diff --git a/vtest/vtest.h b/vtest/vtest.h
index ae2e196..d91ef51 100644
--- a/vtest/vtest.h
+++ b/vtest/vtest.h
@@ -18,5 +18,7 @@ int vtest_block_read(int fd, void *buf, int size);
 int vtest_resource_busy_wait(void);
 int vtest_renderer_create_fence(void);
 int vtest_poll(void);
+
+void vtest_destroy_renderer(void);
 #endif
 
diff --git a/vtest/vtest_renderer.c b/vtest/vtest_renderer.c
index 6fc9d3f..a8a5184 100644
--- a/vtest/vtest_renderer.c
+++ b/vtest/vtest_renderer.c
@@ -58,8 +58,8 @@ int vtest_block_read(int fd, void *buf, int size)
    left = size;
    do {
       ret = read(fd, ptr, left);
-      if (ret < 0)
-         return -errno;
+      if (ret <= 0)
+	return ret == -1 ? -errno : 0;
       left -= ret;
       ptr += ret;
    } while (left);
@@ -78,11 +78,20 @@ int vtest_create_renderer(int fd)
     return ret;
 }
 
+void vtest_destroy_renderer(void)
+{
+  virgl_renderer_context_destroy(ctx_id);
+  virgl_renderer_cleanup(&renderer);
+  renderer.remote_fd = 0;
+}
+
 int vtest_send_caps(void)
 {
     uint32_t  max_ver, max_size;
     void *caps_buf;
     uint32_t hdr_buf[2];
+    int ret;
+
     virgl_renderer_get_cap_set(1, &max_ver, &max_size);
 
     caps_buf = malloc(max_size);
@@ -93,8 +102,13 @@ int vtest_send_caps(void)
 
     hdr_buf[0] = max_size + 1;
     hdr_buf[1] = 1;
-    vtest_block_write(renderer.remote_fd, hdr_buf, 8);
+    ret = vtest_block_write(renderer.remote_fd, hdr_buf, 8);
+    if (ret < 0)
+      return ret;
     vtest_block_write(renderer.remote_fd, caps_buf, max_size);
+    if (ret < 0)
+      return ret;
+
     return 0;
 }
 
@@ -201,7 +215,7 @@ int vtest_transfer_get(uint32_t length_dw)
 
     iovec.iov_len = data_size;
     iovec.iov_base = ptr;
-    virgl_renderer_transfer_read_iov(handle,
+    ret = virgl_renderer_transfer_read_iov(handle,
 				     ctx_id,
 				     level,
 				     stride,
@@ -209,8 +223,12 @@ int vtest_transfer_get(uint32_t length_dw)
 				     &box,
 				     0,
 				     &iovec, 1);
+    if (ret)
+      fprintf(stderr," transfer read failed %d\n", ret);
+    ret = vtest_block_write(renderer.remote_fd, ptr, data_size);
+    if (ret < 0)
+      return ret;
 
-    vtest_block_write(renderer.remote_fd, ptr, data_size);
     free(ptr);
     return 0;
 }
@@ -235,18 +253,22 @@ int vtest_transfer_put(uint32_t length_dw)
     if (!ptr)
       return -ENOMEM;
 
-    vtest_block_read(renderer.remote_fd, ptr, data_size);
+    ret = vtest_block_read(renderer.remote_fd, ptr, data_size);
+    if (ret < 0)
+      return ret;
 
     iovec.iov_len = data_size;
     iovec.iov_base = ptr;
-    virgl_renderer_transfer_write_iov(handle,
-				      ctx_id,
-				      level,
-				      stride,
-				      layer_stride,
-				      &box,
-				      0,
-				      &iovec, 1);
+    ret = virgl_renderer_transfer_write_iov(handle,
+					    ctx_id,
+					    level,
+					    stride,
+					    layer_stride,
+					    &box,
+					    0,
+					    &iovec, 1);
+    if (ret)
+      fprintf(stderr," transfer write failed %d\n", ret);
     free(ptr);
     return 0;
 }
@@ -284,8 +306,14 @@ int vtest_resource_busy_wait(void)
   reply_buf[0] = busy ? 1 : 0;
   fprintf(stderr, "busy check %d, %d\n", handle, flags);
 
-  vtest_block_write(renderer.remote_fd, hdr_buf, sizeof(hdr_buf));
-  vtest_block_write(renderer.remote_fd, reply_buf, sizeof(reply_buf));
+  ret = vtest_block_write(renderer.remote_fd, hdr_buf, sizeof(hdr_buf));
+  if (ret < 0)
+    return ret;
+
+  ret = vtest_block_write(renderer.remote_fd, reply_buf, sizeof(reply_buf));
+  if (ret < 0)
+    return ret;
+
   return 0;
 }
 
@@ -298,4 +326,5 @@ int vtest_renderer_create_fence(void)
 int vtest_poll(void)
 {
   virgl_renderer_poll();
+  return 0;
 }
diff --git a/vtest/vtest_server.c b/vtest/vtest_server.c
index 0486305..af36272 100644
--- a/vtest/vtest_server.c
+++ b/vtest/vtest_server.c
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ int main(void)
     static int fence_id = 1;
     bool do_fence;
     sock = vtest_open_socket("/tmp/.virgl_test");
-
+restart:
     new_fd = wait_for_socket_accept(sock);
 
     vtest_create_renderer(new_fd);
@@ -101,34 +101,48 @@ again:
       do_fence = false;
       switch (header[1]) {
       case VCMD_GET_CAPS:
-	vtest_send_caps();
+	ret = vtest_send_caps();
 	break;
       case VCMD_RESOURCE_CREATE:
-	vtest_create_resource();
+	ret = vtest_create_resource();
 	break;
       case VCMD_RESOURCE_UNREF:
-	vtest_resource_unref();
+	ret = vtest_resource_unref();
 	break;
       case VCMD_SUBMIT_CMD:
-	vtest_submit_cmd(header[0]);
+	ret = vtest_submit_cmd(header[0]);
 	do_fence = true;
 	break;
       case VCMD_TRANSFER_GET:
-	vtest_transfer_get(header[0]);
+	ret = vtest_transfer_get(header[0]);
 	break;
       case VCMD_TRANSFER_PUT:
-	vtest_transfer_put(header[0]);
+	ret = vtest_transfer_put(header[0]);
 	do_fence = true;
 	break;
       case VCMD_RESOURCE_BUSY_WAIT:
-	vtest_resource_busy_wait();
+	ret = vtest_resource_busy_wait();
       default:
 	break;
       }
+
+      if (ret < 0) {
+	fprintf(stderr, "socket failed - relistening\n");
+	close(new_fd);
+	vtest_destroy_renderer();
+	goto restart;
+      }
+
       if (do_fence)
 	vtest_renderer_create_fence();
       goto again;
     }
+    if (ret <= 0) {
+      fprintf(stderr, "socket failed - relistening\n");
+      close(new_fd);
+      vtest_destroy_renderer();
+      goto restart;
+    }
 err:
     close(new_fd);
     close(sock);