diff --git a/shotover/src/connection.rs b/shotover/src/connection.rs
index 11eb35c24..31116e58c 100644
--- a/shotover/src/connection.rs
+++ b/shotover/src/connection.rs
@@ -105,18 +105,16 @@ impl SinkConnection {
 
     /// Send messages.
     /// If there is a problem with the connection an error is returned.
-    pub fn send(&mut self, mut messages: Vec<Message>) -> Result<(), SendError> {
+    pub fn send(&mut self, mut messages: Vec<Message>) -> Result<(), ConnectionError> {
         self.dummy_response_inserter.process_requests(&mut messages);
 
         if let Some(error) = &self.error {
-            Err(SendError::RequestsUnsent(error.clone(), messages))
+            Err(error.clone())
         } else if let Ok(error) = self.connection_closed_rx.try_recv() {
             self.error = Some(error.clone());
-            Err(SendError::RequestsUnsent(error, messages))
+            Err(error)
         } else {
-            self.out_tx
-                .send(messages)
-                .map_err(|_| SendError::RequestPossiblySent(self.set_get_error()))
+            self.out_tx.send(messages).map_err(|_| self.set_get_error())
         }
     }
 
@@ -212,20 +210,6 @@ impl SinkConnection {
     }
 }
 
-/// This represents an error to the connection encountered while sending requests.
-/// The connection is no longer usable after this error is received.
-#[derive(thiserror::Error, Debug, Clone)]
-pub enum SendError {
-    /// The error was detected before the requests were sent
-    /// The request was not received and it can be resent on a new connection if allowed by the protocol.
-    #[error("An error was detected before the requests were sent: {0}")]
-    RequestsUnsent(ConnectionError, Vec<Message>),
-    /// The error was detected after the requests were sent.
-    /// It is unknown if the request was received or not.
-    #[error("An error was detected after the requests were sent: {0}")]
-    RequestPossiblySent(ConnectionError),
-}
-
 /// This represents an unrecoverable error to the connection.
 /// The connection is no longer usable after this error is received.
 #[derive(thiserror::Error, Debug, Clone)]
diff --git a/shotover/src/transforms/kafka/sink_cluster/connections.rs b/shotover/src/transforms/kafka/sink_cluster/connections.rs
index a89b02e8d..79554871c 100644
--- a/shotover/src/transforms/kafka/sink_cluster/connections.rs
+++ b/shotover/src/transforms/kafka/sink_cluster/connections.rs
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 use crate::{
-    connection::{ConnectionError, SendError, SinkConnection},
+    connection::{ConnectionError, SinkConnection},
     message::Message,
 };
-use anyhow::{Context, Result};
+use anyhow::{anyhow, Context, Result};
 use fnv::FnvBuildHasher;
 use kafka_protocol::{messages::BrokerId, protocol::StrBytes};
 use metrics::Counter;
@@ -82,6 +82,9 @@ impl Connections {
                 // connection already exists so we can just use it.
                 // however if it has an error we need to recreate it.
                 if let Some(error) = connection.get_error() {
+                    if connection.pending_requests_count() > 0 {
+                        return Err(anyhow!(error).context("get_or_open_connection: Outgoing connection had pending requests, those requests/responses are lost so connection recovery cannot be attempted."));
+                    }
                     self.create_and_insert_connection(
                         rng,
                         connection_factory,
@@ -314,7 +317,7 @@ impl KafkaConnection {
 
     /// Send messages.
     /// If there is a problem with the connection an error is returned.
-    pub fn send(&mut self, messages: Vec<Message>) -> Result<(), SendError> {
+    pub fn send(&mut self, messages: Vec<Message>) -> Result<(), ConnectionError> {
         match self {
             KafkaConnection::Regular(c) => c.send(messages),
             KafkaConnection::ScramOverMtls(c) => c.send(messages),
diff --git a/shotover/src/transforms/kafka/sink_cluster/scram_over_mtls/connection.rs b/shotover/src/transforms/kafka/sink_cluster/scram_over_mtls/connection.rs
index 8aeaf9dea..6762fea36 100644
--- a/shotover/src/transforms/kafka/sink_cluster/scram_over_mtls/connection.rs
+++ b/shotover/src/transforms/kafka/sink_cluster/scram_over_mtls/connection.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 use crate::{
-    connection::{ConnectionError, SendError, SinkConnection},
+    connection::{ConnectionError, SinkConnection},
     message::Message,
     transforms::kafka::sink_cluster::connections::ConnectionState,
 };
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ impl ScramOverMtlsConnection {
 
     /// Send messages.
     /// If there is a problem with the connection an error is returned.
-    pub fn send(&mut self, messages: Vec<Message>) -> Result<(), SendError> {
+    pub fn send(&mut self, messages: Vec<Message>) -> Result<(), ConnectionError> {
         self.connection.send(messages)
     }