diff --git a/cmd/standby_cleaner/main.go b/cmd/standby_cleaner/main.go
index 069cdb02..075cab0e 100644
--- a/cmd/standby_cleaner/main.go
+++ b/cmd/standby_cleaner/main.go
@@ -25,15 +25,6 @@ func main() {
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 
-	// TODO - We should connect using the flypgadmin user so we can  differentiate between
-	// internal admin connection usage and the actual repmgr process.
-	conn, err := flypgNode.RepMgr.NewLocalConnection(ctx)
-	if err != nil {
-		fmt.Printf("failed to open local connection: %s\n", err)
-		os.Exit(1)
-	}
-	defer conn.Close(ctx)
-
 	internal, err := flypg.ReadFromFile("/data/flypg.internal.conf")
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Printf("failed to open config: %s\n", err)
@@ -64,45 +55,61 @@ func main() {
 	for {
 		select {
 		case <-ticker.C:
-			role, err := flypgNode.RepMgr.CurrentRole(ctx, conn)
-			if err != nil {
-				fmt.Printf("Failed to check role: %s\n", err)
-				continue
+			if err := handleTick(ctx, flypgNode, seenAt, deadMemberRemovalThreshold); err != nil {
+				fmt.Println(err)
 			}
+		}
+	}
+}
 
-			if role != flypg.PrimaryRoleName {
-				continue
-			}
+func handleTick(ctx context.Context, node *flypg.Node, seenAt map[int]time.Time, deadMemberRemovalThreshold time.Duration) error {
+	// TODO - We should connect using the flypgadmin user so we can  differentiate between
+	// internal admin connection usage and the actual repmgr process.
+	conn, err := node.RepMgr.NewLocalConnection(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Printf("failed to open local connection: %s\n", err)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+	defer conn.Close(ctx)
 
-			standbys, err := flypgNode.RepMgr.Standbys(ctx, conn)
-			if err != nil {
-				fmt.Printf("Failed to query standbys: %s\n", err)
-				continue
-			}
+	role, err := node.RepMgr.CurrentRole(ctx, conn)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to check role: %s", err)
+	}
 
-			for _, standby := range standbys {
-				newConn, err := flypgNode.RepMgr.NewRemoteConnection(ctx, standby.Ip)
-				defer newConn.Close(ctx)
-				if err != nil {
-					// TODO - Verify the exception that's getting thrown.
-					if time.Now().Sub(seenAt[standby.Id]) >= deadMemberRemovalThreshold {
-						if err := flypgNode.UnregisterMemberByID(ctx, int32(standby.Id)); err != nil {
-							fmt.Printf("failed to unregister member %d: %v\n", standby.Id, err.Error())
-							continue
-						}
+	if role != flypg.PrimaryRoleName {
+		return nil
+	}
 
-						delete(seenAt, standby.Id)
-					}
+	standbys, err := node.RepMgr.Standbys(ctx, conn)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to query standbys: %s", err)
+	}
 
+	for _, standby := range standbys {
+		// Wrap this in a function so connections are properly closed.
+		sConn, err := node.RepMgr.NewRemoteConnection(ctx, standby.Ip)
+		if err != nil {
+			// TODO - Verify the exception that's getting thrown.
+			if time.Now().Sub(seenAt[standby.Id]) >= deadMemberRemovalThreshold {
+				if err := node.UnregisterMemberByID(ctx, int32(standby.Id)); err != nil {
+					fmt.Printf("failed to unregister member %d: %v", standby.Id, err)
 					continue
 				}
 
-				seenAt[standby.Id] = time.Now()
+				delete(seenAt, standby.Id)
 			}
 
-			removeOrphanedReplicationSlots(ctx, conn, standbys)
+			continue
 		}
+		defer sConn.Close(ctx)
+
+		seenAt[standby.Id] = time.Now()
 	}
+
+	removeOrphanedReplicationSlots(ctx, conn, standbys)
+
+	return nil
 }
 
 func removeOrphanedReplicationSlots(ctx context.Context, conn *pgx.Conn, standbys []flypg.Standby) {