diff --git a/internal/channel/channel.go b/internal/channel/channel.go
index 2bd525d00..d69b2435b 100644
--- a/internal/channel/channel.go
+++ b/internal/channel/channel.go
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ func (c *Channel) StartPlugin(pluginDir string) error {
 	c.mu.Lock()
 	defer c.mu.Unlock()
 
-	if c.cmd != nil {
+	if c.cmd != nil && c.rpc.Err() == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/rpc/rpc.go b/pkg/rpc/rpc.go
index 9da3364af..6b062a7dd 100644
--- a/pkg/rpc/rpc.go
+++ b/pkg/rpc/rpc.go
@@ -45,9 +45,10 @@ type RPC struct {
 	lastRequestId   uint64
 	requestsMu      sync.Mutex
 
-	errChannel chan struct{} // never transports a value, only closed through setErr() to signal an occurred error
-	err        *Error        // only initialised via setErr(), if a rpc (Fatal/non-recoverable) error has occurred
-	errMu      sync.Mutex
+	errChannel        chan struct{} // never transports a value, only closed through setErr() to signal an occurred error
+	err               *Error        // only initialised via setErr(), if a rpc (Fatal/non-recoverable) error has occurred
+	errMu             sync.Mutex
+	requestedShutdown bool
 }
 
 // NewRPC creates and returns an RPC instance
@@ -121,6 +122,7 @@ func (r *RPC) Close() error {
 	r.encoderMu.Lock()
 	defer r.encoderMu.Unlock()
 
+	r.requestedShutdown = true
 	return r.writer.Close()
 }
 
@@ -129,6 +131,13 @@ func (r *RPC) setErr(err error) {
 	defer r.errMu.Unlock()
 
 	if r.err == nil {
+		pendingReqMsg := fmt.Sprintf("cancelling %d pending request(s)", len(r.pendingRequests))
+		if r.requestedShutdown {
+			r.logger.Infof("Plugin shutdown triggered: %s", pendingReqMsg)
+		} else {
+			r.logger.Warnf("Plugin terminated unexpectedly: %s", pendingReqMsg)
+		}
+
 		r.err = &Error{cause: err}
 		close(r.errChannel)
 	}
@@ -137,21 +146,12 @@ func (r *RPC) setErr(err error) {
 // processResponses sends responses to its channel (identified by response.id)
 // In case of any error, all pending requests are dropped
 func (r *RPC) processResponses() {
-	defer func() {
-		r.requestsMu.Lock()
-		r.logger.Infof("dropping %d pending request(s)", len(r.pendingRequests))
-		r.pendingRequests = nil
-		r.requestsMu.Unlock()
-	}()
-
 	for r.Err() == nil {
 		var response Response
 		err := r.decoder.Decode(&response)
 
 		if err != nil {
-			if !errors.Is(err, io.EOF) { // not a plugin shutdown request
-				r.setErr(fmt.Errorf("failed to decode json response: %w", err))
-			}
+			r.setErr(fmt.Errorf("failed to read json response: %w", err))
 
 			return
 		}