diff --git a/merkledag/merkledag.go b/merkledag/merkledag.go
index 552fc068d..aebc370ad 100644
--- a/merkledag/merkledag.go
+++ b/merkledag/merkledag.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package merkledag
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"sync"
 
 	blocks "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/blocks"
 	key "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/blocks/key"
@@ -24,7 +25,7 @@ type DAGService interface {
 
 	// GetDAG returns, in order, all the single leve child
 	// nodes of the passed in node.
-	GetMany(context.Context, []key.Key) (<-chan *Node, <-chan error)
+	GetMany(context.Context, []key.Key) <-chan *NodeOption
 
 	Batch() *Batch
 }
@@ -145,9 +146,13 @@ func FindLinks(links []key.Key, k key.Key, start int) []int {
 	return out
 }
 
-func (ds *dagService) GetMany(ctx context.Context, keys []key.Key) (<-chan *Node, <-chan error) {
-	out := make(chan *Node, len(keys))
-	errs := make(chan error, 1)
+type NodeOption struct {
+	Node *Node
+	Err  error
+}
+
+func (ds *dagService) GetMany(ctx context.Context, keys []key.Key) <-chan *NodeOption {
+	out := make(chan *NodeOption, len(keys))
 	blocks := ds.Blocks.GetBlocks(ctx, keys)
 	var count int
 
@@ -158,27 +163,27 @@ func (ds *dagService) GetMany(ctx context.Context, keys []key.Key) (<-chan *Node
 			case b, ok := <-blocks:
 				if !ok {
 					if count != len(keys) {
-						errs <- fmt.Errorf("failed to fetch all nodes")
+						out <- &NodeOption{Err: fmt.Errorf("failed to fetch all nodes")}
 					}
 					return
 				}
 				nd, err := Decoded(b.Data)
 				if err != nil {
-					errs <- err
+					out <- &NodeOption{Err: err}
 					return
 				}
 
 				// buffered, no need to select
-				out <- nd
+				out <- &NodeOption{Node: nd}
 				count++
 
 			case <-ctx.Done():
-				errs <- ctx.Err()
+				out <- &NodeOption{Err: ctx.Err()}
 				return
 			}
 		}
 	}()
-	return out, errs
+	return out
 }
 
 // GetDAG will fill out all of the links of the given Node.
@@ -213,15 +218,22 @@ func GetNodes(ctx context.Context, ds DAGService, keys []key.Key) []NodeGetter {
 		ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
 		defer cancel()
 
-		nodechan, errchan := ds.GetMany(ctx, dedupedKeys)
+		nodechan := ds.GetMany(ctx, dedupedKeys)
 
 		for count := 0; count < len(keys); {
 			select {
-			case nd, ok := <-nodechan:
+			case opt, ok := <-nodechan:
 				if !ok {
 					return
 				}
 
+				if opt.Err != nil {
+					log.Error("error fetching: ", opt.Err)
+					return
+				}
+
+				nd := opt.Node
+
 				k, err := nd.Key()
 				if err != nil {
 					log.Error("Failed to get node key: ", err)
@@ -233,9 +245,6 @@ func GetNodes(ctx context.Context, ds DAGService, keys []key.Key) []NodeGetter {
 					count++
 					sendChans[i] <- nd
 				}
-			case err := <-errchan:
-				log.Error("error fetching: ", err)
-				return
 			case <-ctx.Done():
 				return
 			}
@@ -356,24 +365,30 @@ func EnumerateChildren(ctx context.Context, ds DAGService, root *Node, set key.K
 
 func EnumerateChildrenAsync(ctx context.Context, ds DAGService, root *Node, set key.KeySet) error {
 	toprocess := make(chan []key.Key, 8)
-	nodes := make(chan *Node, 8)
-	errs := make(chan error, 1)
+	nodes := make(chan *NodeOption, 8)
 
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
 	defer cancel()
 	defer close(toprocess)
 
-	go fetchNodes(ctx, ds, toprocess, nodes, errs)
+	go fetchNodes(ctx, ds, toprocess, nodes)
 
-	nodes <- root
+	nodes <- &NodeOption{Node: root}
 	live := 1
 
 	for {
 		select {
-		case nd, ok := <-nodes:
+		case opt, ok := <-nodes:
 			if !ok {
 				return nil
 			}
+
+			if opt.Err != nil {
+				return opt.Err
+			}
+
+			nd := opt.Node
+
 			// a node has been fetched
 			live--
 
@@ -398,38 +413,35 @@ func EnumerateChildrenAsync(ctx context.Context, ds DAGService, root *Node, set
 					return ctx.Err()
 				}
 			}
-		case err := <-errs:
-			return err
 		case <-ctx.Done():
 			return ctx.Err()
 		}
 	}
 }
 
-func fetchNodes(ctx context.Context, ds DAGService, in <-chan []key.Key, out chan<- *Node, errs chan<- error) {
-	defer close(out)
+func fetchNodes(ctx context.Context, ds DAGService, in <-chan []key.Key, out chan<- *NodeOption) {
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
+	defer func() {
+		// wait for all 'get' calls to complete so we don't accidentally send
+		// on a closed channel
+		wg.Wait()
+		close(out)
+	}()
 
 	get := func(ks []key.Key) {
-		nodes, errch := ds.GetMany(ctx, ks)
-		for {
+		defer wg.Done()
+		nodes := ds.GetMany(ctx, ks)
+		for opt := range nodes {
 			select {
-			case nd, ok := <-nodes:
-				if !ok {
-					return
-				}
-				select {
-				case out <- nd:
-				case <-ctx.Done():
-					return
-				}
-			case err := <-errch:
-				errs <- err
+			case out <- opt:
+			case <-ctx.Done():
 				return
 			}
 		}
 	}
 
 	for ks := range in {
+		wg.Add(1)
 		go get(ks)
 	}
 }