diff --git a/src/udx.c b/src/udx.c
index 12921c8..53669d1 100644
--- a/src/udx.c
+++ b/src/udx.c
@@ -940,6 +940,7 @@ retransmit_packet (udx_stream_t *stream, udx_packet_t *pkt) {
 
 static void
 send_packets (udx_stream_t *stream) {
+  assert((stream->status & UDX_STREAM_DEAD) == 0);
 
   while (stream->retransmit_queue.len > 0 && stream_may_send(stream)) {
     udx_packet_t *pkt = udx__queue_data(udx__queue_peek(&stream->retransmit_queue), udx_packet_t, queue);
@@ -1157,7 +1158,7 @@ udx_rto_timeout (uv_timer_t *timer) {
     if (pkt->seq == stream->remote_acked || remaining < 0) {
       if (pkt->rto_timeouts >= UDX_MAX_RTO_TIMEOUTS) {
         close_stream(stream, UV_ETIMEDOUT);
-        break;
+        return;
       }
 
       stream->lost++;
diff --git a/test/CMakeLists.txt b/test/CMakeLists.txt
index 6627ceb..604eb05 100644
--- a/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ list(APPEND tests
   stream-bbr-state
   stream-combined-write
   stream-keepalive
+  stream-rto
 )
 
 list(APPEND skipped_tests
diff --git a/test/stream-rto.c b/test/stream-rto.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e163bfc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/stream-rto.c
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+#include <assert.h>
+#include <stdbool.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <string.h>
+
+// send a packet into the void and get an RTO
+
+#include "../include/udx.h"
+
+uv_loop_t loop;
+udx_t udx;
+
+udx_socket_t sock;
+udx_stream_t stream;
+
+udx_stream_write_t *req;
+
+bool ack_called = false;
+
+void
+on_close (udx_stream_t *s, int status) {
+  assert(status == UV_ETIMEDOUT);
+  udx_socket_close(&sock);
+}
+
+void
+on_ack (udx_stream_write_t *req, int status, int unordered) {
+  assert(status == UV_ECANCELED);
+  assert(unordered == 0);
+
+  ack_called = true;
+}
+
+int
+main () {
+  int e;
+
+  req = malloc(udx_stream_write_sizeof(1));
+
+  uv_loop_init(&loop);
+
+  e = udx_init(&loop, &udx, NULL);
+  assert(e == 0);
+
+  e = udx_socket_init(&udx, &sock, NULL);
+  assert(e == 0);
+
+  struct sockaddr_in baddr;
+  uv_ip4_addr("127.0.0.1", 8082, &baddr);
+
+  struct sockaddr_in aaddr;
+  uv_ip4_addr("127.0.0.1", 8081, &aaddr);
+  e = udx_socket_bind(&sock, (struct sockaddr *) &aaddr, 0);
+  assert(e == 0);
+
+  e = udx_stream_init(&udx, &stream, 1, on_close, NULL);
+  assert(e == 0);
+
+  e = udx_stream_connect(&stream, &sock, 2, (struct sockaddr *) &baddr);
+  assert(e == 0);
+
+  char *data = malloc(2000); // big enough to take 2 packets so that we exercise free() on stream->pkt and stream->outgoing[]
+  assert(data);
+  snprintf(data, 2000, "hello");
+  uv_buf_t buf = uv_buf_init(data, 2000);
+
+  e = udx_stream_write(req, &stream, &buf, 1, on_ack);
+
+  assert(e);
+  // hack to make the packet timeout after 1 RTO, obv. relies
+  // on many internal details that are likely to change
+  stream.pkt->rto_timeouts = 6;
+
+  e = uv_run(&loop, UV_RUN_DEFAULT);
+  assert(e == 0);
+  e = uv_loop_close(&loop);
+  assert(e == 0);
+
+  free(req);
+  free(data);
+
+  assert(ack_called);
+
+  return 0;
+}