diff --git a/client_test.go b/client_test.go
index 815de15..e5a0154 100644
--- a/client_test.go
+++ b/client_test.go
@@ -288,7 +288,41 @@ func TestOpen(t *testing.T) {
 	if c, err := Open(rwc, defaultConfig()); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("could not create connection: %v (%s)", c, err)
 	}
+}
+
+func TestOpenClose_ShouldNotPanic(t *testing.T) {
+	rwc, srv := newSession(t)
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		_ = rwc.Close()
+	})
+
+	go func() {
+		srv.connectionOpen()
+		srv.connectionClose()
+	}()
+
+	c, err := Open(rwc, defaultConfig())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("could not create connection: %v (%s)", c, err)
+	}
+
+	if err := c.Close(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("could not close connection: %s", err)
+	}
 
+	defer func() {
+		if r := recover(); r != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("creating a channel on a closed connection should not panic: %s", r)
+		}
+	}()
+
+	ch, err := c.Channel()
+	if ch != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("creating a channel on a closed connection should not succeed: %v, (%s)", ch, err)
+	}
+	if err != ErrClosed {
+		t.Fatalf("error should be closed: %s", err)
+	}
 }
 
 func TestChannelOpen(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/connection.go b/connection.go
index 3cad6e7..def2260 100644
--- a/connection.go
+++ b/connection.go
@@ -551,8 +551,8 @@ func (c *Connection) shutdown(err *Error) {
 
 		c.conn.Close()
 
-		c.channels = map[uint16]*Channel{}
-		c.allocator = newAllocator(1, c.Config.ChannelMax)
+		c.channels = nil
+		c.allocator = nil
 		c.noNotify = true
 	})
 }
@@ -770,8 +770,10 @@ func (c *Connection) releaseChannel(id uint16) {
 	c.m.Lock()
 	defer c.m.Unlock()
 
-	delete(c.channels, id)
-	c.allocator.release(int(id))
+	if !c.IsClosed() {
+		delete(c.channels, id)
+		c.allocator.release(int(id))
+	}
 }
 
 // openChannel allocates and opens a channel, must be paired with closeChannel
@@ -919,6 +921,7 @@ func (c *Connection) openTune(config Config, auth Authentication) error {
 	// Edge case that may race with c.shutdown()
 	// https://github.com/rabbitmq/amqp091-go/issues/170
 	c.m.Lock()
+
 	// When the server and client both use default 0, then the max channel is
 	// only limited by uint16.
 	c.Config.ChannelMax = pick(config.ChannelMax, int(tune.ChannelMax))
@@ -926,6 +929,9 @@ func (c *Connection) openTune(config Config, auth Authentication) error {
 		c.Config.ChannelMax = defaultChannelMax
 	}
 	c.Config.ChannelMax = min(c.Config.ChannelMax, maxChannelMax)
+
+	c.allocator = newAllocator(1, c.Config.ChannelMax)
+
 	c.m.Unlock()
 
 	// Frame size includes headers and end byte (len(payload)+8), even if
@@ -982,9 +988,6 @@ func (c *Connection) openComplete() error {
 		_ = deadliner.SetDeadline(time.Time{})
 	}
 
-	c.m.Lock()
-	c.allocator = newAllocator(1, c.Config.ChannelMax)
-	c.m.Unlock()
 	return nil
 }