diff --git a/chain/events/events.go b/chain/events/events.go
index c58ab4e81..b7366774e 100644
--- a/chain/events/events.go
+++ b/chain/events/events.go
@@ -107,6 +107,9 @@ func (e *Events) listenHeadChanges(ctx context.Context) {
 }
 
 func (e *Events) listenHeadChangesOnce(ctx context.Context) error {
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
+	defer cancel()
+
 	notifs, err := e.api.ChainNotify(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		// TODO: retry
diff --git a/lib/jsonrpc/client.go b/lib/jsonrpc/client.go
index 628cbc8ad..5e88d843d 100644
--- a/lib/jsonrpc/client.go
+++ b/lib/jsonrpc/client.go
@@ -1,12 +1,14 @@
 package jsonrpc
 
 import (
+	"container/list"
 	"context"
 	"encoding/base64"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 	"reflect"
+	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
 
 	"github.com/gorilla/websocket"
@@ -132,6 +134,9 @@ func (c *client) makeOutChan(ctx context.Context, ftyp reflect.Type, valOut int)
 		ch := reflect.MakeChan(ctyp, 0) // todo: buffer?
 		retVal = ch.Convert(ftyp.Out(valOut))
 
+		buf := (&list.List{}).Init()
+		var bufLk sync.Mutex
+
 		return ctx, func(result []byte, ok bool) {
 			if !ok {
 				// remote channel closed, close ours too
@@ -145,7 +150,36 @@ func (c *client) makeOutChan(ctx context.Context, ftyp reflect.Type, valOut int)
 				return
 			}
 
-			ch.Send(val.Elem()) // todo: select on ctx is probably a good idea
+			bufLk.Lock()
+			if ctx.Err() != nil {
+				log.Errorf("got rpc message with cancelled context: %s", ctx.Err())
+				bufLk.Unlock()
+				return
+			}
+
+			buf.PushBack(val)
+
+			if buf.Len() > 1 {
+				log.Warnf("rpc output channel has %d buffered messages", buf.Len())
+				bufLk.Unlock()
+				return
+			}
+
+			go func() {
+				for buf.Len() > 0 {
+					front := buf.Front()
+
+					bufLk.Unlock()
+
+					ch.Send(front.Value.(reflect.Value).Elem()) // todo: select on ctx is probably a good idea
+
+					bufLk.Lock()
+					buf.Remove(front)
+				}
+
+				bufLk.Unlock()
+			}()
+
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -177,6 +211,7 @@ loop:
 			ctxDone = nil
 
 			c.requests <- clientRequest{
+
 				req: request{
 					Jsonrpc: "2.0",
 					Method:  wsCancel,