diff --git a/src/components/validation/runner/io.rs b/src/components/validation/runner/io.rs
index d9a49943d32d8..1c84093bd743e 100644
--- a/src/components/validation/runner/io.rs
+++ b/src/components/validation/runner/io.rs
@@ -50,10 +50,9 @@ impl VectorService for EventForwardService {
             .map(Event::from)
             .collect();
 
-        self.tx
-            .send(events)
-            .await
-            .expect("event forward rx should not close first");
+        if let Err(e) = self.tx.send(events).await {
+            return Err(Status::internal(format!("Failed to forward events: {}", e)));
+        }
 
         Ok(tonic::Response::new(PushEventsResponse {}))
     }
@@ -70,10 +69,7 @@ impl VectorService for EventForwardService {
     }
 }
 
-pub struct InputEdge {
-    #[allow(dead_code)]
-    client: VectorClient<Channel>,
-}
+pub struct InputEdge {}
 
 pub struct OutputEdge {
     listen_addr: GrpcAddress,
@@ -109,6 +105,7 @@ impl InputEdge {
 
                 if let Err(e) = client.push_events(request).await {
                     error!(error = ?e, "Failed to send input event to controlled input edge.");
+                    continue; // Retry the next event or decide how to handle failure
                 }
             }