diff --git a/tractor/_streaming.py b/tractor/_streaming.py
index fbf253b31..05932b82f 100644
--- a/tractor/_streaming.py
+++ b/tractor/_streaming.py
@@ -186,6 +186,7 @@ async def aclose(self):
             # https://trio.readthedocs.io/en/stable/reference-io.html#trio.abc.AsyncResource.aclose
             return
 
+        self._eoc = True
         self._closed = True
 
         # NOTE: this is super subtle IPC messaging stuff: