diff --git a/src/client.ts b/src/client.ts
index 368cac7e..14d5b29c 100644
--- a/src/client.ts
+++ b/src/client.ts
@@ -557,11 +557,12 @@ export function createClient(options: ClientOptions): Client {
     subscribe(payload, sink) {
       const id = generateID();
 
-      let completed = false,
+      let done = false,
+        errored = false,
         releaser = () => {
           // for handling completions before connect
           locks--;
-          completed = true;
+          done = true;
         };
 
       (async () => {
@@ -574,8 +575,8 @@ export function createClient(options: ClientOptions): Client {
               waitForReleaseOrThrowOnClose,
             ] = await connect();
 
-            // if completed while waiting for connect, release the connection lock right away
-            if (completed) return release();
+            // if done while waiting for connect, release the connection lock right away
+            if (done) return release();
 
             const unlisten = emitter.onMessage(id, (message) => {
               switch (message.type) {
@@ -585,15 +586,13 @@ export function createClient(options: ClientOptions): Client {
                   return;
                 }
                 case MessageType.Error: {
-                  completed = true;
+                  (errored = true), (done = true);
                   sink.error(message.payload);
                   releaser();
-                  // TODO-db-201025 calling releaser will complete the sink, meaning that both the `error` and `complete` will be
-                  // called. neither promises or observables care; once they settle, additional calls to the resolvers will be ignored
                   return;
                 }
                 case MessageType.Complete: {
-                  completed = true;
+                  done = true;
                   releaser(); // release completes the sink
                   return;
                 }
@@ -609,7 +608,7 @@ export function createClient(options: ClientOptions): Client {
             );
 
             releaser = () => {
-              if (!completed && socket.readyState === WebSocketImpl.OPEN)
+              if (!done && socket.readyState === WebSocketImpl.OPEN)
                 // if not completed already and socket is open, send complete message to server on release
                 socket.send(
                   stringifyMessage<MessageType.Complete>({
@@ -618,7 +617,7 @@ export function createClient(options: ClientOptions): Client {
                   }),
                 );
               locks--;
-              completed = true;
+              done = true;
               release();
             };
 
@@ -634,11 +633,14 @@ export function createClient(options: ClientOptions): Client {
         }
       })()
         .catch(sink.error) // rejects on close events and errors
-        .then(sink.complete); // resolves on release or normal closure
+        .then(() => {
+          // delivering either an error or a complete terminates the sequence
+          if (!errored) sink.complete();
+        }); // resolves on release or normal closure
 
       return () => {
-        // allow disposing only if not already completed
-        if (!completed) releaser();
+        // dispose only of active subscriptions
+        if (!done) releaser();
       };
     },
     async dispose() {
diff --git a/src/tests/client.ts b/src/tests/client.ts
index 3063988b..dd0b5837 100644
--- a/src/tests/client.ts
+++ b/src/tests/client.ts
@@ -329,6 +329,29 @@ it('should not send the complete message if the socket is not open', async () =>
   await sub.waitForComplete();
 });
 
+it('should not call complete after subscription error', async () => {
+  const { url } = await startTServer();
+
+  const client = createClient({
+    url,
+    lazy: true,
+    retryAttempts: 0,
+  });
+
+  // invalid subscription
+  const sub = tsubscribe(client, {
+    query: '{ iDontExist }',
+  });
+
+  // report error
+  await sub.waitForError();
+
+  // but not complete
+  await sub.waitForComplete(() => {
+    fail("shouldn't have completed");
+  }, 20);
+});
+
 describe('query operation', () => {
   it('should execute the query, "next" the result and then complete', async () => {
     const { url } = await startTServer();