diff --git a/lib/client.js b/lib/client.js
index feedebbd8..432443793 100644
--- a/lib/client.js
+++ b/lib/client.js
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ var Client = function (config) {
   this._connecting = false
   this._connected = false
   this._connectionError = false
+  this._queryable = true
 
   this.connection = c.connection || new Connection({
     stream: c.stream,
@@ -52,16 +53,31 @@ var Client = function (config) {
 
 util.inherits(Client, EventEmitter)
 
-Client.prototype.connect = function (callback) {
+Client.prototype._errorAllQueries = function (err) {
+  const enqueueError = (query) => {
+    process.nextTick(() => {
+      query.handleError(err, this.connection)
+    })
+  }
+
+  if (this.activeQuery) {
+    enqueueError(this.activeQuery)
+    this.activeQuery = null
+  }
+
+  this.queryQueue.forEach(enqueueError)
+  this.queryQueue.length = 0
+}
+
+Client.prototype._connect = function (callback) {
   var self = this
   var con = this.connection
   if (this._connecting || this._connected) {
     const err = new Error('Client has already been connected. You cannot reuse a client.')
-    if (callback) {
+    process.nextTick(() => {
       callback(err)
-      return undefined
-    }
-    return Promise.reject(err)
+    })
+    return
   }
   this._connecting = true
 
@@ -126,15 +142,25 @@ Client.prototype.connect = function (callback) {
   }
 
   const connectedErrorHandler = (err) => {
-    if (this.activeQuery) {
-      var activeQuery = self.activeQuery
-      this.activeQuery = null
-      return activeQuery.handleError(err, con)
-    }
+    this._queryable = false
+    this._errorAllQueries(err)
     this.emit('error', err)
   }
 
+  const connectedErrorMessageHandler = (msg) => {
+    const activeQuery = this.activeQuery
+
+    if (!activeQuery) {
+      connectedErrorHandler(msg)
+      return
+    }
+
+    this.activeQuery = null
+    activeQuery.handleError(msg, con)
+  }
+
   con.on('error', connectingErrorHandler)
+  con.on('errorMessage', connectingErrorHandler)
 
   // hook up query handling events to connection
   // after the connection initially becomes ready for queries
@@ -143,7 +169,9 @@ Client.prototype.connect = function (callback) {
     self._connected = true
     self._attachListeners(con)
     con.removeListener('error', connectingErrorHandler)
+    con.removeListener('errorMessage', connectingErrorHandler)
     con.on('error', connectedErrorHandler)
+    con.on('errorMessage', connectedErrorMessageHandler)
 
     // process possible callback argument to Client#connect
     if (callback) {
@@ -166,43 +194,53 @@ Client.prototype.connect = function (callback) {
   })
 
   con.once('end', () => {
-    if (this.activeQuery) {
-      var disconnectError = new Error('Connection terminated')
-      this.activeQuery.handleError(disconnectError, con)
-      this.activeQuery = null
-    }
+    const error = this._ending
+      ? new Error('Connection terminated')
+      : new Error('Connection terminated unexpectedly')
+
+    this._errorAllQueries(error)
+
     if (!this._ending) {
       // if the connection is ended without us calling .end()
       // on this client then we have an unexpected disconnection
       // treat this as an error unless we've already emitted an error
       // during connection.
-      const error = new Error('Connection terminated unexpectedly')
       if (this._connecting && !this._connectionError) {
         if (callback) {
           callback(error)
         } else {
-          this.emit('error', error)
+          connectedErrorHandler(error)
         }
       } else if (!this._connectionError) {
-        this.emit('error', error)
+        connectedErrorHandler(error)
       }
     }
-    this.emit('end')
+
+    process.nextTick(() => {
+      this.emit('end')
+    })
   })
 
   con.on('notice', function (msg) {
     self.emit('notice', msg)
   })
+}
 
-  if (!callback) {
-    return new global.Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-      this.once('error', reject)
-      this.once('connect', () => {
-        this.removeListener('error', reject)
+Client.prototype.connect = function (callback) {
+  if (callback) {
+    this._connect(callback)
+    return
+  }
+
+  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+    this._connect((error) => {
+      if (error) {
+        reject(error)
+      } else {
         resolve()
-      })
+      }
     })
-  }
+  })
 }
 
 Client.prototype._attachListeners = function (con) {
@@ -340,7 +378,15 @@ Client.prototype._pulseQueryQueue = function () {
     if (this.activeQuery) {
       this.readyForQuery = false
       this.hasExecuted = true
-      this.activeQuery.submit(this.connection)
+
+      const queryError = this.activeQuery.submit(this.connection)
+      if (queryError) {
+        process.nextTick(() => {
+          this.activeQuery.handleError(queryError, this.connection)
+          this.readyForQuery = true
+          this._pulseQueryQueue()
+        })
+      }
     } else if (this.hasExecuted) {
       this.activeQuery = null
       this.emit('drain')
@@ -379,6 +425,20 @@ Client.prototype.query = function (config, values, callback) {
     query._result._getTypeParser = this._types.getTypeParser.bind(this._types)
   }
 
+  if (!this._queryable) {
+    process.nextTick(() => {
+      query.handleError(new Error('Client has encountered a connection error and is not queryable'), this.connection)
+    })
+    return result
+  }
+
+  if (this._ending) {
+    process.nextTick(() => {
+      query.handleError(new Error('Client was closed and is not queryable'), this.connection)
+    })
+    return result
+  }
+
   this.queryQueue.push(query)
   this._pulseQueryQueue()
   return result
@@ -386,18 +446,19 @@ Client.prototype.query = function (config, values, callback) {
 
 Client.prototype.end = function (cb) {
   this._ending = true
+
   if (this.activeQuery) {
     // if we have an active query we need to force a disconnect
     // on the socket - otherwise a hung query could block end forever
-    this.connection.stream.destroy(new Error('Connection terminated by user'))
-    return cb ? cb() : Promise.resolve()
+    this.connection.stream.destroy()
+  } else {
+    this.connection.end()
   }
+
   if (cb) {
-    this.connection.end()
     this.connection.once('end', cb)
   } else {
-    return new global.Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-      this.connection.end()
+    return new Promise((resolve) => {
       this.connection.once('end', resolve)
     })
   }
diff --git a/lib/connection.js b/lib/connection.js
index 799ab4ed8..177739c32 100644
--- a/lib/connection.js
+++ b/lib/connection.js
@@ -117,10 +117,11 @@ Connection.prototype.attachListeners = function (stream) {
     var packet = self._reader.read()
     while (packet) {
       var msg = self.parseMessage(packet)
+      var eventName = msg.name === 'error' ? 'errorMessage' : msg.name
       if (self._emitMessage) {
         self.emit('message', msg)
       }
-      self.emit(msg.name, msg)
+      self.emit(eventName, msg)
       packet = self._reader.read()
     }
   })
diff --git a/lib/native/client.js b/lib/native/client.js
index bed548ad8..b18ff6ffa 100644
--- a/lib/native/client.js
+++ b/lib/native/client.js
@@ -32,8 +32,10 @@ var Client = module.exports = function (config) {
   })
 
   this._queryQueue = []
-  this._connected = false
+  this._ending = false
   this._connecting = false
+  this._connected = false
+  this._queryable = true
 
   // keep these on the object for legacy reasons
   // for the time being. TODO: deprecate all this jazz
@@ -52,50 +54,48 @@ Client.Query = NativeQuery
 
 util.inherits(Client, EventEmitter)
 
+Client.prototype._errorAllQueries = function (err) {
+  const enqueueError = (query) => {
+    process.nextTick(() => {
+      query.native = this.native
+      query.handleError(err)
+    })
+  }
+
+  if (this._hasActiveQuery()) {
+    enqueueError(this._activeQuery)
+    this._activeQuery = null
+  }
+
+  this._queryQueue.forEach(enqueueError)
+  this._queryQueue.length = 0
+}
+
 // connect to the backend
 // pass an optional callback to be called once connected
 // or with an error if there was a connection error
-// if no callback is passed and there is a connection error
-// the client will emit an error event.
-Client.prototype.connect = function (cb) {
+Client.prototype._connect = function (cb) {
   var self = this
 
-  var onError = function (err) {
-    if (cb) return cb(err)
-    return self.emit('error', err)
-  }
-
-  var result
-  if (!cb) {
-    var resolveOut, rejectOut
-    cb = (err) => err ? rejectOut(err) : resolveOut()
-    result = new global.Promise(function (resolve, reject) {
-      resolveOut = resolve
-      rejectOut = reject
-    })
-  }
-
   if (this._connecting) {
     process.nextTick(() => cb(new Error('Client has already been connected. You cannot reuse a client.')))
-    return result
+    return
   }
 
   this._connecting = true
 
   this.connectionParameters.getLibpqConnectionString(function (err, conString) {
-    if (err) return onError(err)
+    if (err) return cb(err)
     self.native.connect(conString, function (err) {
-      if (err) return onError(err)
+      if (err) return cb(err)
 
       // set internal states to connected
       self._connected = true
 
       // handle connection errors from the native layer
       self.native.on('error', function (err) {
-        // error will be handled by active query
-        if (self._activeQuery && self._activeQuery.state !== 'end') {
-          return
-        }
+        self._queryable = false
+        self._errorAllQueries(err)
         self.emit('error', err)
       })
 
@@ -110,12 +110,26 @@ Client.prototype.connect = function (cb) {
       self.emit('connect')
       self._pulseQueryQueue(true)
 
-      // possibly call the optional callback
-      if (cb) cb()
+      cb()
     })
   })
+}
 
-  return result
+Client.prototype.connect = function (callback) {
+  if (callback) {
+    this._connect(callback)
+    return
+  }
+
+  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+    this._connect((error) => {
+      if (error) {
+        reject(error)
+      } else {
+        resolve()
+      }
+    })
+  })
 }
 
 // send a query to the server
@@ -129,26 +143,43 @@ Client.prototype.connect = function (cb) {
 //    optional string rowMode = 'array' for an array of results
 //  }
 Client.prototype.query = function (config, values, callback) {
+  var query
+  var result
+
   if (typeof config.submit === 'function') {
+    result = query = config
     // accept query(new Query(...), (err, res) => { }) style
     if (typeof values === 'function') {
       config.callback = values
     }
-    this._queryQueue.push(config)
-    this._pulseQueryQueue()
-    return config
+  } else {
+    query = new NativeQuery(config, values, callback)
+    if (!query.callback) {
+      let resolveOut, rejectOut
+      result = new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+        resolveOut = resolve
+        rejectOut = reject
+      })
+      query.callback = (err, res) => err ? rejectOut(err) : resolveOut(res)
+    }
   }
 
-  var query = new NativeQuery(config, values, callback)
-  var result
-  if (!query.callback) {
-    let resolveOut, rejectOut
-    result = new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-      resolveOut = resolve
-      rejectOut = reject
+  if (!this._queryable) {
+    query.native = this.native
+    process.nextTick(() => {
+      query.handleError(new Error('Client has encountered a connection error and is not queryable'))
+    })
+    return result
+  }
+
+  if (this._ending) {
+    query.native = this.native
+    process.nextTick(() => {
+      query.handleError(new Error('Client was closed and is not queryable'))
     })
-    query.callback = (err, res) => err ? rejectOut(err) : resolveOut(res)
+    return result
   }
+
   this._queryQueue.push(query)
   this._pulseQueryQueue()
   return result
@@ -157,6 +188,9 @@ Client.prototype.query = function (config, values, callback) {
 // disconnect from the backend server
 Client.prototype.end = function (cb) {
   var self = this
+
+  this._ending = true
+
   if (!this._connected) {
     this.once('connect', this.end.bind(this, cb))
   }
@@ -170,14 +204,12 @@ Client.prototype.end = function (cb) {
     })
   }
   this.native.end(function () {
-    // send an error to the active query
-    if (self._hasActiveQuery()) {
-      var msg = 'Connection terminated'
-      self._queryQueue.length = 0
-      self._activeQuery.handleError(new Error(msg))
-    }
-    self.emit('end')
-    if (cb) cb()
+    self._errorAllQueries(new Error('Connection terminated'))
+
+    process.nextTick(() => {
+      self.emit('end')
+      if (cb) cb()
+    })
   })
   return result
 }
diff --git a/lib/query.js b/lib/query.js
index fe82061e3..94c2bc3c1 100644
--- a/lib/query.js
+++ b/lib/query.js
@@ -146,22 +146,17 @@ Query.prototype.handleError = function (err, connection) {
 
 Query.prototype.submit = function (connection) {
   if (typeof this.text !== 'string' && typeof this.name !== 'string') {
-    const err = new Error('A query must have either text or a name. Supplying neither is unsupported.')
-    connection.emit('error', err)
-    connection.emit('readyForQuery')
-    return
+    return new Error('A query must have either text or a name. Supplying neither is unsupported.')
   }
   if (this.values && !Array.isArray(this.values)) {
-    const err = new Error('Query values must be an array')
-    connection.emit('error', err)
-    connection.emit('readyForQuery')
-    return
+    return new Error('Query values must be an array')
   }
   if (this.requiresPreparation()) {
     this.prepare(connection)
   } else {
     connection.query(this.text)
   }
+  return null
 }
 
 Query.prototype.hasBeenParsed = function (connection) {
diff --git a/test/integration/client/error-handling-tests.js b/test/integration/client/error-handling-tests.js
index 55372d141..97b0ce83f 100644
--- a/test/integration/client/error-handling-tests.js
+++ b/test/integration/client/error-handling-tests.js
@@ -50,6 +50,18 @@ suite.test('re-using connections results in promise rejection', (done) => {
   })
 })
 
+suite.test('using a client after closing it results in error', (done) => {
+  const client = new Client()
+  client.connect(() => {
+    client.end(assert.calls(() => {
+      client.query('SELECT 1', assert.calls((err) => {
+        assert.equal(err.message, 'Client was closed and is not queryable')
+        done()
+      }))
+    }))
+  })
+})
+
 suite.test('query receives error on client shutdown', function (done) {
   var client = new Client()
   client.connect(assert.success(function () {
@@ -139,6 +151,9 @@ suite.test('when connecting to an invalid host with callback', function (done) {
   var client = new Client({
     user: 'very invalid username'
   })
+  client.on('error', () => {
+    assert.fail('unexpected error event when connecting')
+  })
   client.connect(function (error, client) {
     assert(error instanceof Error)
     done()
@@ -149,6 +164,9 @@ suite.test('when connecting to invalid host with promise', function (done) {
   var client = new Client({
     user: 'very invalid username'
   })
+  client.on('error', () => {
+    assert.fail('unexpected error event when connecting')
+  })
   client.connect().catch((e) => done())
 })
 
diff --git a/test/integration/connection-pool/error-tests.js b/test/integration/connection-pool/error-tests.js
index 17cdcc47f..cadffe3db 100644
--- a/test/integration/connection-pool/error-tests.js
+++ b/test/integration/connection-pool/error-tests.js
@@ -2,9 +2,6 @@
 var helper = require('./test-helper')
 const pg = helper.pg
 
-// make pool hold 2 clients
-const pool = new pg.Pool({ max: 2 })
-
 const suite = new helper.Suite()
 suite.test('connecting to invalid port', (cb) => {
   const pool = new pg.Pool({ port: 13801 })
@@ -12,6 +9,8 @@ suite.test('connecting to invalid port', (cb) => {
 })
 
 suite.test('errors emitted on pool', (cb) => {
+  // make pool hold 2 clients
+  const pool = new pg.Pool({ max: 2 })
   // get first client
   pool.connect(assert.success(function (client, done) {
     client.id = 1
@@ -46,3 +45,57 @@ suite.test('errors emitted on pool', (cb) => {
     })
   }))
 })
+
+suite.test('connection-level errors cause queued queries to fail', (cb) => {
+  const pool = new pg.Pool()
+  pool.connect(assert.success((client, done) => {
+    client.query('SELECT pg_terminate_backend(pg_backend_pid())', assert.calls((err) => {
+      if (helper.args.native) {
+        assert.ok(err)
+      } else {
+        assert.equal(err.code, '57P01')
+      }
+    }))
+
+    pool.once('error', assert.calls((err, brokenClient) => {
+      assert.equal(client, brokenClient)
+    }))
+
+    client.query('SELECT 1', assert.calls((err) => {
+      if (helper.args.native) {
+        assert.ok(err)
+      } else {
+        assert.equal(err.message, 'Connection terminated unexpectedly')
+      }
+
+      done()
+      pool.end()
+      cb()
+    }))
+  }))
+})
+
+suite.test('connection-level errors cause future queries to fail', (cb) => {
+  const pool = new pg.Pool()
+  pool.connect(assert.success((client, done) => {
+    client.query('SELECT pg_terminate_backend(pg_backend_pid())', assert.calls((err) => {
+      if (helper.args.native) {
+        assert.ok(err)
+      } else {
+        assert.equal(err.code, '57P01')
+      }
+    }))
+
+    pool.once('error', assert.calls((err, brokenClient) => {
+      assert.equal(client, brokenClient)
+
+      client.query('SELECT 1', assert.calls((err) => {
+        assert.equal(err.message, 'Client has encountered a connection error and is not queryable')
+
+        done()
+        pool.end()
+        cb()
+      }))
+    }))
+  }))
+})