diff --git a/pool.go b/pool.go
index 396c0ce..abfa912 100644
--- a/pool.go
+++ b/pool.go
@@ -343,19 +343,14 @@ func (p *pool) runReconnect() func(context.Context) {
 	}
 }
 
-func (p *pool) checkConn(pc *poolConn) bool {
-	select {
-	case <-pc.lastIOErrCh:
-	default:
-		return true
-	}
+func (p *pool) discardConn(pc *poolConn, reason trace.PoolConnClosedReason) {
 
 	// ensure that the discard logic for the conn only occurs once, specifically
 	// buffering a message on reconnectCh.
 	var ok bool
 	pc.once.Do(func() { ok = true })
 	if !ok {
-		return false
+		return
 	}
 
 	err := p.proc.WithLock(func() error {
@@ -363,13 +358,12 @@ func (p *pool) checkConn(pc *poolConn) bool {
 		return nil
 	})
 	if err != nil {
-		return false
+		return
 	}
 
 	pc.Close()
-	p.traceConnClosed(trace.PoolConnClosedReasonError)
+	p.traceConnClosed(reason)
 	p.reconnectCh <- struct{}{}
-	return false
 }
 
 func (p *pool) getConn(ctx context.Context) (*poolConn, error) {
@@ -417,9 +411,15 @@ func (p *pool) useSharedConn(ctx context.Context, a Action) error {
 			pc = p.conns.get(i)
 			return pc.Do(ctx, a)
 		})
+
 		if pc != nil {
-			p.checkConn(pc)
+			select {
+			case <-pc.lastIOErrCh:
+				p.discardConn(pc, trace.PoolConnClosedReasonError)
+			default:
+			}
 		}
+
 		if pc != nil || err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -446,7 +446,13 @@ func (p *pool) Do(ctx context.Context, a Action) error {
 	}
 
 	err = pc.Do(ctx, a)
-	if p.checkConn(pc) {
+	if err != nil && !isRespErr(err) {
+		// Non-shared conns are used for commands which might block. Therefore
+		// any non-application errors result in closing the connection, because
+		// it might still have some blocking command holding it up, and we don't
+		// want to have other connections be blocked by it.
+		p.discardConn(pc, trace.PoolConnClosedReasonError)
+	} else {
 		p.putConn(pc)
 	}
 	return err
diff --git a/pool_test.go b/pool_test.go
index e4cbffe..e1fcc89 100644
--- a/pool_test.go
+++ b/pool_test.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
+	"testing"
 	. "testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -528,3 +529,29 @@ func TestPoolClose(t *T) {
 	assert.NoError(t, h.pool.Close())
 	assert.Error(t, proc.ErrClosed, h.pool.Do(h.ctx, Cmd(nil, "PING")))
 }
+
+func TestPoolIssue344(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+
+	t.Log("creating pool")
+	rc, err := (poolConfig{PoolConfig: PoolConfig{
+		Size: 1,
+	}}).new(ctx, "tcp", "127.0.0.1:6379")
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+
+	{
+		t.Log("forcing a timeout")
+		ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, 500*time.Millisecond)
+		err := rc.Do(ctx, Cmd(new([]string), "BLPOP", randStr(), "0"))
+		cancel()
+		assert.True(t, errors.Is(err, context.DeadlineExceeded))
+	}
+
+	{
+		t.Log("pinging")
+		var pong string
+		assert.NoError(t, rc.Do(ctx, Cmd(&pong, "PING")))
+		assert.Equal(t, "PONG", pong)
+	}
+}