diff --git a/async_producer.go b/async_producer.go
index c807aea72..f842d6bf3 100644
--- a/async_producer.go
+++ b/async_producer.go
@@ -670,12 +670,20 @@ func (pp *partitionProducer) updateLeader() error {
 	})
 }
 
+type pendingResponse struct {
+	set      *produceSet
+	version  int16
+	promise  *responsePromise
+	response *ProduceResponse
+}
+
 // one per broker; also constructs an associated flusher
 func (p *asyncProducer) newBrokerProducer(broker *Broker) *brokerProducer {
 	var (
 		input     = make(chan *ProducerMessage)
 		bridge    = make(chan *produceSet)
 		responses = make(chan *brokerProducerResponse)
+		pendings  = make(chan *pendingResponse, p.conf.Net.MaxOpenRequests-1)
 	)
 
 	bp := &brokerProducer{
@@ -692,18 +700,54 @@ func (p *asyncProducer) newBrokerProducer(broker *Broker) *brokerProducer {
 
 	// minimal bridge to make the network response `select`able
 	go withRecover(func() {
+		defer close(pendings)
 		for set := range bridge {
+			set := set
+			var err error
+			var response *ProduceResponse
+			var promise *responsePromise
+
 			request := set.buildRequest()
+			if request.RequiredAcks != NoResponse {
+				response = new(ProduceResponse)
+			}
 
-			response, err := broker.Produce(request)
+			responseHeaderVersion := int16(-1)
+			if response != nil {
+				responseHeaderVersion = response.headerVersion()
+			}
+
+			promise, err = broker.send(request, response != nil, responseHeaderVersion)
 
+			// return quickly if failed or ackMode: NoResponse
+			if err != nil || promise == nil {
+				responses <- &brokerProducerResponse{
+					set: set,
+					err: err,
+					res: response,
+				}
+				continue
+			}
+			pending := &pendingResponse{set: set, version: request.version(), response: response, promise: promise}
+			pendings <- pending
+		}
+	})
+
+	go withRecover(func() {
+		defer close(responses)
+		for pending := range pendings {
+			var err error
+			select {
+			case buf := <-pending.promise.packets:
+				err = versionedDecode(buf, pending.response, pending.version)
+			case err = <-pending.promise.errors:
+			}
 			responses <- &brokerProducerResponse{
-				set: set,
+				set: pending.set,
 				err: err,
-				res: response,
+				res: pending.response,
 			}
 		}
-		close(responses)
 	})
 
 	if p.conf.Producer.Retry.Max <= 0 {