diff --git a/src/generator.c b/src/generator.c
index 5f193306..d1b90ca0 100644
--- a/src/generator.c
+++ b/src/generator.c
@@ -2223,8 +2223,9 @@ static void *proxy_recv(void *arg)
 	alive = proxi->alive;
 
 	while (42) {
-		notify_instance_t *ni, *tmp;
+		bool message = false, hup = false;
 		share_msg_t *share, *tmpshare;
+		notify_instance_t *ni, *tmp;
 		float timeout;
 		time_t now;
 		int ret;
@@ -2279,8 +2280,10 @@ static void *proxy_recv(void *arg)
 		if (likely(ret > 0)) {
 			subproxy = event.data.ptr;
 			cs = &subproxy->cs;
-			if (!subproxy->alive)
+			if (!subproxy->alive) {
+				cs = NULL;
 				continue;
+			}
 
 			/* Serialise messages from here once we have a cs by
 			 * holding the semaphore. */
@@ -2292,14 +2295,33 @@ static void *proxy_recv(void *arg)
 			if (event.events & EPOLLIN) {
 				timeout = 30;
 				ret = read_socket_line(cs, &timeout);
-			} else if (event.events & (EPOLLHUP | EPOLLERR | EPOLLRDHUP))
-				ret = -1;
-		}
-		if (ret < 1) {
-			LOGNOTICE("Proxy %d:%d %s failed to epoll/read_socket_line in proxy_recv",
+				/* If we are unable to read anything within 30
+				 * seconds at this point after EPOLLIN is set
+				 * then the socket is dead. */
+				if (ret < 1) {
+					LOGNOTICE("Proxy %d:%d %s failed to read_socket_line in proxy_recv",
+						  proxi->id, subproxy->subid, subproxy->url);
+					hup = true;
+				} else {
+					message = true;
+					timeout = 0;
+				}
+			}
+			if (event.events & (EPOLLHUP | EPOLLERR | EPOLLRDHUP)) {
+				LOGNOTICE("Proxy %d:%d %s epoll hangup in proxy_recv",
+					  proxi->id, subproxy->subid, subproxy->url);
+				hup = true;
+			}
+		} else {
+			LOGNOTICE("Proxy %d:%d %s failed to epoll in proxy_recv",
 				  proxi->id, subproxy->subid, subproxy->url);
-			disable_subproxy(gdata, proxi, subproxy);
-		} else do {
+			hup = true;
+		}
+
+		/* Parse any other messages already fully buffered with a zero
+		 * timeout. */
+		while (message || read_socket_line(cs, &timeout) > 0) {
+			timeout = 0;
 			/* subproxy may have been recycled here if it is not a
 			 * parent and reconnect was issued */
 			if (parse_method(ckp, subproxy, cs->buf))
@@ -2309,8 +2331,11 @@ static void *proxy_recv(void *arg)
 				LOGNOTICE("Proxy %d:%d unhandled stratum message: %s",
 					  subproxy->id, subproxy->subid, cs->buf);
 			}
-			timeout = 0;
-		} while ((ret = read_socket_line(cs, &timeout)) > 0);
+		}
+
+		/* Process hangup only after parsing messages */
+		if (hup)
+			disable_subproxy(gdata, proxi, subproxy);
 		if (cs)
 			cksem_post(&cs->sem);
 	}