diff --git a/nbd.c b/nbd.c
index b31b3b2..4c6d7f1 100644
--- a/nbd.c
+++ b/nbd.c
@@ -78,9 +78,6 @@
 
 /* That's all folks */
 
-#define read_sync(fd, buffer, size) nbd_wr_sync(fd, buffer, size, true)
-#define write_sync(fd, buffer, size) nbd_wr_sync(fd, buffer, size, false)
-
 ssize_t nbd_wr_sync(int fd, void *buffer, size_t size, bool do_read)
 {
     size_t offset = 0;
@@ -107,7 +104,7 @@
             err = socket_error();
 
             /* recoverable error */
-            if (err == EINTR || err == EAGAIN) {
+            if (err == EINTR || (offset > 0 && err == EAGAIN)) {
                 continue;
             }
 
@@ -126,6 +123,26 @@
     return offset;
 }
 
+static ssize_t read_sync(int fd, void *buffer, size_t size)
+{
+    /* Sockets are kept in blocking mode in the negotiation phase.  After
+     * that, a non-readable socket simply means that another thread stole
+     * our request/reply.  Synchronization is done with recv_coroutine, so
+     * that this is coroutine-safe.
+     */
+    return nbd_wr_sync(fd, buffer, size, true);
+}
+
+static ssize_t write_sync(int fd, void *buffer, size_t size)
+{
+    int ret;
+    do {
+        /* For writes, we do expect the socket to be writable.  */
+        ret = nbd_wr_sync(fd, buffer, size, false);
+    } while (ret == -EAGAIN);
+    return ret;
+}
+
 static void combine_addr(char *buf, size_t len, const char* address,
                          uint16_t port)
 {
@@ -203,6 +220,7 @@
         [28 .. 151]   reserved (0)
      */
 
+    socket_set_block(csock);
     rc = -EINVAL;
 
     TRACE("Beginning negotiation.");
@@ -222,6 +240,7 @@
     TRACE("Negotiation succeeded.");
     rc = 0;
 fail:
+    socket_set_nonblock(csock);
     return rc;
 }
 
@@ -235,6 +254,7 @@
 
     TRACE("Receiving negotiation.");
 
+    socket_set_block(csock);
     rc = -EINVAL;
 
     if (read_sync(csock, buf, 8) != 8) {
@@ -349,6 +369,7 @@
     rc = 0;
 
 fail:
+    socket_set_nonblock(csock);
     return rc;
 }
 
@@ -742,8 +763,11 @@
     ssize_t rc;
 
     client->recv_coroutine = qemu_coroutine_self();
-    if (nbd_receive_request(csock, request) < 0) {
-        rc = -EIO;
+    rc = nbd_receive_request(csock, request);
+    if (rc < 0) {
+        if (rc != -EAGAIN) {
+            rc = -EIO;
+        }
         goto out;
     }
 
@@ -791,6 +815,9 @@
     TRACE("Reading request.");
 
     ret = nbd_co_receive_request(req, &request);
+    if (ret == -EAGAIN) {
+        goto done;
+    }
     if (ret == -EIO) {
         goto out;
     }
@@ -901,6 +928,7 @@
 
     TRACE("Request/Reply complete");
 
+done:
     nbd_request_put(req);
     return;