diff --git a/privval/signer_dialer_endpoint.go b/privval/signer_dialer_endpoint.go
index e9bf80234..5dbf6fe7e 100644
--- a/privval/signer_dialer_endpoint.go
+++ b/privval/signer_dialer_endpoint.go
@@ -104,13 +104,7 @@ func (sd *SignerDialerEndpoint) Close() error {
 	defer sd.mtx.Unlock()
 	sd.Logger.Debug("SignerDialerEndpoint: Close")
 
-	if sd.conn != nil {
-		if err := sd.conn.Close(); err != nil {
-			sd.Logger.Error("OnStop", "err", cmn.ErrorWrap(err, "closing listener failed"))
-			sd.conn = nil
-		}
-	}
-
+	sd.dropConnection()
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -121,7 +115,35 @@ func (sd *SignerDialerEndpoint) IsConnected() bool {
 	return sd.isConnected()
 }
 
-// IsConnected indicates if there is an active connection
+func (sd *SignerDialerEndpoint) handleRequest() {
+	if !sd.IsRunning() {
+		return // Ignore error from listener closing.
+	}
+
+	sd.Logger.Info("SignerDialerEndpoint: connected", "timeout", sd.timeoutReadWrite)
+
+	req, err := sd.readMessage()
+	if err != nil {
+		if err != io.EOF {
+			sd.Logger.Error("SignerDialerEndpoint handleMessage", "err", err)
+		}
+		return
+	}
+
+	res, err := HandleValidatorRequest(req, sd.chainID, sd.privVal)
+
+	if err != nil {
+		// only log the error; we'll reply with an error in res
+		sd.Logger.Error("handleMessage handleMessage", "err", err)
+	}
+
+	err = sd.writeMessage(res)
+	if err != nil {
+		sd.Logger.Error("handleMessage writeMessage", "err", err)
+		return
+	}
+}
+
 func (sd *SignerDialerEndpoint) isConnected() bool {
 	return sd.IsRunning() && sd.conn != nil
 }
@@ -176,32 +198,12 @@ func (sd *SignerDialerEndpoint) writeMessage(msg RemoteSignerMsg) (err error) {
 	return
 }
 
-func (sd *SignerDialerEndpoint) handleRequest() {
-	if !sd.IsRunning() {
-		return // Ignore error from listener closing.
-	}
-
-	sd.Logger.Info("SignerDialerEndpoint: connected", "timeout", sd.timeoutReadWrite)
-
-	req, err := sd.readMessage()
-	if err != nil {
-		if err != io.EOF {
-			sd.Logger.Error("SignerDialerEndpoint handleMessage", "err", err)
+func (sd *SignerDialerEndpoint) dropConnection() {
+	if sd.conn != nil {
+		if err := sd.conn.Close(); err != nil {
+			sd.Logger.Error("SignerDialerEndpoint::dropConnection", "err", err)
 		}
-		return
-	}
-
-	res, err := HandleValidatorRequest(req, sd.chainID, sd.privVal)
-
-	if err != nil {
-		// only log the error; we'll reply with an error in res
-		sd.Logger.Error("handleMessage handleMessage", "err", err)
-	}
-
-	err = sd.writeMessage(res)
-	if err != nil {
-		sd.Logger.Error("handleMessage writeMessage", "err", err)
-		return
+		sd.conn = nil
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/privval/signer_listener_endpoint.go b/privval/signer_listener_endpoint.go
index 8ce214689..0d411c185 100644
--- a/privval/signer_listener_endpoint.go
+++ b/privval/signer_listener_endpoint.go
@@ -229,6 +229,24 @@ func (sl *SignerListenerEndpoint) ensureConnection(maxWait time.Duration) error
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (sl *SignerListenerEndpoint) acceptNewConnection() (net.Conn, error) {
+	sl.Logger.Debug("SignerListenerEndpoint: AcceptNewConnection")
+
+	if !sl.IsRunning() || sl.listener == nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("endpoint is closing")
+	}
+
+	// wait for a new conn
+	conn, err := sl.listener.Accept()
+	if err != nil {
+		sl.Logger.Debug("listener accept failed", "err", err)
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	sl.Logger.Info("SignerListenerEndpoint: New connection")
+	return conn, nil
+}
+
 func (sl *SignerListenerEndpoint) dropConnection() {
 	if sl.conn != nil {
 		if err := sl.conn.Close(); err != nil {
@@ -275,21 +293,3 @@ func (sl *SignerListenerEndpoint) serviceLoop() {
 		}
 	}
 }
-
-func (sl *SignerListenerEndpoint) acceptNewConnection() (net.Conn, error) {
-	sl.Logger.Debug("SignerListenerEndpoint: AcceptNewConnection")
-
-	if !sl.IsRunning() || sl.listener == nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("endpoint is closing")
-	}
-
-	// wait for a new conn
-	conn, err := sl.listener.Accept()
-	if err != nil {
-		sl.Logger.Debug("listener accept failed", "err", err)
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	sl.Logger.Info("SignerListenerEndpoint: New connection")
-	return conn, nil
-}