diff --git a/user.go b/user.go
index e2fac8f..e2fe9aa 100644
--- a/user.go
+++ b/user.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"crypto/sha256"
 	"encoding/binary"
 	"encoding/hex"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"math/big"
 	"net"
@@ -186,6 +187,41 @@ func userIdent(u *User) string {
 	return hex.EncodeToString(h[:16])
 }
 
+func (net *network) runConn(ctx context.Context) error {
+	net.user.srv.metrics.upstreams.Add(1)
+	defer net.user.srv.metrics.upstreams.Add(-1)
+
+	uc, err := connectToUpstream(ctx, net)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to connect: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer uc.Close()
+
+	if net.user.srv.Identd != nil {
+		net.user.srv.Identd.Store(uc.RemoteAddr().String(), uc.LocalAddr().String(), userIdent(&net.user.User))
+		defer net.user.srv.Identd.Delete(uc.RemoteAddr().String(), uc.LocalAddr().String())
+	}
+
+	uc.register(ctx)
+	if err := uc.runUntilRegistered(ctx); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to register: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	// TODO: this is racy with net.stopped. If the network is stopped
+	// before the user goroutine receives eventUpstreamConnected, the
+	// connection won't be closed.
+	net.user.events <- eventUpstreamConnected{uc}
+	defer func() {
+		net.user.events <- eventUpstreamDisconnected{uc}
+	}()
+
+	if err := uc.readMessages(net.user.events); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to handle messages: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (net *network) run() {
 	if !net.Enabled {
 		return
@@ -205,57 +241,25 @@ func (net *network) run() {
 		}
 		lastTry = time.Now()
 
-		net.user.srv.metrics.upstreams.Add(1)
-
-		uc, err := connectToUpstream(context.TODO(), net)
-		if err != nil {
-			net.logger.Printf("failed to connect to upstream server %q: %v", net.Addr, err)
-			net.user.events <- eventUpstreamConnectionError{net, fmt.Errorf("failed to connect: %v", err)}
-			net.user.srv.metrics.upstreams.Add(-1)
-			net.user.srv.metrics.upstreamConnectErrorsTotal.Inc()
-			continue
-		}
-
-		if net.user.srv.Identd != nil {
-			net.user.srv.Identd.Store(uc.RemoteAddr().String(), uc.LocalAddr().String(), userIdent(&net.user.User))
-		}
-
-		uc.register(context.TODO())
-		if err := uc.runUntilRegistered(context.TODO()); err != nil {
+		if err := net.runConn(context.TODO()); err != nil {
 			text := err.Error()
 			temp := true
-			if regErr, ok := err.(registrationError); ok {
-				text = regErr.Reason()
+			var regErr registrationError
+			if errors.As(err, &regErr) {
+				text = "failed to register: " + regErr.Reason()
 				temp = regErr.Temporary()
 			}
-			uc.logger.Printf("failed to register: %v", text)
-			net.user.events <- eventUpstreamConnectionError{net, fmt.Errorf("failed to register: %v", text)}
-			uc.Close()
-			net.user.srv.metrics.upstreams.Add(-1)
+
+			net.logger.Printf("connection error to %q: %v", net.Addr, text)
+			net.user.events <- eventUpstreamConnectionError{net, fmt.Errorf("connection error: %v", err)}
 			net.user.srv.metrics.upstreamConnectErrorsTotal.Inc()
+
 			if !temp {
 				return
 			}
-			continue
+		} else {
+			backoff.Reset()
 		}
-
-		// TODO: this is racy with net.stopped. If the network is stopped
-		// before the user goroutine receives eventUpstreamConnected, the
-		// connection won't be closed.
-		net.user.events <- eventUpstreamConnected{uc}
-		if err := uc.readMessages(net.user.events); err != nil {
-			uc.logger.Printf("failed to handle messages: %v", err)
-			net.user.events <- eventUpstreamError{uc, fmt.Errorf("failed to handle messages: %v", err)}
-		}
-		uc.Close()
-		net.user.events <- eventUpstreamDisconnected{uc}
-
-		if net.user.srv.Identd != nil {
-			net.user.srv.Identd.Delete(uc.RemoteAddr().String(), uc.LocalAddr().String())
-		}
-
-		net.user.srv.metrics.upstreams.Add(-1)
-		backoff.Reset()
 	}
 }