diff --git a/hbd/client/main.py b/hbd/client/main.py
index cfce61f..ea3f230 100644
--- a/hbd/client/main.py
+++ b/hbd/client/main.py
@@ -172,9 +172,8 @@ class HeartbeatProtocol(asyncio.DatagramProtocol):
             self.logger.error(f"Error processing datagram: {e}", exc_info=True)
     
     def error_received(self, exc):
-        """Handle protocol errors."""
-        self.logger.warning(f"Protocol error on {self.connection.addr}: {exc} — dropping connection")
-        self.connection._dead = True
+        """Handle protocol errors — close transport so the heartbeat sender retries."""
+        self.logger.warning(f"Protocol error on {self.connection.addr}: {exc} — will retry")
         self.connection.close()
 
 
diff --git a/scripts/hbc_mini.py b/scripts/hbc_mini.py
index be64c91..60fc3f7 100755
--- a/scripts/hbc_mini.py
+++ b/scripts/hbc_mini.py
@@ -797,8 +797,7 @@ class _HeartbeatProtocol(asyncio.DatagramProtocol):
             self._log.error("datagram error: %s", e)
 
     def error_received(self, exc):
-        self._log.warning("protocol error on %s: %s — dropping connection", self._conn.addr, exc)
-        self._conn._dead = True
+        self._log.warning("protocol error on %s: %s — will retry", self._conn.addr, exc)
         self._conn.close()