diff --git a/ansible_mitogen/services.py b/ansible_mitogen/services.py
index 952e991a..15c1e8b0 100644
--- a/ansible_mitogen/services.py
+++ b/ansible_mitogen/services.py
@@ -380,6 +380,12 @@ class ContextService(mitogen.service.Service):
 
         return latch
 
+    disconnect_msg = (
+        'Channel was disconnected while connection attempt was in progress; '
+        'this may be caused by an abnormal Ansible exit, or due to an '
+        'unreliable target.'
+    )
+
     @mitogen.service.expose(mitogen.service.AllowParents())
     @mitogen.service.arg_spec({
         'stack': list
@@ -407,6 +413,13 @@ class ContextService(mitogen.service.Service):
                 if isinstance(result, tuple):  # exc_info()
                     reraise(*result)
                 via = result['context']
+            except mitogen.core.ChannelError:
+                return {
+                    'context': None,
+                    'init_child_result': None,
+                    'method_name': spec['method'],
+                    'msg': self.disconnect_msg,
+                }
             except mitogen.core.StreamError as e:
                 return {
                     'context': None,