diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/channel/socket/http/HttpTunnelingChannelHandler.java b/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/channel/socket/http/HttpTunnelingChannelHandler.java
index bb7317bc85..b4e8b519c8 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/channel/socket/http/HttpTunnelingChannelHandler.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/channel/socket/http/HttpTunnelingChannelHandler.java
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ class HttpTunnelingChannelHandler extends SimpleChannelHandler {
 
     private final Condition reconnectCondition = reconnectLock.newCondition();
 
-    private final long reconnectTimeout;
+    private final long reconnectTimeoutMillis;
 
     private volatile boolean connected = false;
 
@@ -68,10 +68,11 @@ class HttpTunnelingChannelHandler extends SimpleChannelHandler {
 
     private final HttpSession session;
 
-    public HttpTunnelingChannelHandler(boolean stream, HttpSession session, long reconnectTimeout) {
+    public HttpTunnelingChannelHandler(
+            boolean stream, HttpSession session, long reconnectTimeoutMillis) {
         this.stream = stream;
         this.session = session;
-        this.reconnectTimeout = reconnectTimeout;
+        this.reconnectTimeoutMillis = reconnectTimeoutMillis;
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -79,6 +80,8 @@ class HttpTunnelingChannelHandler extends SimpleChannelHandler {
 
         ChannelBuffer buffer = (ChannelBuffer) e.getMessage();
         if (stream) {
+            boolean success = false;
+            Throwable cause = null;
             byte[] b = null;
             reconnectLock.lock();
             try {
@@ -90,30 +93,35 @@ class HttpTunnelingChannelHandler extends SimpleChannelHandler {
                 buffer.readBytes(b);
                 outputStream.write(b);
                 outputStream.flush();
-                e.getFuture().setSuccess();
-            }
-            catch (IOException e1) {
-                connected = false;
-                reconnectCondition.await(reconnectTimeout, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
-                if (connected) {
-                    outputStream.write(b);
-                    outputStream.flush();
-                    e.getFuture().setSuccess();
-                }
-                else {
-                    e.getFuture().setFailure(e1);
+                success = true;
+            } catch (Throwable t) {
+                success = false;
+                cause = t;
+                if (awaitReconnect()) {
+                    try {
+                        outputStream.write(b);
+                        outputStream.flush();
+                        success = true;
+                    } catch (Throwable t2) {
+                        success = false;
+                        cause = t2;
+                    }
+                } else {
                     if (invalidated.compareAndSet(false, true)) {
                         session.invalidate();
                     }
                     e.getChannel().close();
                 }
-            }
-            finally {
+            } finally {
                 reconnectLock.unlock();
+                if (success) {
+                    e.getFuture().setSuccess();
+                } else {
+                    assert cause != null;
+                    e.getFuture().setFailure(cause);
+                }
             }
-        }
-
-        else {
+        } else {
             awaitingEvents.add(e);
         }
 
@@ -134,14 +142,14 @@ class HttpTunnelingChannelHandler extends SimpleChannelHandler {
         }
     }
 
-    public synchronized List<MessageEvent> getAwaitingEvents() {
+    synchronized List<MessageEvent> getAwaitingEvents() {
         List<MessageEvent> list = new ArrayList<MessageEvent>();
         list.addAll(awaitingEvents);
         awaitingEvents.clear();
         return list;
     }
 
-    public void setOutputStream(ServletOutputStream outputStream) {
+    void setOutputStream(ServletOutputStream outputStream) {
         reconnectLock.lock();
         try {
             this.outputStream = outputStream;
@@ -166,19 +174,15 @@ class HttpTunnelingChannelHandler extends SimpleChannelHandler {
         }
     }
 
-    public boolean isStreaming() {
+    boolean isStreaming() {
         return stream;
     }
 
-    public ServletOutputStream getOutputStream() {
-        return outputStream;
-    }
-
-    public boolean awaitReconnect() {
+    boolean awaitReconnect() {
         reconnectLock.lock();
         try {
             connected = false;
-            reconnectCondition.await(reconnectTimeout, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
+            reconnectCondition.await(reconnectTimeoutMillis, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
         }
         catch (InterruptedException e) {
             return connected;