diff --git a/lib/reqd.ml b/lib/reqd.ml
index 106c06f4..8277a637 100644
--- a/lib/reqd.ml
+++ b/lib/reqd.ml
@@ -243,15 +243,6 @@ let output_state t : Output_state.t =
   | Waiting -> Waiting
 ;;
 
-let is_complete t =
-  match input_state t with
-  | Ready    -> false
-  | Complete ->
-    (match output_state t with
-     | Waiting | Ready -> false
-     | Complete -> true)
-;;
-
 let flush_request_body t =
   let request_body = request_body t in
   if Body.has_pending_output request_body
diff --git a/lib/server_connection.ml b/lib/server_connection.ml
index 2de70414..6cfe6755 100644
--- a/lib/server_connection.ml
+++ b/lib/server_connection.ml
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ let current_reqd_exn t =
 
 let yield_reader t k =
   if is_closed t
-  then failwith "on_wakeup_reader on closed conn"
+  then failwith "yield_reader on closed conn"
   else if Optional_thunk.is_some t.wakeup_reader
   then failwith "yield_reader: only one callback can be registered at a time"
   else t.wakeup_reader <- Optional_thunk.some k
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ let error_code t =
   else None
 
 let shutdown t =
+  Queue.clear t.request_queue;
   shutdown_reader t;
   shutdown_writer t;
   wakeup_reader t;
@@ -182,53 +183,44 @@ let set_error_and_handle ?request t error =
 let report_exn t exn =
   set_error_and_handle t (`Exn exn)
 
-let advance_request_queue_if_necessary t =
-  if is_active t then begin
-    let reqd = current_reqd_exn t in
-    if Reqd.persistent_connection reqd then begin
-      if Reqd.is_complete reqd then begin
-        ignore (Queue.take t.request_queue);
-        if not (Queue.is_empty t.request_queue)
-        then t.request_handler (current_reqd_exn t);
-        wakeup_reader t;
-      end
-    end else begin
-      (* Take the head of the queue, close the remaining request bodies, clear
-       * the queue, and push the head back on. We do not plan on processing any
-       * more requests after the current one. *)
-      ignore (Queue.take t.request_queue);
-      Queue.iter Reqd.close_request_body t.request_queue;
-      Queue.clear t.request_queue;
-      Queue.push reqd t.request_queue;
-      if Reqd.is_complete reqd
-      then shutdown t
-      else
-        match Reqd.input_state reqd with
-        | Ready -> ()
-        | Complete -> shutdown_reader t
-    end
-  end else if Reader.is_closed t.reader
-  then shutdown t
-
-let _next_read_operation t =
-  advance_request_queue_if_necessary t;
-  if is_active t
-  then (
+let advance_request_queue t =
+  ignore (Queue.take t.request_queue);
+  if not (Queue.is_empty t.request_queue)
+  then t.request_handler (Queue.peek_exn t.request_queue);
+;;
+
+let rec _next_read_operation t =
+  if not (is_active t) then (
+    if Reader.is_closed t.reader
+    then shutdown t;
+    Reader.next t.reader
+  ) else (
     let reqd = current_reqd_exn t in
     match Reqd.input_state reqd with
     | Ready    -> Reader.next t.reader
-    | Complete ->
-      if Reqd.persistent_connection reqd
-      then `Yield
-      else (
-        shutdown_reader t;
-        Reader.next t.reader)
+    | Complete -> _final_read_operation_for t reqd
   )
-  else Reader.next t.reader
+
+and _final_read_operation_for t reqd =
+  let next =
+    if not (Reqd.persistent_connection reqd) then (
+      shutdown_reader t;
+      Reader.next t.reader;
+    ) else (
+      match Reqd.output_state reqd with
+      | Waiting | Ready -> `Yield
+      | Complete     ->
+        advance_request_queue t;
+        _next_read_operation t;
+    )
+  in
+  wakeup_writer t;
+  next
 ;;
 
 let next_read_operation t =
   match _next_read_operation t with
+  (* XXX(dpatti): These two [`Error _] constructors are never returned *)
   | `Error (`Parse _)             -> set_error_and_handle          t `Bad_request; `Close
   | `Error (`Bad_request request) -> set_error_and_handle ~request t `Bad_request; `Close
   | (`Read | `Yield | `Close) as operation -> operation
@@ -252,13 +244,39 @@ let read t bs ~off ~len =
 let read_eof t bs ~off ~len =
   read_with_more t bs ~off ~len Complete
 
-let next_write_operation t =
-  advance_request_queue_if_necessary t;
-  if is_active t
-  then (
+let rec _next_write_operation t =
+  if not (is_active t) then (
+    if Reader.is_closed t.reader
+    then shutdown t;
+    Writer.next t.writer
+  ) else (
     let reqd = current_reqd_exn t in
-    Reqd.flush_response_body reqd);
-  Writer.next t.writer
+    match Reqd.output_state reqd with
+    | Waiting -> `Yield
+    | Ready ->
+      Reqd.flush_response_body reqd;
+      Writer.next t.writer
+    | Complete -> _final_write_operation_for t reqd
+  )
+
+and _final_write_operation_for t reqd =
+  let next =
+    if not (Reqd.persistent_connection reqd) then (
+      shutdown_writer t;
+      Writer.next t.writer;
+    ) else (
+      match Reqd.input_state reqd with
+      | Ready -> assert false
+      | Complete ->
+        advance_request_queue t;
+        _next_write_operation t;
+    )
+  in
+  wakeup_reader t;
+  next
+;;
+
+let next_write_operation t = _next_write_operation t
 
 let report_write_result t result =
   Writer.report_result t.writer result