diff --git a/distributed/tests/test_worker.py b/distributed/tests/test_worker.py
index de3bf2423b..489f902b9b 100644
--- a/distributed/tests/test_worker.py
+++ b/distributed/tests/test_worker.py
@@ -3389,3 +3389,24 @@ async def test_tick_interval(c, s, a, b):
     while s.workers[a.address].metrics["event_loop_interval"] < 0.100:
         await asyncio.sleep(0.01)
         time.sleep(0.200)
+
+
+class BreakingWorker(Worker):
+    broke_once = False
+
+    def get_data(self, comm, **kwargs):
+        if not self.broke_once:
+            self.broke_once = True
+            raise OSError("fake error")
+        return super().get_data(comm, **kwargs)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.slow
+@gen_cluster(client=True, Worker=BreakingWorker)
+async def test_broken_comm(c, s, a, b):
+    df = dask.datasets.timeseries(
+        start="2000-01-01",
+        end="2000-01-10",
+    )
+    s = df.shuffle("id", shuffle="tasks")
+    await c.compute(s.size)
diff --git a/distributed/worker.py b/distributed/worker.py
index 7c5bc61ca1..71c56f9cbb 100644
--- a/distributed/worker.py
+++ b/distributed/worker.py
@@ -546,6 +546,7 @@ def __init__(
             ("executing", "released"): self.transition_executing_released,
             ("executing", "rescheduled"): self.transition_executing_rescheduled,
             ("fetch", "flight"): self.transition_fetch_flight,
+            ("fetch", "missing"): self.transition_fetch_missing,
             ("fetch", "released"): self.transition_generic_released,
             ("flight", "error"): self.transition_flight_error,
             ("flight", "fetch"): self.transition_flight_fetch,
@@ -1929,6 +1930,14 @@ def transition_flight_missing(
         ts.done = False
         return {}, []
 
+    def transition_fetch_missing(
+        self, ts: TaskState, *, stimulus_id: str
+    ) -> RecsInstrs:
+        ts.state = "missing"
+        self._missing_dep_flight.add(ts)
+        ts.done = False
+        return {}, []
+
     def transition_released_fetch(
         self, ts: TaskState, *, stimulus_id: str
     ) -> RecsInstrs:
@@ -2671,6 +2680,10 @@ def ensure_communicating(self) -> None:
             if ts.state != "fetch":
                 continue
 
+            if not ts.who_has:
+                self.transition(ts, "missing", stimulus_id=stimulus_id)
+                continue
+
             workers = [w for w in ts.who_has if w not in self.in_flight_workers]
             if not workers:
                 assert ts.priority is not None