lib/PublicInbox/GitHTTPBackend.pm | 7 ++++++-

diff --git a/lib/PublicInbox/GitHTTPBackend.pm b/lib/PublicInbox/GitHTTPBackend.pm
index 18194441e888da321250b5ab3609cce544e515ac..58e75cde50e20cd35d8ecd7ae1beb7b1aacf1009 100644
--- a/lib/PublicInbox/GitHTTPBackend.pm
+++ b/lib/PublicInbox/GitHTTPBackend.pm
@@ -210,7 +210,12 @@ 	my $cb = sub {
 		my $r = $rd_hdr->() or return;
 		$rd_hdr = undef;
 		if (scalar(@$r) == 3) { # error:
-			$async->close if $async;
+			if ($async) {
+				$async->close; # calls rpipe->close
+			} else {
+				$rpipe->close;
+				$end->();
+			}
 			return $res->($r);
 		}
 		if ($async) {