diff --git a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_broker.erl b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_broker.erl
index bdb6acd4f..0023beefa 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_broker.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_broker.erl
@@ -275,28 +275,20 @@ aggre(Routes) ->
 -spec(forward(node(), emqx_types:topic(), emqx_types:delivery(), RpcMode::sync | async)
     -> emqx_types:deliver_result()).
 forward(Node, To, Delivery, async) ->
-    case emqx_rpc:cast(To, Node, ?BROKER, dispatch, [To, Delivery]) of
-        true -> emqx_metrics:inc('messages.forward');
-        {badrpc, Reason} ->
-            ?SLOG(error, #{
-                msg => "async_forward_msg_to_node_failed",
-                node => Node,
-                reason => Reason
-            }, #{topic => To}),
-            {error, badrpc}
-    end;
-
+    true = emqx_broker_proto_v1:forward_async(Node, To, Delivery),
+    emqx_metrics:inc('messages.forward');
 forward(Node, To, Delivery, sync) ->
-    case emqx_rpc:call(To, Node, ?BROKER, dispatch, [To, Delivery]) of
-        {badrpc, Reason} ->
+    case emqx_broker_proto_v1:forward(Node, To, Delivery) of
+        {Err, Reason} when Err =:= badrpc; Err =:= badtcp ->
             ?SLOG(error, #{
                 msg => "sync_forward_msg_to_node_failed",
                 node => Node,
-                reason => Reason
+                Err => Reason
             }, #{topic => To}),
             {error, badrpc};
         Result ->
-            emqx_metrics:inc('messages.forward'), Result
+            emqx_metrics:inc('messages.forward'),
+            Result
     end.
 
 -spec(dispatch(emqx_types:topic(), emqx_types:delivery()) -> emqx_types:deliver_result()).
diff --git a/apps/emqx/src/proto/emqx_broker_proto_v1.erl b/apps/emqx/src/proto/emqx_broker_proto_v1.erl
index d5725b8ac..7643fa40b 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/src/proto/emqx_broker_proto_v1.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/src/proto/emqx_broker_proto_v1.erl
@@ -29,10 +29,11 @@
 introduced_in() ->
     "5.0.0".
 
--spec forward(node(), emqx_types:topic(), emqx_types:delivery()) -> emqx_types:deliver_result().
+-spec forward(node(), emqx_types:topic(), emqx_types:delivery()) -> emqx_types:deliver_result()
+                                                                  | emqx_rpc:badrpc().
 forward(Node, Topic, Delivery = #delivery{}) when is_binary(Topic) ->
     emqx_rpc:call(Topic, Node, emqx_broker, dispatch, [Topic, Delivery]).
 
--spec forward_async(node(), emqx_types:topic(), emqx_types:delivery()) -> ok.
+-spec forward_async(node(), emqx_types:topic(), emqx_types:delivery()) -> true.
 forward_async(Node, Topic, Delivery = #delivery{}) when is_binary(Topic) ->
     emqx_rpc:cast(Topic, Node, emqx_broker, dispatch, [Topic, Delivery]).