diff --git a/kinode/src/eth/mod.rs b/kinode/src/eth/mod.rs
index bd6802c96..82fc34998 100644
--- a/kinode/src/eth/mod.rs
+++ b/kinode/src/eth/mod.rs
@@ -1097,37 +1097,48 @@ async fn kernel_message<T: Serialize>(
     body: T,
     send_to_loop: &MessageSender,
 ) {
-    let _ = send_to_loop
-        .send(KernelMessage {
-            id: km_id,
-            source: Address {
-                node: our.to_string(),
-                process: ETH_PROCESS_ID.clone(),
-            },
-            target,
-            rsvp,
-            message: if req {
-                Message::Request(Request {
+    let Err(e) = send_to_loop.try_send(KernelMessage {
+        id: km_id,
+        source: Address {
+            node: our.to_string(),
+            process: ETH_PROCESS_ID.clone(),
+        },
+        target,
+        rsvp,
+        message: if req {
+            Message::Request(Request {
+                inherit: false,
+                expects_response: timeout,
+                body: serde_json::to_vec(&body).unwrap(),
+                metadata: None,
+                capabilities: vec![],
+            })
+        } else {
+            Message::Response((
+                Response {
                     inherit: false,
-                    expects_response: timeout,
                     body: serde_json::to_vec(&body).unwrap(),
                     metadata: None,
                     capabilities: vec![],
-                })
-            } else {
-                Message::Response((
-                    Response {
-                        inherit: false,
-                        body: serde_json::to_vec(&body).unwrap(),
-                        metadata: None,
-                        capabilities: vec![],
-                    },
-                    None,
-                ))
-            },
-            lazy_load_blob: None,
-        })
-        .await;
+                },
+                None,
+            ))
+        },
+        lazy_load_blob: None,
+    }) else {
+        // not Err -> send successful; done here
+        return;
+    };
+    // its an Err: handle
+    match e {
+        tokio::sync::mpsc::error::TrySendError::Closed(_) => {
+            panic!("(eth) kernel message sender: receiver closed");
+        }
+        tokio::sync::mpsc::error::TrySendError::Full(_) => {
+            // TODO: implement backpressure
+            panic!("(eth) kernel overloaded with messages: TODO: implement backpressure");
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 fn find_index(vec: &Vec<&str>, item: &str) -> Option<usize> {
diff --git a/kinode/src/main.rs b/kinode/src/main.rs
index 6d25037c5..da7a40110 100644
--- a/kinode/src/main.rs
+++ b/kinode/src/main.rs
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ mod terminal;
 mod timer;
 mod vfs;
 
-const EVENT_LOOP_CHANNEL_CAPACITY: usize = 10_000;
+const EVENT_LOOP_CHANNEL_CAPACITY: usize = 100_000;
 const EVENT_LOOP_DEBUG_CHANNEL_CAPACITY: usize = 50;
 const TERMINAL_CHANNEL_CAPACITY: usize = 32;
 const WEBSOCKET_SENDER_CHANNEL_CAPACITY: usize = 32;
diff --git a/lib/src/core.rs b/lib/src/core.rs
index 6de12d838..8b8ee2146 100644
--- a/lib/src/core.rs
+++ b/lib/src/core.rs
@@ -1190,7 +1190,20 @@ impl KernelMessage {
     }
 
     pub async fn send(self, sender: &MessageSender) {
-        sender.send(self).await.expect("kernel message sender died");
+        let Err(e) = sender.try_send(self) else {
+            // not Err -> send successful; done here
+            return;
+        };
+        // its an Err: handle
+        match e {
+            tokio::sync::mpsc::error::TrySendError::Closed(_) => {
+                panic!("kernel message sender: receiver closed");
+            }
+            tokio::sync::mpsc::error::TrySendError::Full(_) => {
+                // TODO: implement backpressure
+                panic!("kernel overloaded with messages: TODO: implement backpressure");
+            }
+        }
     }
 }