diff --git a/tower-buffer/src/lib.rs b/tower-buffer/src/lib.rs
index f961638..b2876d3 100644
--- a/tower-buffer/src/lib.rs
+++ b/tower-buffer/src/lib.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 //! good thing to put in production situations. However, it illustrates the idea
 //! and capabilities around adding buffering to an arbitrary `Service`.
 
+#[macro_use]
 extern crate futures;
 extern crate tower_service;
 
@@ -21,7 +22,7 @@ use tower_service::Service;
 use std::{error, fmt};
 use std::sync::Arc;
 use std::sync::atomic::AtomicBool;
-use std::sync::atomic::Ordering::SeqCst;
+use std::sync::atomic::Ordering;
 
 /// Adds a buffer in front of an inner service.
 ///
@@ -53,8 +54,9 @@ pub enum Error<T> {
 pub struct Worker<T>
 where T: Service,
 {
-    service: T,
+    current_message: Option<Message<T>>,
     rx: UnboundedReceiver<Message<T>>,
+    service: T,
     state: Arc<State>,
 }
 
@@ -99,8 +101,9 @@ where T: Service,
         });
 
         let worker = Worker {
-            service,
+            current_message: None,
             rx,
+            service,
             state: state.clone(),
         };
 
@@ -125,7 +128,7 @@ where T: Service,
 
     fn poll_ready(&mut self) -> Poll<(), Self::Error> {
         // If the inner service has errored, then we error here.
-        if !self.state.open.load(SeqCst) {
+        if !self.state.open.load(Ordering::Acquire) {
             return Err(Error::Closed);
         } else {
             // Ideally we could query if the `mpsc` is closed, but this is not
@@ -137,12 +140,15 @@ where T: Service,
     fn call(&mut self, request: Self::Request) -> Self::Future {
         let (tx, rx) = oneshot::channel();
 
-        // TODO: This could fail too
-        let _ = self.tx.unbounded_send(Message {
+        let sent = self.tx.unbounded_send(Message {
             request,
             tx,
         });
 
+        if sent.is_err() {
+            self.state.open.store(false, Ordering::Release);
+        }
+
         ResponseFuture { state: ResponseState::Rx(rx) }
     }
 }
@@ -181,6 +187,32 @@ where T: Service
 
 // ===== impl Worker =====
 
+impl<T> Worker<T>
+where T: Service
+{
+    /// Return the next queued Message that hasn't been canceled.
+    fn poll_next_msg(&mut self) -> Poll<Option<Message<T>>, ()> {
+        if let Some(mut msg) = self.current_message.take() {
+            // poll_cancel returns Async::Ready is the receiver is dropped.
+            // Returning NotReady means it is still alive, so we should still
+            // use it.
+            if msg.tx.poll_cancel()?.is_not_ready() {
+                return Ok(Async::Ready(Some(msg)));
+            }
+        }
+
+        // Get the next request
+        while let Some(mut msg) = try_ready!(self.rx.poll()) {
+            if msg.tx.poll_cancel()?.is_not_ready() {
+                return Ok(Async::Ready(Some(msg)));
+            }
+            // Otherwise, request is canceled, so pop the next one.
+        }
+
+        Ok(Async::Ready(None))
+    }
+}
+
 impl<T> Future for Worker<T>
 where T: Service,
 {
@@ -188,39 +220,33 @@ where T: Service,
     type Error = ();
 
     fn poll(&mut self) -> Poll<(), ()> {
-        loop {
+        while let Some(msg) = try_ready!(self.poll_next_msg()) {
             // Wait for the service to be ready
             match self.service.poll_ready() {
-                Ok(Async::Ready(_)) => {}
+                Ok(Async::Ready(())) => {
+                    let response = self.service.call(msg.request);
+
+                    // Send the response future back to the sender.
+                    //
+                    // An error means the request had been canceled in-between
+                    // our calls, the response future will just be dropped.
+                    let _ = msg.tx.send(response);
+                }
                 Ok(Async::NotReady) => {
+                    // Put out current message back in its slot.
+                    self.current_message = Some(msg);
                     return Ok(Async::NotReady);
                 }
                 Err(_) => {
-                    self.state.open.store(false, SeqCst);
+                    self.state.open.store(false, Ordering::Release);
                     return Ok(().into())
                 }
             }
 
-            // Get the next request
-            match self.rx.poll() {
-                Ok(Async::Ready(Some(Message { request, tx }))) => {
-                    // Received a request. Dispatch the request to the inner service
-                    // and get the response future
-                    let response = self.service.call(request);
-
-                    // Send the response future back to the sender.
-                    //
-                    // TODO: how should send errors be handled?
-                    let _ = tx.send(response);
-                }
-                Ok(Async::Ready(None)) => {
-                    // All senders are dropped... the task is no longer needed
-                    return Ok(().into());
-                }
-                Ok(Async::NotReady) => return Ok(Async::NotReady),
-                Err(()) => unreachable!(),
-            }
         }
+
+        // All senders are dropped... the task is no longer needed
+        Ok(().into())
     }
 }
 
@@ -252,7 +278,7 @@ where
 
     fn description(&self) -> &str {
         match *self {
-            Error::Inner(_) => "inner service error",
+            Error::Inner(ref e) => e.description(),
             Error::Closed => "buffer closed",
         }
     }
diff --git a/tower-buffer/tests/buffer.rs b/tower-buffer/tests/buffer.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fd1c3ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tower-buffer/tests/buffer.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+extern crate futures;
+extern crate tower_buffer;
+extern crate tower_mock;
+extern crate tower_service;
+
+use futures::prelude::*;
+use tower_buffer::*;
+use tower_service::*;
+
+use std::thread;
+
+#[test]
+fn req_and_res() {
+    let (mut service, mut handle) = new_service();
+
+    let response = service.call("hello");
+
+    let request = handle.next_request().unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(*request, "hello");
+    request.respond("world");
+
+    assert_eq!(response.wait().unwrap(), "world");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn clears_canceled_requests() {
+    let (mut service, mut handle) = new_service();
+
+    handle.allow(1);
+
+    let res1 = service.call("hello");
+
+    let req1 = handle.next_request().unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(*req1, "hello");
+
+    // don't respond yet, new requests will get buffered
+
+    let res2 = service.call("hello2");
+    with_task(|| {
+        assert!(handle.poll_request().unwrap().is_not_ready());
+    });
+
+    let res3 = service.call("hello3");
+
+    drop(res2);
+
+    req1.respond("world");
+    assert_eq!(res1.wait().unwrap(), "world");
+
+    // res2 was dropped, so it should have been canceled in the buffer
+    handle.allow(1);
+
+    let req3 = handle.next_request().unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(*req3, "hello3");
+    req3.respond("world3");
+    assert_eq!(res3.wait().unwrap(), "world3");
+}
+
+type Mock = tower_mock::Mock<&'static str, &'static str, ()>;
+type Handle = tower_mock::Handle<&'static str, &'static str, ()>;
+
+struct Exec;
+
+impl futures::future::Executor<Worker<Mock>> for Exec {
+    fn execute(&self, fut: Worker<Mock>) -> Result<(), futures::future::ExecuteError<Worker<Mock>>> {
+        thread::spawn(move || {
+            fut.wait().unwrap();
+        });
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
+
+fn new_service() -> (Buffer<Mock>, Handle) {
+    let (service, handle) = Mock::new();
+    let service = Buffer::new(service, &Exec).unwrap();
+    (service, handle)
+}
+
+fn with_task<F: FnOnce() -> U, U>(f: F) -> U {
+    use futures::future::{Future, lazy};
+    lazy(|| Ok::<_, ()>(f())).wait().unwrap()
+}