diff --git a/src/connection.rs b/src/connection.rs
index 13eaf08..c2a63a6 100644
--- a/src/connection.rs
+++ b/src/connection.rs
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ impl<Exe: Executor> ConnectionSender<Exe> {
         match (
             self.registrations
                 .unbounded_send(Register::Ping { resolver }),
-            self.tx.try_send(messages::ping())?,
+            self.tx.send(messages::ping()).await?,
         ) {
             (Ok(_), ()) => {
                 let delay_f = self.executor.delay(self.operation_timeout);
@@ -526,35 +526,42 @@ impl<Exe: Executor> ConnectionSender<Exe> {
     }
 
     #[cfg_attr(feature = "telemetry", tracing::instrument(skip_all))]
-    pub fn send_flow(&self, consumer_id: u64, message_permits: u32) -> Result<(), ConnectionError> {
+    pub async fn send_flow(
+        &self,
+        consumer_id: u64,
+        message_permits: u32,
+    ) -> Result<(), ConnectionError> {
         self.tx
-            .try_send(messages::flow(consumer_id, message_permits))?;
+            .send(messages::flow(consumer_id, message_permits))
+            .await?;
         Ok(())
     }
 
     #[cfg_attr(feature = "telemetry", tracing::instrument(skip_all))]
-    pub fn send_ack(
+    pub async fn send_ack(
         &self,
         consumer_id: u64,
         message_ids: Vec<proto::MessageIdData>,
         cumulative: bool,
     ) -> Result<(), ConnectionError> {
         self.tx
-            .try_send(messages::ack(consumer_id, message_ids, cumulative))?;
+            .send(messages::ack(consumer_id, message_ids, cumulative))
+            .await?;
         Ok(())
     }
 
     #[cfg_attr(feature = "telemetry", tracing::instrument(skip_all))]
-    pub fn send_redeliver_unacknowleged_messages(
+    pub async fn send_redeliver_unacknowleged_messages(
         &self,
         consumer_id: u64,
         message_ids: Vec<proto::MessageIdData>,
     ) -> Result<(), ConnectionError> {
         self.tx
-            .try_send(messages::redeliver_unacknowleged_messages(
+            .send(messages::redeliver_unacknowleged_messages(
                 consumer_id,
                 message_ids,
-            ))?;
+            ))
+            .await?;
         Ok(())
     }
 
diff --git a/src/consumer/engine.rs b/src/consumer/engine.rs
index 0742a9e..cc1d7b2 100644
--- a/src/consumer/engine.rs
+++ b/src/consumer/engine.rs
@@ -151,19 +151,18 @@ impl<Exe: Executor> ConsumerEngine<Exe> {
                     .connection
                     .sender()
                     .send_flow(self.id, self.batch_size - self.remaining_messages)
+                    .await
                 {
                     Ok(()) => {}
                     Err(ConnectionError::Disconnected) => {
                         self.reconnect().await?;
                         self.connection
                             .sender()
-                            .send_flow(self.id, self.batch_size - self.remaining_messages)?;
-                    }
-                    Err(ConnectionError::SlowDown) => {
-                        self.connection
-                            .sender()
-                            .send_flow(self.id, self.batch_size - self.remaining_messages)?;
+                            .send_flow(self.id, self.batch_size - self.remaining_messages)
+                            .await?;
                     }
+                    // we don't need to handle the SlowDown error, since send_flow waits on the
+                    // channel to be not full
                     Err(e) => return Err(e.into()),
                 }
                 self.remaining_messages = self.batch_size;
@@ -178,7 +177,7 @@ impl<Exe: Executor> ConsumerEngine<Exe> {
                     }
                 }
                 Ok(Some(EngineEvent::EngineMessage(msg))) => {
-                    let continue_loop = self.handle_ack_opt(msg);
+                    let continue_loop = self.handle_ack_opt(msg).await;
                     if !continue_loop {
                         return Ok(());
                     }
@@ -225,14 +224,14 @@ impl<Exe: Executor> ConsumerEngine<Exe> {
         }
     }
 
-    fn handle_ack_opt(&mut self, ack_opt: Option<EngineMessage<Exe>>) -> bool {
+    async fn handle_ack_opt(&mut self, ack_opt: Option<EngineMessage<Exe>>) -> bool {
         match ack_opt {
             None => {
                 trace!("ack channel was closed");
                 false
             }
             Some(EngineMessage::Ack(message_id, cumulative)) => {
-                self.ack(message_id, cumulative);
+                self.ack(message_id, cumulative).await;
                 true
             }
             Some(EngineMessage::Nack(message_id)) => {
@@ -240,6 +239,7 @@ impl<Exe: Executor> ConsumerEngine<Exe> {
                     .connection
                     .sender()
                     .send_redeliver_unacknowleged_messages(self.id, vec![message_id.clone()])
+                    .await
                 {
                     error!(
                         "could not ask for redelivery for message {:?}: {:?}",
@@ -265,6 +265,7 @@ impl<Exe: Executor> ConsumerEngine<Exe> {
                         .connection
                         .sender()
                         .send_redeliver_unacknowleged_messages(self.id, ids)
+                        .await
                     {
                         error!("could not ask for redelivery: {:?}", e);
                     } else {
@@ -288,13 +289,14 @@ impl<Exe: Executor> ConsumerEngine<Exe> {
     }
 
     #[cfg_attr(feature = "telemetry", tracing::instrument(skip_all))]
-    fn ack(&mut self, message_id: MessageIdData, cumulative: bool) {
+    async fn ack(&mut self, message_id: MessageIdData, cumulative: bool) {
         // FIXME: this does not handle cumulative acks
         self.unacked_messages.remove(&message_id);
         let res = self
             .connection
             .sender()
-            .send_ack(self.id, vec![message_id], cumulative);
+            .send_ack(self.id, vec![message_id], cumulative)
+            .await;
         if res.is_err() {
             error!("ack error: {:?}", res);
         }
@@ -510,7 +512,7 @@ impl<Exe: Executor> ConsumerEngine<Exe> {
                             Error::Custom("DLQ send error".to_string())
                         })?;
 
-                    self.ack(message_id, false);
+                    self.ack(message_id, false).await;
                 }
                 _ => self.send_to_consumer(message_id, payload).await?,
             }
diff --git a/src/error.rs b/src/error.rs
index b9df7e9..02c7632 100644
--- a/src/error.rs
+++ b/src/error.rs
@@ -156,6 +156,13 @@ impl From<AuthenticationError> for ConnectionError {
     }
 }
 
+impl<T> From<async_channel::SendError<T>> for ConnectionError {
+    #[cfg_attr(feature = "telemetry", tracing::instrument(skip_all))]
+    fn from(_err: async_channel::SendError<T>) -> Self {
+        ConnectionError::Disconnected
+    }
+}
+
 impl<T> From<async_channel::TrySendError<T>> for ConnectionError {
     #[cfg_attr(feature = "telemetry", tracing::instrument(skip_all))]
     fn from(err: async_channel::TrySendError<T>) -> Self {
diff --git a/src/retry_op.rs b/src/retry_op.rs
index 74f3f52..76244d8 100644
--- a/src/retry_op.rs
+++ b/src/retry_op.rs
@@ -140,6 +140,7 @@ pub async fn retry_subscribe_consumer<Exe: Executor>(
     connection
         .sender()
         .send_flow(consumer_id, batch_size)
+        .await
         .map_err(|err| {
             error!("TopicConsumer::send_flow({topic}) error: {err:?}");
             Error::Consumer(ConsumerError::Connection(err))