diff --git a/@vates/nbd-client/.USAGE.md b/@vates/nbd-client/.USAGE.md
index da7bfdf3aa1..ddbbd3b96cd 100644
--- a/@vates/nbd-client/.USAGE.md
+++ b/@vates/nbd-client/.USAGE.md
@@ -1,19 +1,16 @@
-### `new NdbClient({address, exportname, secure = true, port  = 10809})`
-
-create a new nbd  client
+### `new NdbClient({address, exportname, secure = true, port = 10809})`
 
+create a new nbd client
 
 ```js
+import NbdClient from '@vates/nbd-client'
+const client = new NbdClient({
+  address: 'MY_NBD_HOST',
+  exportname: 'MY_SECRET_EXPORT',
+  cert: 'Server certificate', // optional, will use encrypted link if provided
+})
 
-  import NbdClient from '@vates/nbd-client'
-  const client = new NbdClient({
-    address: 'MY_NBD_HOST',
-    exportname: 'MY_SECRET_EXPORT',
-    cert: 'Server certificate', // optional, will use encrypted link if provided
-  })
-
-  await client.connect()
-  const block = await client.readBlock(blockIndex, BlockSize)
-  await client.disconnect()
-
+await client.connect()
+const block = await client.readBlock(blockIndex, BlockSize)
+await client.disconnect()
 ```
diff --git a/@vates/nbd-client/index.js b/@vates/nbd-client/index.js
index ed14af1005b..3be9518be02 100644
--- a/@vates/nbd-client/index.js
+++ b/@vates/nbd-client/index.js
@@ -50,20 +50,17 @@ module.exports = class NbdClient {
 
   async #tlsConnect() {
     return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-      this.#serverSocket = connect(
-        {
-          socket: this.#serverSocket,
-          rejectUnauthorized: false,
-          cert: this.#serverCert,
-        },
-        resolve
-      )
-      this.#serverSocket.once('error', reject)
-      // @todo : why is this never called ?
-      this.#serverSocket.once('connect', () => {
+      this.#serverSocket = connect({
+        socket: this.#serverSocket,
+        rejectUnauthorized: false,
+        cert: this.#serverCert,
+      })
+      this.#serverSocket.once('secureConnect', () => {
         this.#serverSocket.removeListener('error', reject)
         resolve()
       })
+
+      this.#serverSocket.once('error', reject)
     })
   }
 
@@ -85,6 +82,11 @@ module.exports = class NbdClient {
     // to tls during the handshake
     await this.#unsecureConnect()
     await this.#handshake()
+
+    // reset internal state if we reconnected a nbd client
+    this.#commandQueryBacklog = new Map()
+    this.#nbCommands = 0
+    this.#waitingForResponse = false
   }
 
   async disconnect() {
@@ -163,10 +165,10 @@ module.exports = class NbdClient {
 
   // when one read fail ,stop everything
   async #rejectAll(error) {
-    this.this.#commandQueryBacklog.forEach(({ reject }, blockQueryId) => {
+    this.#commandQueryBacklog.forEach(({ reject }) => {
       reject(error)
-      this.#commandQueryBacklog.delete(blockQueryId)
     })
+    await this.disconnect()
   }
 
   async #readBlockResponse() {
@@ -175,32 +177,39 @@ module.exports = class NbdClient {
     if (this.#waitingForResponse) {
       return
     }
-    this.#waitingForResponse = true
-    this.#nbCommands--
-    const magic = await this.#readInt32()
 
-    if (magic !== NBD_REPLY_MAGIC) {
-      return this.#rejectAll(new Error(`magic number for block answer is wrong : ${magic} ${NBD_REPLY_MAGIC}`))
-    }
-
-    const error = await this.#readInt32()
-    if (error !== 0) {
-      // @todo use error code from constants.mjs
-      return this.#rejectAll(new Error(`GOT ERROR CODE  : ${error}`))
-    }
-
-    const blockQueryId = await this.#readInt64()
-    const query = this.#commandQueryBacklog.get(blockQueryId)
-    if (!query) {
-      return this.#rejectAll(new Error(` no query associated with id ${blockQueryId}`))
-    }
-    this.#commandQueryBacklog.delete(blockQueryId)
-    const data = await this.#read(query.size)
-    query.resolve(data)
-
-    this.#waitingForResponse = false
-    if (this.#nbCommands > 0) {
-      await this.#readBlockResponse()
+    try {
+      this.#waitingForResponse = true
+      this.#nbCommands--
+      const magic = await this.#readInt32()
+
+      if (magic !== NBD_REPLY_MAGIC) {
+        throw new Error(`magic number for block answer is wrong : ${magic} ${NBD_REPLY_MAGIC}`)
+      }
+
+      const error = await this.#readInt32()
+      if (error !== 0) {
+        // @todo use error code from constants.mjs
+        throw new Error(`GOT ERROR CODE  : ${error}`)
+      }
+
+      const blockQueryId = await this.#readInt64()
+      const query = this.#commandQueryBacklog.get(blockQueryId)
+      if (!query) {
+        throw new Error(` no query associated with id ${blockQueryId}`)
+      }
+      this.#commandQueryBacklog.delete(blockQueryId)
+      const data = await this.#read(query.size)
+      query.resolve(data)
+      this.#waitingForResponse = false
+      if (this.#nbCommands > 0) {
+        await this.#readBlockResponse()
+      }
+    } catch (error) {
+      // reject all the promises
+      // we don't need to call readBlockResponse on failure
+      // since we will empty the backlog
+      await this.#rejectAll(error)
     }
   }
 
@@ -227,8 +236,11 @@ module.exports = class NbdClient {
         reject,
       })
       // really send the command to the server
-      this.#write(buffer).then(() => this.#readBlockResponse())
-      // it can never reject
+      this.#write(buffer).catch(reject)
+
+      // #readBlockResponse never throws directly
+      // but if it fails it will reject all the promises in the backlog
+      this.#readBlockResponse()
     })
   }
 }