diff --git a/swarm/src/connection.rs b/swarm/src/connection.rs
index d613b4cb..c058833d 100644
--- a/swarm/src/connection.rs
+++ b/swarm/src/connection.rs
@@ -116,28 +116,42 @@ where
         (self.handler.into_protocols_handler(), self.muxing.close().0)
     }
 
-    /// Polls the connection for events produced by the associated handler
-    /// as a result of I/O activity on the substream multiplexer.
+    /// Polls the handler and the substream, forwarding events from the former to the latter and
+    /// vice versa.
     pub fn poll(
         mut self: Pin<&mut Self>,
         cx: &mut Context<'_>,
     ) -> Poll<Result<Event<THandler::OutEvent>, ConnectionError<THandler::Error>>> {
         loop {
-            let mut io_pending = false;
+            // Poll the handler for new events.
+            match self.handler.poll(cx) {
+                Poll::Pending => {}
+                Poll::Ready(Ok(handler_wrapper::Event::OutboundSubstreamRequest(user_data))) => {
+                    self.muxing.open_substream(user_data);
+                    continue;
+                }
+                Poll::Ready(Ok(handler_wrapper::Event::Custom(event))) => {
+                    return Poll::Ready(Ok(Event::Handler(event)));
+                }
+                Poll::Ready(Err(err)) => return Poll::Ready(Err(err.into())),
+            }
 
             // Perform I/O on the connection through the muxer, informing the handler
             // of new substreams.
             match self.muxing.poll(cx) {
-                Poll::Pending => io_pending = true,
-                Poll::Ready(Ok(SubstreamEvent::InboundSubstream { substream })) => self
-                    .handler
-                    .inject_substream(substream, SubstreamEndpoint::Listener),
+                Poll::Pending => {}
+                Poll::Ready(Ok(SubstreamEvent::InboundSubstream { substream })) => {
+                    self.handler
+                        .inject_substream(substream, SubstreamEndpoint::Listener);
+                    continue;
+                }
                 Poll::Ready(Ok(SubstreamEvent::OutboundSubstream {
                     user_data,
                     substream,
                 })) => {
                     let endpoint = SubstreamEndpoint::Dialer(user_data);
-                    self.handler.inject_substream(substream, endpoint)
+                    self.handler.inject_substream(substream, endpoint);
+                    continue;
                 }
                 Poll::Ready(Ok(SubstreamEvent::AddressChange(address))) => {
                     self.handler.inject_address_change(&address);
@@ -146,21 +160,7 @@ where
                 Poll::Ready(Err(err)) => return Poll::Ready(Err(ConnectionError::IO(err))),
             }
 
-            // Poll the handler for new events.
-            match self.handler.poll(cx) {
-                Poll::Pending => {
-                    if io_pending {
-                        return Poll::Pending; // Nothing to do
-                    }
-                }
-                Poll::Ready(Ok(handler_wrapper::Event::OutboundSubstreamRequest(user_data))) => {
-                    self.muxing.open_substream(user_data);
-                }
-                Poll::Ready(Ok(handler_wrapper::Event::Custom(event))) => {
-                    return Poll::Ready(Ok(Event::Handler(event)));
-                }
-                Poll::Ready(Err(err)) => return Poll::Ready(Err(err.into())),
-            }
+            return Poll::Pending;
         }
     }
 }