diff --git a/eth/downloader/peer.go b/eth/downloader/peer.go
index d0dc9a8aa..e638744ea 100644
--- a/eth/downloader/peer.go
+++ b/eth/downloader/peer.go
@@ -349,9 +349,10 @@ func (p *peerConnection) Lacks(hash common.Hash) bool {
 // peerSet represents the collection of active peer participating in the chain
 // download procedure.
 type peerSet struct {
-	peers       map[string]*peerConnection
-	newPeerFeed event.Feed
-	lock        sync.RWMutex
+	peers        map[string]*peerConnection
+	newPeerFeed  event.Feed
+	peerDropFeed event.Feed
+	lock         sync.RWMutex
 }
 
 // newPeerSet creates a new peer set top track the active download sources.
@@ -361,10 +362,16 @@ func newPeerSet() *peerSet {
 	}
 }
 
+// SubscribeNewPeers subscribes to peer arrival events.
 func (ps *peerSet) SubscribeNewPeers(ch chan<- *peerConnection) event.Subscription {
 	return ps.newPeerFeed.Subscribe(ch)
 }
 
+// SubscribePeerDrops subscribes to peer departure events.
+func (ps *peerSet) SubscribePeerDrops(ch chan<- *peerConnection) event.Subscription {
+	return ps.peerDropFeed.Subscribe(ch)
+}
+
 // Reset iterates over the current peer set, and resets each of the known peers
 // to prepare for a next batch of block retrieval.
 func (ps *peerSet) Reset() {
@@ -419,12 +426,15 @@ func (ps *peerSet) Register(p *peerConnection) error {
 // actions to/from that particular entity.
 func (ps *peerSet) Unregister(id string) error {
 	ps.lock.Lock()
-	defer ps.lock.Unlock()
-
-	if _, ok := ps.peers[id]; !ok {
+	p, ok := ps.peers[id]
+	if !ok {
+		defer ps.lock.Unlock()
 		return errNotRegistered
 	}
 	delete(ps.peers, id)
+	ps.lock.Unlock()
+
+	ps.peerDropFeed.Send(p)
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/eth/downloader/statesync.go b/eth/downloader/statesync.go
index eb5416f63..a0b05c9be 100644
--- a/eth/downloader/statesync.go
+++ b/eth/downloader/statesync.go
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ type stateReq struct {
 	timer    *time.Timer                // Timer to fire when the RTT timeout expires
 	peer     *peerConnection            // Peer that we're requesting from
 	response [][]byte                   // Response data of the peer (nil for timeouts)
+	dropped  bool                       // Flag whether the peer dropped off early
 }
 
 // timedOut returns if this request timed out.
@@ -105,6 +106,11 @@ func (d *Downloader) runStateSync(s *stateSync) *stateSync {
 	go s.run()
 	defer s.Cancel()
 
+	// Listen for peer departure events to cancel assigned tasks
+	peerDrop := make(chan *peerConnection, 1024)
+	peerSub := s.d.peers.SubscribePeerDrops(peerDrop)
+	defer peerSub.Unsubscribe()
+
 	for {
 		// Enable sending of the first buffered element if there is one.
 		var (
@@ -143,6 +149,20 @@ func (d *Downloader) runStateSync(s *stateSync) *stateSync {
 			finished = append(finished, req)
 			delete(active, pack.PeerId())
 
+			// Handle dropped peer connections:
+		case p := <-peerDrop:
+			// Skip if no request is currently pending
+			req := active[p.id]
+			if req == nil {
+				continue
+			}
+			// Finalize the request and queue up for processing
+			req.timer.Stop()
+			req.dropped = true
+
+			finished = append(finished, req)
+			delete(active, p.id)
+
 		// Handle timed-out requests:
 		case req := <-timeout:
 			// If the peer is already requesting something else, ignore the stale timeout.
@@ -167,6 +187,9 @@ func (d *Downloader) runStateSync(s *stateSync) *stateSync {
 				log.Warn("Busy peer assigned new state fetch", "peer", old.peer.id)
 
 				// Make sure the previous one doesn't get siletly lost
+				old.timer.Stop()
+				old.dropped = true
+
 				finished = append(finished, old)
 			}
 			// Start a timer to notify the sync loop if the peer stalled.
@@ -269,9 +292,9 @@ func (s *stateSync) loop() error {
 			return errCancelStateFetch
 
 		case req := <-s.deliver:
-			// Response or timeout triggered, drop the peer if stalling
-			log.Trace("Received node data response", "peer", req.peer.id, "count", len(req.response), "timeout", req.timedOut())
-			if len(req.items) <= 2 && req.timedOut() {
+			// Response, disconnect or timeout triggered, drop the peer if stalling
+			log.Trace("Received node data response", "peer", req.peer.id, "count", len(req.response), "dropped", req.dropped, "timeout", !req.dropped && req.timedOut())
+			if len(req.items) <= 2 && !req.dropped && req.timedOut() {
 				// 2 items are the minimum requested, if even that times out, we've no use of
 				// this peer at the moment.
 				log.Warn("Stalling state sync, dropping peer", "peer", req.peer.id)