diff --git a/colossus/src/main/scala/colossus/service/ServiceClient.scala b/colossus/src/main/scala/colossus/service/ServiceClient.scala
index 642c9dc47..cc45351a6 100644
--- a/colossus/src/main/scala/colossus/service/ServiceClient.scala
+++ b/colossus/src/main/scala/colossus/service/ServiceClient.scala
@@ -215,10 +215,7 @@ extends Controller[O,I](codec, ControllerConfig(config.pendingBufferSize, config
   }
 
   private def purgeBuffers(reason : Throwable) {
-    sentBuffer.foreach{s => 
-      errors.hit(tags = hpTags)
-      s.handler(Failure(new ConnectionLostException(s"Error while request was in transit: $reason")))
-    }
+    sentBuffer.foreach(failRequest(_, reason))
     sentBuffer.clear()
     purgeOutgoing(reason)
     if (failFast) {
@@ -237,15 +234,16 @@ extends Controller[O,I](codec, ControllerConfig(config.pendingBufferSize, config
     super.connectionLost(cause)
     cause match {
       case DisconnectCause.ConnectFailed(error) => {
-        log.warning(s"failed to connect to ${address.toString}: ${error.getMessage}")
+        log.warning(s"${id.get} failed to connect to ${address.toString}: ${error.getMessage}")
         connectionFailures.hit(tags = hpTags)
+        purgeBuffers(new NotConnectedException(s"${cause.logString}"))
       }
       case _ => {
-        log.warning(s"${id.get} connection to ${address.toString} lost: ${cause.logString}")
+        log.warning(s"${id.get} connection lost to ${address.toString}: ${cause.logString}")
         disconnects.hit(tags = hpTags + ("cause" -> cause.tagString))
+        purgeBuffers(new ConnectionLostException(s"${cause.logString}"))
       }
     }
-    purgeBuffers(new NotConnectedException(s"${cause.logString}"))
     attemptReconnect()
   }
 
@@ -270,8 +268,8 @@ extends Controller[O,I](codec, ControllerConfig(config.pendingBufferSize, config
 
   private def attemptWrite(s: SourcedRequest) {
     if (disconnecting) {
-      //don't allow any new requests, appear as if we're dead
-      s.handler(Failure(new NotConnectedException("Not Connected")))
+      // don't allow any new requests, appear as if we're dead
+      failRequest(s, new NotConnectedException("Not Connected"))
     } else if (isConnected || !failFast) {
       val pushed = push(s.message, s.start){
         case OutputResult.Success         => {
@@ -280,15 +278,15 @@ extends Controller[O,I](codec, ControllerConfig(config.pendingBufferSize, config
             pauseWrites() //writes resumed in processMessage
           }
         }
-        case OutputResult.Failure(err)    => s.handler(Failure(err))
-        case OutputResult.Cancelled(err)  => s.handler(Failure(err))
+        case OutputResult.Failure(err)    => failRequest(s, err)
+        case OutputResult.Cancelled(err)  => failRequest(s, err)
       }
       if (!pushed) {
-        s.handler(Failure(new ClientOverloadedException(s"Error sending ${s.message}: Client is overloaded")))
+        failRequest(s, new ClientOverloadedException(s"Error sending ${s.message}: Client is overloaded"))
       }
     } else {
       droppedRequests.hit(tags = hpTags)
-      s.handler(Failure(new NotConnectedException("Not Connected")))
+      failRequest(s, new NotConnectedException("Not Connected"))
     }
   }
 
@@ -308,4 +306,10 @@ extends Controller[O,I](codec, ControllerConfig(config.pendingBufferSize, config
       worker ! Kill(id.get, DisconnectCause.TimedOut)
     }
   }
+
+  private def failRequest(s: SourcedRequest, exception: Throwable): Unit = {
+    // TODO clean up duplicate code https://github.com/tumblr/colossus/issues/274
+    errors.hit(tags = hpTags + ("type" -> exception.getClass.getName.replaceAll("[^\\w]", "")))
+    s.handler(Failure(exception))
+  }
 }