diff --git a/src/shrpx_downstream.cc b/src/shrpx_downstream.cc
index 7622e1b2..1a65f680 100644
--- a/src/shrpx_downstream.cc
+++ b/src/shrpx_downstream.cc
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ Downstream::Downstream(Upstream *upstream, int32_t stream_id, int32_t priority)
       request_connection_close_(false), request_header_key_prev_(false),
       request_http2_expect_body_(false), chunked_response_(false),
       response_connection_close_(false), response_header_key_prev_(false),
-      expect_final_response_(false) {
+      expect_final_response_(false), request_pending_(false) {
 
   ev_timer_init(&upstream_rtimer_, &upstream_rtimeoutcb, 0.,
                 get_config()->stream_read_timeout);
@@ -1064,4 +1064,8 @@ void Downstream::set_request_downstream_host(std::string host) {
   request_downstream_host_ = std::move(host);
 }
 
+void Downstream::set_request_pending(bool f) { request_pending_ = f; }
+
+bool Downstream::get_request_pending() const { return request_pending_; }
+
 } // namespace shrpx
diff --git a/src/shrpx_downstream.h b/src/shrpx_downstream.h
index 810155ec..63ee8c04 100644
--- a/src/shrpx_downstream.h
+++ b/src/shrpx_downstream.h
@@ -183,6 +183,8 @@ public:
   void set_request_state(int state);
   int get_request_state() const;
   DefaultMemchunks *get_request_buf();
+  void set_request_pending(bool f);
+  bool get_request_pending() const;
   // downstream response API
   const Headers &get_response_headers() const;
   // Lower the response header field names and indexes response
@@ -387,6 +389,10 @@ private:
   bool response_connection_close_;
   bool response_header_key_prev_;
   bool expect_final_response_;
+  // true if downstream request is pending because backend connection
+  // should be checked before use; currently used only with HTTP/2
+  // connection.
+  bool request_pending_;
 };
 
 } // namespace shrpx
diff --git a/src/shrpx_http2_downstream_connection.cc b/src/shrpx_http2_downstream_connection.cc
index 74bdcc8e..f580f77f 100644
--- a/src/shrpx_http2_downstream_connection.cc
+++ b/src/shrpx_http2_downstream_connection.cc
@@ -222,16 +222,19 @@ ssize_t http2_data_read_callback(nghttp2_session *session, int32_t stream_id,
 
 int Http2DownstreamConnection::push_request_headers() {
   int rv;
+  if (!downstream_) {
+    return 0;
+  }
   if (!http2session_->can_push_request()) {
     // The HTTP2 session to the backend has not been established or
     // connection is now being checked.  This function will be called
     // again just after it is established.
+    downstream_->set_request_pending(true);
     http2session_->start_checking_connection();
     return 0;
   }
-  if (!downstream_) {
-    return 0;
-  }
+
+  downstream_->set_request_pending(false);
 
   const char *authority = nullptr, *host = nullptr;
   if (!get_config()->no_host_rewrite && !get_config()->http2_proxy &&
diff --git a/src/shrpx_http2_session.cc b/src/shrpx_http2_session.cc
index eb870bb5..5152f0f1 100644
--- a/src/shrpx_http2_session.cc
+++ b/src/shrpx_http2_session.cc
@@ -113,11 +113,12 @@ void writecb(struct ev_loop *loop, ev_io *w, int revents) {
   auto conn = static_cast<Connection *>(w->data);
   auto http2session = static_cast<Http2Session *>(conn->data);
   http2session->clear_write_request();
-  http2session->connection_alive();
   rv = http2session->do_write();
   if (rv != 0) {
     http2session->disconnect(http2session->should_hard_fail());
+    return;
   }
+  http2session->connection_alive();
 }
 } // namespace
 
@@ -1480,8 +1481,8 @@ void Http2Session::connection_alive() {
   for (auto dconn : dconns_) {
     auto downstream = dconn->get_downstream();
     if (!downstream ||
-        (downstream->get_request_state() != Downstream::HEADER_COMPLETE &&
-         downstream->get_request_state() != Downstream::MSG_COMPLETE) ||
+        (downstream->get_request_state() != Downstream::INITIAL &&
+         !downstream->get_request_pending()) ||
         downstream->get_response_state() != Downstream::INITIAL) {
       continue;
     }
diff --git a/src/shrpx_http2_upstream.cc b/src/shrpx_http2_upstream.cc
index 3564c6d3..8746b71e 100644
--- a/src/shrpx_http2_upstream.cc
+++ b/src/shrpx_http2_upstream.cc
@@ -1476,8 +1476,8 @@ int Http2Upstream::on_downstream_reset(bool no_retry) {
 
   for (auto &ent : downstream_queue_.get_active_downstreams()) {
     auto downstream = ent.second.get();
-    if ((downstream->get_request_state() != Downstream::HEADER_COMPLETE &&
-         downstream->get_request_state() != Downstream::MSG_COMPLETE) ||
+    if ((downstream->get_request_state() != Downstream::INITIAL &&
+         !downstream->get_request_pending()) ||
         downstream->get_response_state() != Downstream::INITIAL) {
       rst_stream(downstream, NGHTTP2_INTERNAL_ERROR);
       downstream->pop_downstream_connection();
diff --git a/src/shrpx_https_upstream.cc b/src/shrpx_https_upstream.cc
index 1c799c7e..1a64a7de 100644
--- a/src/shrpx_https_upstream.cc
+++ b/src/shrpx_https_upstream.cc
@@ -839,8 +839,8 @@ void HttpsUpstream::on_handler_delete() {
 int HttpsUpstream::on_downstream_reset(bool no_retry) {
   int rv;
 
-  if ((downstream_->get_request_state() != Downstream::HEADER_COMPLETE &&
-       downstream_->get_request_state() != Downstream::MSG_COMPLETE) ||
+  if ((downstream_->get_request_state() != Downstream::INITIAL &&
+       !downstream_->get_request_pending()) ||
       downstream_->get_response_state() != Downstream::INITIAL) {
     // Return error so that caller can delete handler
     return -1;
diff --git a/src/shrpx_spdy_upstream.cc b/src/shrpx_spdy_upstream.cc
index 4e76f683..cf48f716 100644
--- a/src/shrpx_spdy_upstream.cc
+++ b/src/shrpx_spdy_upstream.cc
@@ -1041,8 +1041,8 @@ int SpdyUpstream::on_downstream_reset(bool no_retry) {
 
   for (auto &ent : downstream_queue_.get_active_downstreams()) {
     auto downstream = ent.second.get();
-    if ((downstream->get_request_state() != Downstream::HEADER_COMPLETE &&
-         downstream->get_request_state() != Downstream::MSG_COMPLETE) ||
+    if ((downstream->get_request_state() != Downstream::INITIAL &&
+         !downstream->get_request_pending()) ||
         downstream->get_response_state() != Downstream::INITIAL) {
       rst_stream(downstream, SPDYLAY_INTERNAL_ERROR);
       downstream->pop_downstream_connection();