diff --git a/irc/client.go b/irc/client.go
index d309102a..7e2cdde8 100644
--- a/irc/client.go
+++ b/irc/client.go
@@ -90,7 +90,6 @@ func NewClient(server *Server, conn net.Conn, isTLS bool) *Client {
 	limits := server.Limits()
 	fullLineLenLimit := limits.LineLen.Tags + limits.LineLen.Rest
 	socket := NewSocket(conn, fullLineLenLimit*2, server.MaxSendQBytes())
-	go socket.RunSocketWriter()
 	client := &Client{
 		atime:          now,
 		authorized:     server.Password() == nil,
diff --git a/irc/socket.go b/irc/socket.go
index 0f98a6f9..f4ac6917 100644
--- a/irc/socket.go
+++ b/irc/socket.go
@@ -31,23 +31,26 @@ type Socket struct {
 
 	maxSendQBytes int
 
-	// coordination system for asynchronous writes
-	buffer           []byte
-	lineToSendExists chan bool
+	// this is a trylock enforcing that only one goroutine can write to `conn` at a time
+	writerSlotOpen chan bool
 
+	buffer        []byte
 	closed        bool
 	sendQExceeded bool
 	finalData     string // what to send when we die
+	finalized     bool
 }
 
 // NewSocket returns a new Socket.
 func NewSocket(conn net.Conn, maxReadQBytes int, maxSendQBytes int) Socket {
-	return Socket{
-		conn:             conn,
-		reader:           bufio.NewReaderSize(conn, maxReadQBytes),
-		maxSendQBytes:    maxSendQBytes,
-		lineToSendExists: make(chan bool, 1),
+	result := Socket{
+		conn:           conn,
+		reader:         bufio.NewReaderSize(conn, maxReadQBytes),
+		maxSendQBytes:  maxSendQBytes,
+		writerSlotOpen: make(chan bool, 1),
 	}
+	result.writerSlotOpen <- true
+	return result
 }
 
 // Close stops a Socket from being able to send/receive any more data.
@@ -56,7 +59,7 @@ func (socket *Socket) Close() {
 	socket.closed = true
 	socket.Unlock()
 
-	socket.wakeWriter()
+	go socket.send()
 }
 
 // CertFP returns the fingerprint of the certificate provided by the client.
@@ -114,7 +117,11 @@ func (socket *Socket) Read() (string, error) {
 	return line, nil
 }
 
-// Write sends the given string out of Socket.
+// Write sends the given string out of Socket. Requirements:
+// 1. MUST NOT block for macroscopic amounts of time
+// 2. MUST NOT reorder messages
+// 3. MUST provide mutual exclusion for socket.conn.Write
+// 4. SHOULD NOT tie up additional goroutines, beyond the one blocked on socket.conn.Write
 func (socket *Socket) Write(data string) (err error) {
 	socket.Lock()
 	if socket.closed {
@@ -127,19 +134,10 @@ func (socket *Socket) Write(data string) (err error) {
 	}
 	socket.Unlock()
 
-	socket.wakeWriter()
+	go socket.send()
 	return
 }
 
-// wakeWriter wakes up the goroutine that actually performs the write, without blocking
-func (socket *Socket) wakeWriter() {
-	// nonblocking send to the channel, no-op if it's full
-	select {
-	case socket.lineToSendExists <- true:
-	default:
-	}
-}
-
 // SetFinalData sets the final data to send when the SocketWriter closes.
 func (socket *Socket) SetFinalData(data string) {
 	socket.Lock()
@@ -154,32 +152,53 @@ func (socket *Socket) IsClosed() bool {
 	return socket.closed
 }
 
-// RunSocketWriter starts writing messages to the outgoing socket.
-func (socket *Socket) RunSocketWriter() {
-	localBuffer := make([]byte, 0)
-	shouldStop := false
-	for !shouldStop {
-		// wait for new lines
+// is there data to write?
+func (socket *Socket) readyToWrite() bool {
+	socket.Lock()
+	defer socket.Unlock()
+	// on the first time observing socket.closed, we still have to write socket.finalData
+	return !socket.finalized && (len(socket.buffer) > 0 || socket.closed || socket.sendQExceeded)
+}
+
+// send actually writes messages to socket.Conn; it may block
+func (socket *Socket) send() {
+	// one of these checks happens-after every call to Write(), so we can't miss writes
+	for socket.readyToWrite() {
 		select {
-		case <-socket.lineToSendExists:
-			// retrieve the buffered data, clear the buffer
-			socket.Lock()
-			localBuffer = append(localBuffer, socket.buffer...)
-			socket.buffer = socket.buffer[:0]
-			socket.Unlock()
-
-			_, err := socket.conn.Write(localBuffer)
-			localBuffer = localBuffer[:0]
-
-			socket.Lock()
-			shouldStop = (err != nil) || socket.closed || socket.sendQExceeded
-			socket.Unlock()
+		case <-socket.writerSlotOpen:
+			// got the trylock: actually do the write
+			socket.performWrite()
+			socket.writerSlotOpen <- true
+		default:
+			// another goroutine is in progress; exit and wait for them to loop back around
+			// and observe readyToWrite() again
+			return
 		}
 	}
+}
+
+// write the contents of the buffer, then see if we need to close
+func (socket *Socket) performWrite() {
+	// retrieve the buffered data, clear the buffer
+	socket.Lock()
+	buffer := socket.buffer
+	socket.buffer = nil
+	socket.Unlock()
+
+	_, err := socket.conn.Write(buffer)
+
+	socket.Lock()
+	shouldClose := (err != nil) || socket.closed || socket.sendQExceeded
+	socket.Unlock()
+
+	if !shouldClose {
+		return
+	}
 
 	// mark the socket closed (if someone hasn't already), then write error lines
 	socket.Lock()
 	socket.closed = true
+	socket.finalized = true
 	finalData := socket.finalData
 	if socket.sendQExceeded {
 		finalData = "\r\nERROR :SendQ Exceeded\r\n"