply))).is_err() {
-        return end(to_loop, id, Ending::NoLonger);
+        return end(to_loop, id, Ending::NoLonger, answers);
     }
     // 4. What came of it.
     let ending = match rx.recv_timeout(timing.outcome) {
@@ -289,10 +289,13 @@ pub fn connection(mut stream: UnixStream, to_loop: &Sender<ToLoop>, timing: Timi
         }
     };
     let _ = stream.shutdown(std::net::Shutdown::Both);
-    end(to_loop, id, ending);
+    end(to_loop, id, ending, answers);
 }
 
-fn end(to_loop: &Sender<ToLoop>, approval: u64, ending: Ending) {
-    // `let _ = to_loop.send(ToLoop::Ended { approval, ending });`
+/// Tells the loop the approval has ended, after dropping the receiver of its answers: once the
+/// loop has the `Ended`, an approver's answer must fail to send ("not pending here"), never be
+/// taken by a handler that has already given up on it.
+fn end<T>(to_loop: &Sender<ToLoop>, approval: u64, ending: Ending, answers: T) {
+    drop(answers);
     let _ = to_loop.send(ToLoop::Ended { approval, ending });
 }