diff --git a/rpc/export.go b/rpc/export.go
index ca153181..eebf3e55 100644
--- a/rpc/export.go
+++ b/rpc/export.go
@@ -58,13 +58,12 @@ func (c *lockedConn) findExport(id exportID) *expent {
 
 // releaseExport decreases the number of wire references to an export
 // by a given number.  If the export's reference count reaches zero,
-// then releaseExport will pop export from the table and return the
-// export's ClientSnapshot.  The caller is responsible for releasing
-// the snapshot once the caller is no longer holding onto c.mu.
-func (c *lockedConn) releaseExport(id exportID, count uint32) (capnp.ClientSnapshot, error) {
+// then releaseExport will pop export from the table and schedule further
+// cleanup (such as releasing snaphost) via dq.
+func (c *lockedConn) releaseExport(dq *deferred.Queue, id exportID, count uint32) error {
 	ent := c.findExport(id)
 	if ent == nil {
-		return capnp.ClientSnapshot{}, rpcerr.Failed(errors.New("unknown export ID " + str.Utod(id)))
+		return rpcerr.Failed(errors.New("unknown export ID " + str.Utod(id)))
 	}
 	switch {
 	case count == ent.wireRefs:
@@ -78,29 +77,23 @@ func (c *lockedConn) releaseExport(id exportID, count uint32) (capnp.ClientSnaps
 				c.clearExportID(metadata)
 			})
 		}
-		return snapshot, nil
+		dq.Defer(snapshot.Release)
+		return nil
 	case count > ent.wireRefs:
-		return capnp.ClientSnapshot{}, rpcerr.Failed(errors.New("export ID " + str.Utod(id) + " released too many references"))
+		return rpcerr.Failed(errors.New("export ID " + str.Utod(id) + " released too many references"))
 	default:
 		ent.wireRefs -= count
-		return capnp.ClientSnapshot{}, nil
+		return nil
 	}
 }
 
 func (c *lockedConn) releaseExportRefs(dq *deferred.Queue, refs map[exportID]uint32) error {
 	var firstErr error
 	for id, count := range refs {
-		snapshot, err := c.releaseExport(id, count)
-		if err != nil {
-			if firstErr == nil {
-				firstErr = err
-			}
-			continue
-		}
-		if (snapshot == capnp.ClientSnapshot{}) {
-			continue
+		err := c.releaseExport(dq, id, count)
+		if err != nil && firstErr == nil {
+			firstErr = err
 		}
-		dq.Defer(snapshot.Release)
 	}
 	return firstErr
 }
@@ -236,19 +229,19 @@ func (c *lockedConn) sendSenderPromise(id exportID, d rpccp.CapDescriptor) {
 			}, func(err error) {
 				sendRef.Release()
 				if err != nil && isExport {
+					dq := &deferred.Queue{}
+					defer dq.Run()
 					// release 1 ref of the thing it resolved to.
-					snapshot, err := withLockedConn2(
+					err := withLockedConn1(
 						unlockedConn,
-						func(c *lockedConn) (capnp.ClientSnapshot, error) {
-							return c.releaseExport(resolvedID, 1)
+						func(c *lockedConn) error {
+							return c.releaseExport(dq, resolvedID, 1)
 						},
 					)
 					if err != nil {
 						c.er.ReportError(
 							exc.WrapError("releasing export due to failure to send resolve", err),
 						)
-					} else {
-						snapshot.Release()
 					}
 				}
 			})
diff --git a/rpc/rpc.go b/rpc/rpc.go
index 839db35a..8aeec41e 100644
--- a/rpc/rpc.go
+++ b/rpc/rpc.go
@@ -669,14 +669,12 @@ func (c *Conn) handleUnimplemented(in transport.IncomingMessage) error {
 			default:
 				return nil
 			}
-			snapshot, err := withLockedConn2(c, func(c *lockedConn) (capnp.ClientSnapshot, error) {
-				return c.releaseExport(id, 1)
+			dq := &deferred.Queue{}
+			defer dq.Run()
+			err = withLockedConn1(c, func(c *lockedConn) error {
+				return c.releaseExport(dq, id, 1)
 			})
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-			snapshot.Release()
-			return nil
+			return err
 		}
 	}
 	// For other cases we should just ignore the message.
@@ -1532,13 +1530,14 @@ func (c *Conn) handleRelease(ctx context.Context, in transport.IncomingMessage)
 	id := exportID(rel.Id())
 	count := rel.ReferenceCount()
 
-	snapshot, err := withLockedConn2(c, func(c *lockedConn) (capnp.ClientSnapshot, error) {
-		return c.releaseExport(id, count)
+	dq := &deferred.Queue{}
+	defer dq.Run()
+	err = withLockedConn1(c, func(c *lockedConn) error {
+		return c.releaseExport(dq, id, count)
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		return rpcerr.Annotate(err, "incoming release")
 	}
-	snapshot.Release() // no-ops for nil
 	return nil
 }