diff --git a/arangod/Aql/Executor/RemoteExecutor.cpp b/arangod/Aql/Executor/RemoteExecutor.cpp
index bcc29ab6a00e..229c87541001 100644
--- a/arangod/Aql/Executor/RemoteExecutor.cpp
+++ b/arangod/Aql/Executor/RemoteExecutor.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@
 #include "Cluster/ServerState.h"
 #include "Logger/LogMacros.h"
 #include "Network/ConnectionPool.h"
-#include "Network/Methods.h"
 #include "Network/NetworkFeature.h"
 #include "Network/Utils.h"
 #include "Rest/CommonDefines.h"
@@ -359,62 +358,67 @@ Result ExecutionBlockImpl<RemoteExecutor>::sendAsyncRequest(
     // nullptr only happens on controlled shutdown
     return {TRI_ERROR_SHUTTING_DOWN};
   }
-  network::RequestOptions options;
-  options.database = _query.vocbase().name();
-  options.timeout = kDefaultTimeOutSecs;
 
-  TRI_IF_FAILURE("RemoteExecutor::impatienceTimeout") {
-    // Vastly lower the request timeout. This should guarantee
-    // a network timeout triggered and not continue with the query.
-    options.timeout = std::chrono::seconds(2);
+  arangodb::network::EndpointSpec spec;
+  auto res = network::resolveDestination(nf, _server, spec).get();
+  if (res != TRI_ERROR_NO_ERROR) {
+    return Result(res);
   }
+  TRI_ASSERT(!spec.endpoint.empty());
 
-  network::Headers header;
+  auto req = fuerte::createRequest(type, fuerte::ContentType::VPack);
+  req->header.database = _query.vocbase().name();
+  req->header.path = absl::StrCat(urlPart, "/", _queryId);
+  req->addVPack(std::move(body));
+
+  // Later, we probably want to set these sensibly:
+  req->timeout(kDefaultTimeOutSecs);
   if (!_distributeId.empty()) {
-    header.emplace(StaticStrings::AqlShardIdHeader, _distributeId);
+    req->header.addMeta(StaticStrings::AqlShardIdHeader, _distributeId);
   }
 
+  network::addSourceHeader(nullptr, *req);
+
+  LOG_TOPIC("2713c", DEBUG, Logger::COMMUNICATION)
+      << "request to '" << _server << "' '" << fuerte::to_string(type) << " "
+      << req->header.path << "'";
+
+  bool isFromPool;
+  network::ConnectionPtr conn =
+      pool->leaseConnection(spec.endpoint, isFromPool);
+
   _requestInFlight = true;
   auto ticket = generateRequestTicket();
+  TRI_IF_FAILURE("RemoteExecutor::impatienceTimeout") {
+    // Vastly lower the request timeout. This should guarantee
+    // a network timeout triggered and not continue with the query.
+    req->timeout(std::chrono::seconds(2));
+  }
 
-  _engine->getQuery().incHttpRequests(unsigned(1));
-
-  network::sendRequest(pool, _server, type,
-                       absl::StrCat(urlPart, "/", _queryId), std::move(body),
-                       options, header)
-      .thenFinal([this, ticket, sqs = _engine->sharedState()](
-                     futures::Try<network::Response> resp) {
+  conn->sendRequest(
+      std::move(req),
+      [this, ticket, spec, sqs = _engine->sharedState()](
+          fuerte::Error err, std::unique_ptr<fuerte::Request> req,
+          std::unique_ptr<fuerte::Response> res) {
         // `this` is only valid as long as sharedState is valid.
         // So we must execute this under sharedState's mutex.
         sqs->executeAndWakeup([&] {
-          auto result = basics::catchToResultT([&]() { return &resp.get(); });
-
           std::lock_guard<std::mutex> guard(_communicationMutex);
-
           if (_lastTicket == ticket) {
-            ScopeGuard inFlightGuard(
-                [&]() noexcept { _requestInFlight = false; });
-
-            if (result.fail()) {
-              _lastError = result.result();
+            if (err != fuerte::Error::NoError || res->statusCode() >= 400) {
+              _lastError = handleErrorResponse(spec, err, res.get());
             } else {
-              auto err = result.get()->error;
-              auto res = result.get()->stealResponse();
-              if (err != fuerte::Error::NoError || res->statusCode() >= 400) {
-                network::EndpointSpec spec;
-                spec.serverId = _server;
-                _lastError = handleErrorResponse(spec, err, res.get());
-              } else {
-                _lastResponse = std::move(res);
-              }
+              _lastResponse = std::move(res);
             }
-
+            _requestInFlight = false;
             return true;
           }
           return false;
         });
       });
 
+  _engine->getQuery().incHttpRequests(unsigned(1));
+
   return {};
 }
 
diff --git a/arangod/Network/Utils.cpp b/arangod/Network/Utils.cpp
index b84cf782ba87..717b0880fd94 100644
--- a/arangod/Network/Utils.cpp
+++ b/arangod/Network/Utils.cpp
@@ -312,9 +312,6 @@ ErrorCode fuerteToArangoErrorCode(fuerte::Error err) {
   LOG_TOPIC_IF("abcdf", ERR, Logger::COMMUNICATION,
                err != fuerte::Error::NoError)
       << "communication error: '" << fuerte::to_string(err) << "'";
-  if (err == fuerte::Error::ConnectionClosed) {
-    CrashHandler::logBacktrace();
-  }
   return toArangoErrorCodeInternal(err);
 }