diff --git a/binaries/geph5-bridge/src/listen_forward.rs b/binaries/geph5-bridge/src/listen_forward.rs
index 63804a3..034b3ce 100644
--- a/binaries/geph5-bridge/src/listen_forward.rs
+++ b/binaries/geph5-bridge/src/listen_forward.rs
@@ -160,7 +160,10 @@ async fn dial_pooled(b2e_dest: SocketAddr, metadata: &[u8]) -> anyhow::Result<pi
     });
     let pool = POOLS
         .try_get_with(b2e_dest, async {
-            let pool = SinglePool::create(b2e_dest).await?;
+            let pool = SinglePool::create(b2e_dest)
+                .timeout(Duration::from_secs(1))
+                .await
+                .context("timed out creating pool")??;
             tracing::info!(b2e_dest = display(b2e_dest), "**** created a NEW pool ****");
             anyhow::Ok(Arc::new(pool))
         })
@@ -168,23 +171,27 @@ async fn dial_pooled(b2e_dest: SocketAddr, metadata: &[u8]) -> anyhow::Result<pi
         .map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!(e))?;
     let stream = pool
         .connect(metadata)
+        .timeout(Duration::from_secs(1))
         .await
+        .context("timeout connecting through pool")?
         .context(format!("cannot open through mux, b2e_dest={b2e_dest}"))?;
     Ok(stream)
 }
 
 struct SinglePool {
     send: Sender<(Vec<u8>, oneshot::Sender<Stream>)>,
-
+    live_count: Arc<AtomicUsize>,
     _tasks: Vec<smol::Task<()>>,
 }
 
 impl SinglePool {
     pub async fn create(dest: SocketAddr) -> anyhow::Result<Self> {
         let (send, recv) = async_channel::bounded(100);
+        let live_count = Arc::new(AtomicUsize::new(0));
         let mut tasks = vec![];
         for _ in 0..32 {
             let recv = recv.clone();
+            let live_count = live_count.clone();
             let task = smolscale::spawn(async move {
                 loop {
                     let conn = sillad::tcp::TcpDialer { dest_addr: dest }.dial().await;
@@ -192,6 +199,10 @@ impl SinglePool {
                         let (read, write) = conn.split();
                         let mux = PicoMux::new(read, write);
                         let recv = recv.clone();
+                        live_count.fetch_add(1, Ordering::Relaxed);
+                        scopeguard::defer!({
+                            live_count.fetch_sub(1, Ordering::Relaxed);
+                        });
                         if let Err(err) = remote_once(recv.clone(), &mux).await {
                             tracing::error!(dest = display(dest), "remote_once error: {}", err);
                         }
@@ -203,12 +214,15 @@ impl SinglePool {
         }
         Ok(Self {
             send,
-
+            live_count,
             _tasks: tasks,
         })
     }
 
     pub async fn connect(&self, metadata: &[u8]) -> anyhow::Result<Stream> {
+        if self.live_count.load(Ordering::Relaxed) == 0 {
+            anyhow::bail!("no live workers")
+        }
         let (back, front) = oneshot::channel();
         self.send
             .send((metadata.to_vec(), back))