diff --git a/vici/client_conn.go b/vici/client_conn.go
index bd6f962..665854d 100644
--- a/vici/client_conn.go
+++ b/vici/client_conn.go
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"net"
-	"time"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -44,19 +43,56 @@ var (
 )
 
 type clientConn struct {
-	conn net.Conn
+	network string
+	addr    string
+	dialer  func(ctx context.Context, network, addr string) (net.Conn, error)
+
+	closed bool
+	conn   net.Conn
+}
+
+func (cc *clientConn) dial(ctx context.Context) error {
+	if !cc.closed && cc.conn != nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	conn, err := cc.dialer(ctx, cc.network, cc.addr)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	cc.conn = conn
+	cc.closed = false
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (cc *clientConn) Close() error {
+	if cc.closed || cc.conn == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	cc.closed = true
+
+	return cc.conn.Close()
 }
 
 func (cc *clientConn) packetWrite(ctx context.Context, m *Message) error {
-	if err := cc.conn.SetWriteDeadline(time.Time{}); err != nil {
+	if err := cc.dial(ctx); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	rc := cc.asyncPacketWrite(m)
 	select {
 	case <-ctx.Done():
-		err := cc.conn.SetWriteDeadline(time.Now())
-		return errors.Join(err, ctx.Err())
-	case err := <-cc.awaitPacketWrite(m):
+		// Disconnect on context deadline to avoid data ordering
+		// problems with subsequent read/writes. Re-establish the
+		// connection later.
+		cc.Close()
+		<-rc
+
+		return ctx.Err()
+	case err := <-rc:
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -65,15 +101,21 @@ func (cc *clientConn) packetWrite(ctx context.Context, m *Message) error {
 }
 
 func (cc *clientConn) packetRead(ctx context.Context) (*Message, error) {
-	if err := cc.conn.SetReadDeadline(time.Time{}); err != nil {
+	if err := cc.dial(ctx); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	rc := cc.asyncPacketRead()
 	select {
 	case <-ctx.Done():
-		err := cc.conn.SetReadDeadline(time.Now())
-		return nil, errors.Join(err, ctx.Err())
-	case v := <-cc.awaitPacketRead():
+		// Disconnect on context deadline to avoid data ordering
+		// problems with subsequent read/writes. Re-establish the
+		// connection later.
+		cc.Close()
+		<-rc
+
+		return nil, ctx.Err()
+	case v := <-rc:
 		switch v.(type) {
 		case error:
 			return nil, v.(error)
@@ -86,7 +128,7 @@ func (cc *clientConn) packetRead(ctx context.Context) (*Message, error) {
 	}
 }
 
-func (cc *clientConn) awaitPacketWrite(m *Message) <-chan error {
+func (cc *clientConn) asyncPacketWrite(m *Message) <-chan error {
 	r := make(chan error, 1)
 	buf := bytes.NewBuffer([]byte{})
 
@@ -117,7 +159,7 @@ func (cc *clientConn) awaitPacketWrite(m *Message) <-chan error {
 	return r
 }
 
-func (cc *clientConn) awaitPacketRead() <-chan any {
+func (cc *clientConn) asyncPacketRead() <-chan any {
 	r := make(chan any, 1)
 
 	go func() {
diff --git a/vici/client_conn_test.go b/vici/client_conn_test.go
index b6452da..52d528f 100644
--- a/vici/client_conn_test.go
+++ b/vici/client_conn_test.go
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ func TestPacketRead(t *testing.T) {
 	<-done
 }
 
-func TestPacketWriteContext(t *testing.T) {
+func TestPacketWriteContextCancel(t *testing.T) {
 	client, srvr := net.Pipe()
 	defer client.Close()
 	defer srvr.Close()
@@ -143,17 +143,27 @@ func TestPacketWriteContext(t *testing.T) {
 	if !errors.Is(err, context.Canceled) {
 		t.Fatalf("Expected cancel on packet write, but got %v", err)
 	}
+}
+
+func TestPacketWriteContextTimeout(t *testing.T) {
+	client, srvr := net.Pipe()
+	defer client.Close()
+	defer srvr.Close()
 
-	ctx, cancel = context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 3*time.Second)
+	cc := &clientConn{
+		conn: client,
+	}
+
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 1*time.Second)
 	defer cancel()
 
-	err = cc.packetWrite(ctx, goldNamedPacket)
+	err := cc.packetWrite(ctx, goldNamedPacket)
 	if !errors.Is(err, context.DeadlineExceeded) {
 		t.Fatalf("Expected timeout on packet write, but got %v", err)
 	}
 }
 
-func TestPacketReadContext(t *testing.T) {
+func TestPacketReadContextCancel(t *testing.T) {
 	client, srvr := net.Pipe()
 	defer client.Close()
 	defer srvr.Close()
@@ -169,11 +179,21 @@ func TestPacketReadContext(t *testing.T) {
 	if !errors.Is(err, context.Canceled) {
 		t.Fatalf("Expected cancel on packet read, but got %v", err)
 	}
+}
+
+func TestPacketReadContextTimeout(t *testing.T) {
+	client, srvr := net.Pipe()
+	defer client.Close()
+	defer srvr.Close()
 
-	ctx, cancel = context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 3*time.Second)
+	cc := &clientConn{
+		conn: client,
+	}
+
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 1*time.Second)
 	defer cancel()
 
-	_, err = cc.packetRead(ctx)
+	_, err := cc.packetRead(ctx)
 	if !errors.Is(err, context.DeadlineExceeded) {
 		t.Fatalf("Expected timeout on packet read, but got %v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/vici/events.go b/vici/events.go
index 1881cbb..78d4bf5 100644
--- a/vici/events.go
+++ b/vici/events.go
@@ -81,7 +81,10 @@ func (el *eventListener) Close() error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	el.cc.conn.Close()
+	if el.cc != nil {
+		el.cc.Close()
+		el.cc = nil
+	}
 
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/vici/session.go b/vici/session.go
index 013b887..9965855 100644
--- a/vici/session.go
+++ b/vici/session.go
@@ -86,13 +86,15 @@ func (s *Session) newClientConn() (*clientConn, error) {
 		return &clientConn{conn: s.conn}, nil
 	}
 
-	conn, err := s.dialer(context.Background(), s.network, s.addr)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+	cc := &clientConn{
+		network: s.network,
+		addr:    s.addr,
+		dialer:  s.dialer,
+		conn:    nil,
 	}
 
-	cc := &clientConn{
-		conn: conn,
+	if err := cc.dial(context.Background()); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	return cc, nil
@@ -107,7 +109,7 @@ func (s *Session) Close() error {
 	s.mu.Lock()
 	defer s.mu.Unlock()
 	if s.cc != nil {
-		if err := s.cc.conn.Close(); err != nil {
+		if err := s.cc.Close(); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}