diff --git a/test-rpc-server/rpc-message.js b/test-rpc-server/rpc-message.js
index 051ef02..40ad3ee 100644
--- a/test-rpc-server/rpc-message.js
+++ b/test-rpc-server/rpc-message.js
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ class RpcMessage {
         } catch(e) {
             console.log(`failed to parse "${msg}"`);
             console.error(e);
-            return {};
+            return {opcode: OPCODES.CLOSE, message: e.message};
         }
     }
 };
diff --git a/test-rpc-server/rpc-server.js b/test-rpc-server/rpc-server.js
index c10ef43..2a0f450 100644
--- a/test-rpc-server/rpc-server.js
+++ b/test-rpc-server/rpc-server.js
@@ -51,9 +51,11 @@ replServer.defineCommand('kill', {
     who = parseInt(who, 10);
     const sock = global.connections[who];
     if (sock) {
+        console.log('killing', who);
         sock.write(RpcMessage.sendClose(123, 'killed'));
-        sock.end();
+        sock.destroy();
     }
     this.displayPrompt();
   }
 });
+