diff --git a/inc_internal/zt_internal.h b/inc_internal/zt_internal.h
index ca260001..d9cef716 100644
--- a/inc_internal/zt_internal.h
+++ b/inc_internal/zt_internal.h
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ struct ziti_write_req_s {
     uint8_t *buf;
     size_t len;
     bool eof;
+    bool close;
 
     struct message_s *message;
     ziti_write_cb cb;
diff --git a/library/connect.c b/library/connect.c
index b28348f3..300fa2e1 100644
--- a/library/connect.c
+++ b/library/connect.c
@@ -573,6 +573,12 @@ static void ziti_write_req(struct ziti_write_req_s *req) {
         conn->write_reqs--;
         free(req);
         return;
+    } else if (req->close) {
+        // conn->state will be set on_disconnect callback
+        message *m = create_message(conn, ContentTypeStateClosed, 0);
+        send_message(conn, m, req);
+        // conn->write_reqs will be decremented and wreq freed in on_write_completed
+        return;
     }
 
     if (req->cb) {
@@ -615,12 +621,12 @@ static void ziti_disconnect_async(struct ziti_conn *conn) {
         case Connected:
         case CloseWrite:
         case Timedout: {
-            message *m = create_message(conn, ContentTypeStateClosed, 0);
             NEWP(wr, struct ziti_write_req_s);
             wr->conn = conn;
+            wr->close = true;
             wr->cb = on_disconnect;
-            conn->write_reqs++;
-            send_message(conn, m, wr);
+            TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&conn->wreqs, wr, _next);
+            flush_connection(conn);
             break;
         }