diff --git a/src/client/dispatch.rs b/src/client/dispatch.rs
index f8956d4056..6973df7985 100644
--- a/src/client/dispatch.rs
+++ b/src/client/dispatch.rs
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ impl<T, U> Sender<T, U> {
 
 impl<T, U> UnboundedSender<T, U> {
     pub fn is_ready(&self) -> bool {
-        self.giver.is_wanting()
+        !self.giver.is_canceled()
     }
 
     pub fn is_closed(&self) -> bool {
diff --git a/src/client/mod.rs b/src/client/mod.rs
index 4829c7a3be..06e0a2de15 100644
--- a/src/client/mod.rs
+++ b/src/client/mod.rs
@@ -318,6 +318,15 @@ where C: Connect + Sync + 'static,
                                     Ok(())
                                 })
                             );
+                        } else {
+                            // There's no body to delay, but the connection isn't
+                            // ready yet. Only re-insert when it's ready
+                            executor.execute(
+                                future::poll_fn(move || {
+                                    pooled.poll_ready()
+                                })
+                                .then(|_| Ok(()))
+                            );
                         }
                         Ok(res)
                     });
@@ -441,6 +450,13 @@ impl<B> PoolClient<B> {
             PoolTx::Http2(ref tx) => tx.is_ready(),
         }
     }
+
+    fn is_closed(&self) -> bool {
+        match self.tx {
+            PoolTx::Http1(ref tx) => tx.is_closed(),
+            PoolTx::Http2(ref tx) => tx.is_closed(),
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 impl<B: Payload + 'static> PoolClient<B> {
@@ -460,10 +476,10 @@ impl<B> Poolable for PoolClient<B>
 where
     B: 'static,
 {
-    fn is_closed(&self) -> bool {
+    fn is_open(&self) -> bool {
         match self.tx {
-            PoolTx::Http1(ref tx) => tx.is_closed(),
-            PoolTx::Http2(ref tx) => tx.is_closed(),
+            PoolTx::Http1(ref tx) => tx.is_ready(),
+            PoolTx::Http2(ref tx) => tx.is_ready(),
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/client/pool.rs b/src/client/pool.rs
index c9b39ffe44..0d4c8902df 100644
--- a/src/client/pool.rs
+++ b/src/client/pool.rs
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ pub(super) struct Pool<T> {
 //
 // See https://github.com/hyperium/hyper/issues/1429
 pub(super) trait Poolable: Sized {
-    fn is_closed(&self) -> bool;
+    fn is_open(&self) -> bool;
     /// Reserve this connection.
     ///
     /// Allows for HTTP/2 to return a shared reservation.
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ impl<'a, T: Poolable + 'a> IdlePopper<'a, T> {
         while let Some(entry) = self.list.pop() {
             // If the connection has been closed, or is older than our idle
             // timeout, simply drop it and keep looking...
-            if entry.value.is_closed() {
+            if !entry.value.is_open() {
                 trace!("removing closed connection for {:?}", self.key);
                 continue;
             }
@@ -377,7 +377,7 @@ impl<T: Poolable> PoolInner<T> {
 
         self.idle.retain(|key, values| {
             values.retain(|entry| {
-                if entry.value.is_closed() {
+                if !entry.value.is_open() {
                     trace!("idle interval evicting closed for {:?}", key);
                     return false;
                 }
@@ -475,7 +475,7 @@ impl<T: Poolable> DerefMut for Pooled<T> {
 impl<T: Poolable> Drop for Pooled<T> {
     fn drop(&mut self) {
         if let Some(value) = self.value.take() {
-            if value.is_closed() {
+            if !value.is_open() {
                 // If we *already* know the connection is done here,
                 // it shouldn't be re-inserted back into the pool.
                 return;
@@ -519,7 +519,7 @@ impl<T: Poolable> Checkout<T> {
         if let Some(mut rx) = self.waiter.take() {
             match rx.poll() {
                 Ok(Async::Ready(value)) => {
-                    if !value.is_closed() {
+                    if value.is_open() {
                         Ok(Async::Ready(Some(self.pool.reuse(&self.key, value))))
                     } else {
                         Err(::Error::new_canceled(Some(CANCELED)))
@@ -662,8 +662,8 @@ mod tests {
     struct Uniq<T>(T);
 
     impl<T> Poolable for Uniq<T> {
-        fn is_closed(&self) -> bool {
-            false
+        fn is_open(&self) -> bool {
+            true
         }
 
         fn reserve(self) -> Reservation<Self> {
@@ -671,21 +671,6 @@ mod tests {
         }
     }
 
-    /*
-    #[derive(Debug, PartialEq, Eq, Clone, Copy)]
-    struct Share<T>(T);
-
-    impl<T> Poolable for Share<T> {
-        fn is_closed(&self) -> bool {
-            false
-        }
-
-        fn reserve(self) -> Reservation<Self> {
-            Reservation::Shared(self.clone(), self)
-        }
-    }
-    */
-
     fn c<T: Poolable>(key: Key) -> Connecting<T> {
         Connecting {
             key,
@@ -817,8 +802,8 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     impl Poolable for CanClose {
-        fn is_closed(&self) -> bool {
-            self.closed
+        fn is_open(&self) -> bool {
+            !self.closed
         }
 
         fn reserve(self) -> Reservation<Self> {
diff --git a/src/client/tests.rs b/src/client/tests.rs
index 6ea9ce5812..94091b584d 100644
--- a/src/client/tests.rs
+++ b/src/client/tests.rs
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ fn conn_reset_after_write() {
     }
 
     // sleep to allow some time for the connection to return to the pool
-    thread::sleep(Duration::from_secs(1));
+    thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(50));
 
     let req = Request::builder()
         .uri("http://mock.local/a")