diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 924028b..b1badc2 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -100,7 +100,8 @@
     "p-retry": "^5.1.0",
     "serialize-error": "^11.0.0",
     "type-fest": "^2.12.1",
-    "webext-detect-page": "^4.0.1"
+    "webext-detect-page": "^4.0.1",
+    "webext-tools": "^1.1.0"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@parcel/config-webextension": "^2.4.0",
diff --git a/source/sender.ts b/source/sender.ts
index fad20f2..340c46b 100644
--- a/source/sender.ts
+++ b/source/sender.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import pRetry from "p-retry";
 import { isBackground } from "webext-detect-page";
+import { doesTabExist } from "webext-tools";
 import { deserializeError } from "serialize-error";
 
 import {
@@ -22,9 +23,11 @@ import {
 } from "./shared.js";
 import { SetReturnType } from "type-fest";
 
-export const errorNonExistingTarget =
+const _errorNonExistingTarget =
   "Could not establish connection. Receiving end does not exist.";
 
+export const errorTabDoesntExist = "The tab doesn't exist";
+
 function isMessengerResponse(response: unknown): response is MessengerResponse {
   return isObject(response) && response["__webextMessenger"] === true;
 }
@@ -81,12 +84,20 @@ async function manageMessage(
       minTimeout: 100,
       factor: 1.3,
       maxRetryTime: 4000,
-      onFailedAttempt(error) {
+      async onFailedAttempt(error) {
         if (
           // Don't retry sending to the background page unless it really hasn't loaded yet
           (target.page !== "background" && error instanceof MessengerError) ||
-          String(error.message).startsWith(errorNonExistingTarget)
+          String(error.message).startsWith(_errorNonExistingTarget)
         ) {
+          if (
+            browser.tabs &&
+            typeof target.tabId === "number" &&
+            !(await doesTabExist(target.tabId))
+          ) {
+            throw new Error(errorTabDoesntExist);
+          }
+
           debug(type, "will retry. Attempt", error.attemptNumber);
         } else {
           throw error;
diff --git a/source/test/contentscript/api.test.ts b/source/test/contentscript/api.test.ts
index 201c326..a9d08b0 100644
--- a/source/test/contentscript/api.test.ts
+++ b/source/test/contentscript/api.test.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 import test from "tape";
 import { isBackground, isContentScript, isWebPage } from "webext-detect-page";
 import { PageTarget, Sender, Target } from "../..";
+import { errorTabDoesntExist, errorTargetClosedEarly } from "../../sender";
 import { expectRejection, sleep, trackSettleTime } from "../helpers";
 import * as backgroundContext from "../background/api";
 import * as localContext from "../background/testingApi";
-import { expectRejection } from "../helpers";
+import * as contentScriptContext from "./api";
 import {
   getPageTitle,
   setPageTitle,
@@ -220,6 +221,19 @@ async function init() {
     await closeTab(tabId);
   });
 
+  test("stops trying immediately if specific tab ID doesn't exist", async (t) => {
+    const request = getPageTitle({ tabId });
+    const durationPromise = trackSettleTime(request);
+
+    await expectRejection(t, request, new Error(errorTabDoesntExist));
+
+    const duration = await durationPromise;
+    t.ok(
+      duration < 100,
+      `It should take less than 100 ms (took ${duration}ms)`
+    );
+  });
+
   test("retries until it times out", async (t) => {
     const tabId = await openTab(
       "https://fregante.github.io/pixiebrix-testing-ground/No-static-content-scripts"