diff --git a/rpc/rpc.go b/rpc/rpc.go
index 2c672925..72805baa 100644
--- a/rpc/rpc.go
+++ b/rpc/rpc.go
@@ -978,71 +978,63 @@ func (c *Conn) handleReturn(ctx context.Context, ret rpccp.Return, release capnp
 		c.er.ReportError(rpcerr.Annotate(pr.err, "incoming return"))
 	}
 
+	if q.bootstrapPromise == nil && pr.err == nil {
+		// The result of the message contains actual data (not just a
+		// client or an error), so we save the ReleaseFunc for later:
+		q.release = release
+	}
+	c.lk.Unlock()
 	// We're going to potentially block fulfilling some promises so fork
 	// off a goroutine to avoid blocking the receive loop.
-	//
-	// TODO(cleanup): This is a bit weird in that we hold the lock across
-	// the go statement, and do the unlock in the new goroutine, but before
-	// we actually block. This was less weird when the go statement wasn't
-	// there, and we should rework this so it's easier to understand what's
-	// going on.
 	go func() {
-		switch {
-		case q.bootstrapPromise != nil:
-			syncutil.Without(&c.lk, func() {
-				q.p.Resolve(pr.result, pr.err)
-				q.bootstrapPromise.Fulfill(q.p.Answer().Client())
-				q.p.ReleaseClients()
-				release()
-			})
-		case pr.err != nil:
-			// TODO(someday): send unimplemented message back to remote if
-			// pr.unimplemented == true.
-			syncutil.Without(&c.lk, func() {
-				q.p.Reject(pr.err)
-				release()
-			})
-		default:
-			q.release = release
-			syncutil.Without(&c.lk, func() {
-				q.p.Fulfill(pr.result)
-			})
+		q.p.Resolve(pr.result, pr.err)
+		if q.bootstrapPromise != nil {
+			q.bootstrapPromise.Fulfill(q.p.Answer().Client())
+			q.p.ReleaseClients()
+			// We can release now; root pointer of the result is a client, so the
+			// message won't be accessed:
+			release()
+		} else if pr.err != nil {
+			// We can release now; the result is an error, so data from the message
+			// won't be accessed:
+			release()
 		}
-		c.lk.Unlock()
 
-		// Send disembargoes.  Failing to send one of these just never lifts
-		// the embargo on our side, but doesn't cause a leak.
-		//
-		// TODO(soon): make embargo resolve to error client.
-		for _, s := range pr.disembargoes {
-			c.sendMessage(ctx, s.buildDisembargo, func(err error) {
+		syncutil.With(&c.lk, func() {
+			// Send disembargoes.  Failing to send one of these just never lifts
+			// the embargo on our side, but doesn't cause a leak.
+			//
+			// TODO(soon): make embargo resolve to error client.
+			for _, s := range pr.disembargoes {
+				c.sendMessage(ctx, s.buildDisembargo, func(err error) {
+					if err != nil {
+						err = fmt.Errorf("incoming return: send disembargo: %w", err)
+						c.er.ReportError(err)
+					}
+				})
+			}
+
+			// Send finish.
+			c.sendMessage(ctx, func(m rpccp.Message) error {
+				fin, err := m.NewFinish()
+				if err == nil {
+					fin.SetQuestionId(uint32(qid))
+					fin.SetReleaseResultCaps(false)
+				}
+				return err
+			}, func(err error) {
+				c.lk.Lock()
+				defer c.lk.Unlock()
+				defer close(q.finishMsgSend)
+
 				if err != nil {
-					err = fmt.Errorf("incoming return: send disembargo: %w", err)
+					err = fmt.Errorf("incoming return: send finish: build message: %w", err)
 					c.er.ReportError(err)
+				} else {
+					q.flags |= finishSent
+					c.lk.questionID.remove(uint32(qid))
 				}
 			})
-		}
-
-		// Send finish.
-		c.sendMessage(ctx, func(m rpccp.Message) error {
-			fin, err := m.NewFinish()
-			if err == nil {
-				fin.SetQuestionId(uint32(qid))
-				fin.SetReleaseResultCaps(false)
-			}
-			return err
-		}, func(err error) {
-			c.lk.Lock()
-			defer c.lk.Unlock()
-			defer close(q.finishMsgSend)
-
-			if err != nil {
-				err = fmt.Errorf("incoming return: send finish: build message: %w", err)
-				c.er.ReportError(err)
-			} else {
-				q.flags |= finishSent
-				c.lk.questionID.remove(uint32(qid))
-			}
 		})
 	}()