diff --git a/src/discord-client.js b/src/discord-client.js
index 639c913c..3e860094 100644
--- a/src/discord-client.js
+++ b/src/discord-client.js
@@ -60,16 +60,17 @@ export function createDiscordClient({ transport, retryDelayMs = 5_000, maxRetryD
     }
     if (!connected) {
       if (elapsedNow() < retryAt) { if (activity === null && clearPending) retryClear(); return false; }
-      try { await transport.connect(); connected = true; }
-      catch { const result = failed("DISCORD_NOT_RUNNING"); if (activity === null && clearPending) retryClear(); return result; }
+      try { await transport.connect(); if (closed) return false; connected = true; }
+      catch { if (closed) return false; const result = failed("DISCORD_NOT_RUNNING"); if (activity === null && clearPending) retryClear(); return result; }
     }
     try {
       if (activity === null) await transport.clearActivity(); else await transport.setActivity(activity);
+      if (closed) return false;
       lastKey = key; lastPublishElapsed = elapsedNow(); failures = 0; lastError = null;
       if (activity === null) cancelClear();
       lastPublishedAt = new Date(now()).toISOString();
       return true;
-    } catch { const result = failed("DISCORD_PUBLISH_FAILED"); if (activity === null && clearPending) retryClear(); return result; }
+    } catch { if (closed) return false; const result = failed("DISCORD_PUBLISH_FAILED"); if (activity === null && clearPending) retryClear(); return result; }
   }
 
   async function close() { cancelClear(); closed = true; connected = false; lastKey = undefined; if (typeof transport.close === "function") await transport.close(); }
diff --git a/test/discord-client-close-race.test.js b/test/discord-client-close-race.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..546720df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/discord-client-close-race.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+import test from 'node:test';
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+import {createDiscordClient} from '../src/discord-client.js';
+for(const activity of [null,{details:'fixture'}])for(const succeeds of [true,false]){
+ test(`close wins pending connect (${activity===null?'clear':'publish'}, ${succeeds?'resolve':'reject'})`,async()=>{
+  let release,reject,writes=0;
+  const transport={connect:()=>new Promise((yes,no)=>{release=yes;reject=no;}),clearActivity:async()=>writes++,setActivity:async()=>writes++,close:async()=>{}};
+  const client=createDiscordClient({transport,minUpdateIntervalMs:0});
+  const pending=client.publish(activity);await client.close();const closed=client.status();
+  if(succeeds)release();else reject(new Error('fixture'));
+  assert.equal(await pending,false);assert.equal(writes,0);assert.equal(client.connected,false);assert.deepEqual(client.status(),closed);
+ });
+}
+for(const activity of [null,{details:'fixture'}])for(const succeeds of [true,false]){
+ test(`close wins pending write (${activity===null?'clear':'publish'}, ${succeeds?'resolve':'reject'})`,async()=>{
+  let release,reject,entered;
+  const gate=new Promise(r=>entered=r);
+  const write=()=>{entered();return new Promise((yes,no)=>{release=yes;reject=no;});};
+  const transport={connect:async()=>{},clearActivity:write,setActivity:write,close:async()=>{}};
+  const client=createDiscordClient({transport,minUpdateIntervalMs:0});
+  const pending=client.publish(activity);await gate;await client.close();const closed=client.status();
+  if(succeeds)release();else reject(new Error('fixture'));
+  assert.equal(await pending,false);assert.equal(client.connected,false);assert.deepEqual(client.status(),closed);
+ });
+}