diff --git a/src/modules/module-protocol-native.c b/src/modules/module-protocol-native.c
index 6e3844956..411bad6c2 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-protocol-native.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-protocol-native.c
@@ -473,24 +473,30 @@ on_remote_data(void *data, int fd, enum spa_io mask)
 	struct pw_remote *this = impl->this.remote;
 	struct pw_protocol_native_connection *conn = impl->connection;
 	struct pw_core *core = pw_remote_get_core(this);
+	int res;
 
         if (mask & (SPA_IO_ERR | SPA_IO_HUP)) {
-		pw_log_error("protocol-native %p: got connection error", impl);
-		pw_loop_destroy_source(pw_core_get_main_loop(core), impl->source);
-		impl->source = NULL;
-		pw_remote_disconnect(this);
-		return;
-        }
+		res = -EPIPE;
+		goto error;
+	}
 
         if (mask & SPA_IO_IN) {
 		const struct pw_protocol_native_message *msg;
 
-                while (!impl->disconnecting
-                       && pw_protocol_native_connection_get_next(conn, &msg) == 1) {
+                while (!impl->disconnecting) {
                         struct pw_proxy *proxy;
                         const struct pw_protocol_native_demarshal *demarshal;
 			const struct pw_protocol_marshal *marshal;
 
+			res = pw_protocol_native_connection_get_next(conn, &msg);
+			if (res < 0) {
+				if (res == -EAGAIN)
+					break;
+				goto error;
+			}
+			if (res == 0)
+				break;
+
                         pw_log_trace("protocol-native %p: got message %d from %u seq:%d",
 					this, msg->opcode, msg->id, msg->seq);
 
@@ -530,6 +536,12 @@ on_remote_data(void *data, int fd, enum spa_io mask)
 			}
                 }
         }
+	return;
+error:
+	pw_log_error("protocol-native %p: got connection error %d (%s)", impl, res, spa_strerror(res));
+	pw_loop_destroy_source(pw_core_get_main_loop(core), impl->source);
+	impl->source = NULL;
+	pw_remote_disconnect(this);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/modules/module-protocol-native/connection.c b/src/modules/module-protocol-native/connection.c
index 0db3a1154..dce4707bc 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-protocol-native/connection.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-protocol-native/connection.c
@@ -147,9 +147,12 @@ static int refill_buffer(struct pw_protocol_native_connection *conn, struct buff
 	struct iovec iov[1];
 	char cmsgbuf[CMSG_SPACE(MAX_FDS_MSG * sizeof(int))];
 	int n_fds = 0;
+	size_t avail;
+
+	avail = buf->buffer_maxsize - buf->buffer_size;
 
 	iov[0].iov_base = buf->buffer_data + buf->buffer_size;
-	iov[0].iov_len = buf->buffer_maxsize - buf->buffer_size;
+	iov[0].iov_len = avail;
 	msg.msg_iov = iov;
 	msg.msg_iovlen = 1;
 	msg.msg_control = cmsgbuf;
@@ -158,7 +161,9 @@ static int refill_buffer(struct pw_protocol_native_connection *conn, struct buff
 
 	while (true) {
 		len = recvmsg(conn->fd, &msg, msg.msg_flags);
-		if (len <= 0) {
+		if (len == 0 && avail != 0)
+			return -EPIPE;
+		else if (len < 0) {
 			if (errno == EINTR)
 				continue;
 			if (errno != EAGAIN || errno != EWOULDBLOCK)