diff --git a/node/pkg/common/obsvReqSendC.go b/node/pkg/common/obsvReqSendC.go
index 6d50d1eb8..298193695 100644
--- a/node/pkg/common/obsvReqSendC.go
+++ b/node/pkg/common/obsvReqSendC.go
@@ -1,19 +1,20 @@
 package common
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
+	"errors"
 
 	gossipv1 "github.com/certusone/wormhole/node/pkg/proto/gossip/v1"
 )
 
 const ObsvReqChannelSize = 50
-const ObsvReqChannelFullError = "channel is full"
 
-func PostObservationRequest(obsvReqSendC chan *gossipv1.ObservationRequest, req *gossipv1.ObservationRequest) error {
-	if len(obsvReqSendC) >= cap(obsvReqSendC) {
-		return fmt.Errorf(ObsvReqChannelFullError)
+var ErrChanFull = errors.New("channel is full")
+
+func PostObservationRequest(obsvReqSendC chan<- *gossipv1.ObservationRequest, req *gossipv1.ObservationRequest) error {
+	select {
+	case obsvReqSendC <- req:
+		return nil
+	default:
+		return ErrChanFull
 	}
-
-	obsvReqSendC <- req
-	return nil
 }
diff --git a/node/pkg/common/obsvReqSendC_test.go b/node/pkg/common/obsvReqSendC_test.go
index d2a08a971..8fe7f222e 100644
--- a/node/pkg/common/obsvReqSendC_test.go
+++ b/node/pkg/common/obsvReqSendC_test.go
@@ -30,8 +30,7 @@ func TestObsvReqSendLimitEnforced(t *testing.T) {
 			ChainId: uint32(vaa.ChainIDSolana),
 		}
 		err := PostObservationRequest(obsvReqSendC, req)
-		assert.NotNil(t, err)
-		assert.Equal(t, ObsvReqChannelFullError, err.Error())
+		assert.ErrorIs(t, err, ErrChanFull)
 
 		done = true
 	}()