diff --git a/dial_sync.go b/dial_sync.go
index e5f25478cbb393d25c8c1b854443012aed441c63..32196cb2d5d6f06050c5badb7296975832063057 100644
--- a/dial_sync.go
+++ b/dial_sync.go
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import (
 var errDialCanceled = errors.New("dial was aborted internally, likely due to https://git.io/Je2wW")
 
 // DialFunc is the type of function expected by DialSync.
-type DialWorkerFunc func(context.Context, peer.ID, <-chan DialRequest)
+type DialWorkerFunc func(context.Context, peer.ID, <-chan DialRequest) error
 
 // NewDialSync constructs a new DialSync
 func NewDialSync(worker DialWorkerFunc) *DialSync {
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ func (ad *activeDial) dial(ctx context.Context, p peer.ID) (*Conn, error) {
 	}
 }
 
-func (ds *DialSync) getActiveDial(p peer.ID) *activeDial {
+func (ds *DialSync) getActiveDial(p peer.ID) (*activeDial, error) {
 	ds.dialsLk.Lock()
 	defer ds.dialsLk.Unlock()
 
@@ -99,20 +99,27 @@ func (ds *DialSync) getActiveDial(p peer.ID) *activeDial {
 		}
 		ds.dials[p] = actd
 
-		go ds.dialWorker(adctx, p, actd.reqch)
+		err := ds.dialWorker(adctx, p, actd.reqch)
+		if err != nil {
+			cancel()
+			return nil, err
+		}
 	}
 
 	// increase ref count before dropping dialsLk
 	actd.refCnt++
 
-	return actd
+	return actd, nil
 }
 
 // DialLock initiates a dial to the given peer if there are none in progress
 // then waits for the dial to that peer to complete.
 func (ds *DialSync) DialLock(ctx context.Context, p peer.ID) (*Conn, error) {
-	ad := ds.getActiveDial(p)
-	defer ad.decref()
+	ad, err := ds.getActiveDial(p)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 
+	defer ad.decref()
 	return ad.dial(ctx, p)
 }
diff --git a/dial_sync_test.go b/dial_sync_test.go
index ef7458a554700501c0c4422cac10617a5b486e68..f1a9f8a539bdb5b7ba1b6126d3311108fba228b6 100644
--- a/dial_sync_test.go
+++ b/dial_sync_test.go
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ func getMockDialFunc() (DialWorkerFunc, func(), context.Context, <-chan struct{}
 	dfcalls := make(chan struct{}, 512) // buffer it large enough that we won't care
 	dialctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 	ch := make(chan struct{})
-	f := func(ctx context.Context, p peer.ID, reqch <-chan DialRequest) {
+	f := func(ctx context.Context, p peer.ID, reqch <-chan DialRequest) error {
 		dfcalls <- struct{}{}
 		go func() {
 			defer cancel()
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ func getMockDialFunc() (DialWorkerFunc, func(), context.Context, <-chan struct{}
 				}
 			}
 		}()
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	o := new(sync.Once)
@@ -188,25 +189,28 @@ func TestDialSyncAllCancel(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestFailFirst(t *testing.T) {
 	var count int
-	f := func(ctx context.Context, p peer.ID, reqch <-chan DialRequest) {
-		for {
-			select {
-			case req, ok := <-reqch:
-				if !ok {
-					return
-				}
+	f := func(ctx context.Context, p peer.ID, reqch <-chan DialRequest) error {
+		go func() {
+			for {
+				select {
+				case req, ok := <-reqch:
+					if !ok {
+						return
+					}
 
-				if count > 0 {
-					req.Resch <- DialResponse{Conn: new(Conn)}
-				} else {
-					req.Resch <- DialResponse{Err: fmt.Errorf("gophers ate the modem")}
-				}
-				count++
+					if count > 0 {
+						req.Resch <- DialResponse{Conn: new(Conn)}
+					} else {
+						req.Resch <- DialResponse{Err: fmt.Errorf("gophers ate the modem")}
+					}
+					count++
 
-			case <-ctx.Done():
-				return
+				case <-ctx.Done():
+					return
+				}
 			}
-		}
+		}()
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	ds := NewDialSync(f)
@@ -232,19 +236,22 @@ func TestFailFirst(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestStressActiveDial(t *testing.T) {
-	ds := NewDialSync(func(ctx context.Context, p peer.ID, reqch <-chan DialRequest) {
-		for {
-			select {
-			case req, ok := <-reqch:
-				if !ok {
+	ds := NewDialSync(func(ctx context.Context, p peer.ID, reqch <-chan DialRequest) error {
+		go func() {
+			for {
+				select {
+				case req, ok := <-reqch:
+					if !ok {
+						return
+					}
+
+					req.Resch <- DialResponse{}
+				case <-ctx.Done():
 					return
 				}
-
-				req.Resch <- DialResponse{}
-			case <-ctx.Done():
-				return
 			}
-		}
+		}()
+		return nil
 	})
 
 	wg := sync.WaitGroup{}
diff --git a/swarm_dial.go b/swarm_dial.go
index 9b10db165bb49ccd10aaf3c7fa5f59de52f8aed4..77cb8a6bc70e7e4585022c9c61e938e12028c79c 100644
--- a/swarm_dial.go
+++ b/swarm_dial.go
@@ -307,21 +307,13 @@ type dialComplete struct {
 }
 
 // dialWorker is an active dial goroutine that synchronizes and executes concurrent dials
-func (s *Swarm) dialWorker(ctx context.Context, p peer.ID, reqch <-chan DialRequest) {
+func (s *Swarm) dialWorker(ctx context.Context, p peer.ID, reqch <-chan DialRequest) error {
 	if p == s.local {
-		for {
-			select {
-			case req, ok := <-reqch:
-				if !ok {
-					return
-				}
-
-				req.Resch <- DialResponse{Err: ErrDialToSelf}
-			}
-		}
+		return ErrDialToSelf
 	}
 
-	s.dialWorkerLoop(ctx, p, reqch)
+	go s.dialWorkerLoop(ctx, p, reqch)
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (s *Swarm) dialWorkerLoop(ctx context.Context, p peer.ID, reqch <-chan DialRequest) {