diff --git a/src/connection/Connection.ts b/src/connection/Connection.ts
index dfbb5e0790..99906d87bd 100644
--- a/src/connection/Connection.ts
+++ b/src/connection/Connection.ts
@@ -396,11 +396,17 @@ export class Connection {
         const usedQueryRunner = queryRunner || this.createQueryRunner("master");
 
         try {
-            return await usedQueryRunner.query(query, parameters);  // await is needed here because we are using finally
+            const result = await usedQueryRunner.query(query, parameters);
 
-        } finally {
             if (!queryRunner)
                 await usedQueryRunner.release();
+
+            return result;
+        } catch (err) {
+            if (!queryRunner) 
+                await usedQueryRunner.release(err);
+
+            throw err;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/driver/postgres/PostgresQueryRunner.ts b/src/driver/postgres/PostgresQueryRunner.ts
index ce7daeb8fa..310c191a24 100644
--- a/src/driver/postgres/PostgresQueryRunner.ts
+++ b/src/driver/postgres/PostgresQueryRunner.ts
@@ -101,11 +101,23 @@ export class PostgresQueryRunner extends BaseQueryRunner implements QueryRunner
     /**
      * Releases used database connection.
      * You cannot use query runner methods once its released.
+     * 
+     * If `error` is truthy the released connection may be removed from the pool
+     * depending on the driver.
      */
-    release(): Promise<void> {
+    release(error?: any): Promise<void> {
         this.isReleased = true;
-        if (this.releaseCallback)
-            this.releaseCallback();
+
+        if (this.releaseCallback) {
+            // severe errors may indicate an unrecoverable client, e.g. a client
+            // whose connection no longer exists (due to network issues, etc).
+            // the safest thing to do is instruct the pool to remove it, or it
+            // will stick around in the pool indefinitely, breaking every
+            // subsequent query that runs on it
+            const removeFromPool = Boolean(error && error.severity === "FATAL");
+
+            this.releaseCallback(removeFromPool);
+        }
 
         const index = this.driver.connectedQueryRunners.indexOf(this);
         if (index !== -1) this.driver.connectedQueryRunners.splice(index);
diff --git a/src/query-runner/QueryRunner.ts b/src/query-runner/QueryRunner.ts
index 62c9f78424..5fd91b2601 100644
--- a/src/query-runner/QueryRunner.ts
+++ b/src/query-runner/QueryRunner.ts
@@ -70,8 +70,11 @@ export interface QueryRunner {
     /**
      * Releases used database connection.
      * You cannot use query runner methods after connection is released.
+     * 
+     * If `error` is truthy the released connection may be removed from the pool
+     * depending on the driver.
      */
-    release(): Promise<void>;
+    release(error?: any): Promise<void>;
 
     /**
      * Removes all tables from the currently connected database.