diff --git a/src/emqx_connection.erl b/src/emqx_connection.erl
index 41a343002..69ffddf06 100644
--- a/src/emqx_connection.erl
+++ b/src/emqx_connection.erl
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@
         ]).
 
 %% Internal callback
--export([wakeup_from_hib/2]).
+-export([wakeup_from_hib/2, recvloop/2]).
 
 %% Export for CT
 -export([set_field/3]).
@@ -284,15 +284,22 @@ recvloop(Parent, State = #state{idle_timeout = IdleTimeout}) ->
 handle_recv({system, From, Request}, Parent, State) ->
     sys:handle_system_msg(Request, From, Parent, ?MODULE, [], State);
 handle_recv({'EXIT', Parent, Reason}, Parent, State) ->
+    %% FIXME: it's not trapping exit, should never receive an EXIT
     terminate(Reason, State);
 handle_recv(Msg, Parent, State = #state{idle_timeout = IdleTimeout}) ->
-    process_msg([Msg], Parent, ensure_stats_timer(IdleTimeout, State)).
+    case process_msg([Msg], ensure_stats_timer(IdleTimeout, State)) of
+        {ok, NewState} ->
+            ?MODULE:recvloop(Parent, NewState);
+        {stop, Reason, NewSate} ->
+            terminate(Reason, NewSate)
+    end.
 
 hibernate(Parent, State) ->
     proc_lib:hibernate(?MODULE, wakeup_from_hib, [Parent, State]).
 
 %% Maybe do something here later.
-wakeup_from_hib(Parent, State) -> recvloop(Parent, State).
+wakeup_from_hib(Parent, State) ->
+    ?MODULE:recvloop(Parent, State).
 
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
 %% Ensure/cancel stats timer
@@ -311,22 +318,31 @@ cancel_stats_timer(State) -> State.
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
 %% Process next Msg
 
-process_msg([], Parent, State) -> recvloop(Parent, State);
-
-process_msg([Msg|More], Parent, State) ->
-    case catch handle_msg(Msg, State) of
-        ok ->
-            process_msg(More, Parent, State);
-        {ok, NState} ->
-            process_msg(More, Parent, NState);
-        {ok, Msgs, NState} ->
-            process_msg(append_msg(More, Msgs), Parent, NState);
-        {stop, Reason} ->
-            terminate(Reason, State);
-        {stop, Reason, NState} ->
-            terminate(Reason, NState);
-        {'EXIT', Reason} ->
-            terminate(Reason, State)
+process_msg([], State) ->
+    {ok, State};
+process_msg([Msg|More], State) ->
+    try
+        case handle_msg(Msg, State) of
+            ok ->
+                process_msg(More, State);
+            {ok, NState} ->
+                process_msg(More, NState);
+            {ok, Msgs, NState} ->
+                process_msg(append_msg(More, Msgs), NState);
+            {stop, Reason, NState} ->
+                {stop, Reason, NState}
+        end
+    catch
+        exit : normal ->
+            {stop, normal, State};
+        exit : shutdown ->
+            {stop, shutdown, State};
+        exit : {shutdown, _} = Shutdown ->
+            {stop, Shutdown, State};
+        Exception : Context : Stack ->
+            {stop, #{exception => Exception,
+                     context => Context,
+                     stacktrace => Stack}, State}
     end.
 
 -compile({inline, [append_msg/2]}).
@@ -450,18 +466,37 @@ handle_msg(Msg, State) ->
 -spec terminate(any(), state()) -> no_return().
 terminate(Reason, State = #state{channel = Channel, transport = Transport,
           socket = Socket}) ->
-    ?tp(debug, terminate, #{reason => Reason}),
-    Channel1 = emqx_channel:set_conn_state(disconnected, Channel),
-    emqx_congestion:cancel_alarms(Socket, Transport, Channel1),
-    emqx_channel:terminate(Reason, Channel1),
+    try
+        Channel1 = emqx_channel:set_conn_state(disconnected, Channel),
+        emqx_congestion:cancel_alarms(Socket, Transport, Channel1),
+        emqx_channel:terminate(Reason, Channel1),
+        close_socket_ok(State)
+    catch
+        E : C : S ->
+            ?tp(warning, unclean_terminate, #{exception => E, context => C, stacktrace => S})
+    end,
+    ?tp(debug, terminate, #{}),
+    maybe_raise_excption(Reason).
+
+%% close socket, discard new state, always return ok.
+close_socket_ok(State) ->
     _ = close_socket(State),
+    ok.
+
+%% tell truth about the original exception
+maybe_raise_excption(#{exception := Exception,
+                       context := Context,
+                       stacktrace := Stacktrace
+                      }) ->
+    erlang:raise(Exception, Context, Stacktrace);
+maybe_raise_excption(Reason) ->
     exit(Reason).
 
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
 %% Sys callbacks
 
 system_continue(Parent, _Debug, State) ->
-    recvloop(Parent, State).
+    ?MODULE:recvloop(Parent, State).
 
 system_terminate(Reason, _Parent, _Debug, State) ->
     terminate(Reason, State).