diff --git a/deps/rabbitmq_mqtt/src/rabbit_mqtt_reader.erl b/deps/rabbitmq_mqtt/src/rabbit_mqtt_reader.erl
index c24898288d..a18781bc2c 100644
--- a/deps/rabbitmq_mqtt/src/rabbit_mqtt_reader.erl
+++ b/deps/rabbitmq_mqtt/src/rabbit_mqtt_reader.erl
@@ -140,11 +140,15 @@ handle_cast({close_connection, Reason},
 
 handle_cast(QueueEvent = {queue_event, _, _},
             State = #state{proc_state = PState0}) ->
-    case rabbit_mqtt_processor:handle_queue_event(QueueEvent, PState0) of
-        {ok, PState} ->
-            maybe_process_deferred_recv(control_throttle(pstate(State, PState)));
-        {error, Reason, PState} ->
-            {stop, Reason, pstate(State, PState)}
+    try
+        case rabbit_mqtt_processor:handle_queue_event(QueueEvent, PState0) of
+            {ok, PState} ->
+                maybe_process_deferred_recv(control_throttle(pstate(State, PState)));
+            {error, Reason0, PState} ->
+                {stop, Reason0, pstate(State, PState)}
+        end
+    catch throw:{send_failed, Reason1} ->
+              network_error(Reason1, State)
     end;
 
 handle_cast({force_event_refresh, Ref}, State0) ->
@@ -328,17 +332,17 @@ process_received_bytes(Bytes, State = #state{socket = Socket,
         {ok, Packet, Rest, ParseState1} ->
             case ProcState of
                 connect_packet_unprocessed ->
-                    Send = fun(Data) ->
-                                   case rabbit_net:send(Socket, Data) of
-                                       ok ->
-                                           ok;
-                                       {error, Reason} ->
-                                           ?LOG_ERROR("writing to MQTT socket ~p failed: ~p",
-                                                      [Socket, Reason]),
-                                           exit({send_failed, Reason})
-                                   end
-                           end,
-                    try rabbit_mqtt_processor:init(Packet, Socket, ConnName, Send) of
+                    SendFun = fun(Data) ->
+                                      case rabbit_net:send(Socket, Data) of
+                                          ok ->
+                                              ok;
+                                          {error, Reason} ->
+                                              ?LOG_ERROR("writing to MQTT socket ~p failed: ~p",
+                                                         [Socket, Reason]),
+                                              throw({send_failed, Reason})
+                                      end
+                              end,
+                    try rabbit_mqtt_processor:init(Packet, Socket, ConnName, SendFun) of
                         {ok, ProcState1} ->
                             ?LOG_INFO("Accepted MQTT connection ~ts for client ID ~ts",
                                       [ConnName, rabbit_mqtt_processor:info(client_id, ProcState1)]),
@@ -354,7 +358,7 @@ process_received_bytes(Bytes, State = #state{socket = Socket,
                             ?LOG_ERROR("Rejected MQTT connection ~ts with Connect Reason Code ~p",
                                        [ConnName, ConnectReasonCode]),
                             {stop, shutdown, {_SendWill = false, State}}
-                    catch exit:{send_failed, Reason} ->
+                    catch throw:{send_failed, Reason} ->
                               network_error(Reason, State)
                     end;
                 _ ->
@@ -375,7 +379,7 @@ process_received_bytes(Bytes, State = #state{socket = Socket,
                             {stop, {shutdown, Reason}, pstate(State, ProcState1)};
                         {stop, {disconnect, {client_initiated, SendWill}}, ProcState1} ->
                             {stop, normal, {SendWill, pstate(State, ProcState1)}}
-                    catch exit:{send_failed, Reason} ->
+                    catch throw:{send_failed, Reason} ->
                               network_error(Reason, State)
                     end
             end;