diff --git a/pgconn/pgconn.go b/pgconn/pgconn.go
index 9661f99e..e22a0de8 100644
--- a/pgconn/pgconn.go
+++ b/pgconn/pgconn.go
@@ -586,39 +586,6 @@ func (pgConn *PgConn) flush() error {
 	return err
 }
 
-// contextDoneToConnDeadline starts a goroutine that will set an immediate deadline on conn after reading from
-// ctx.Done(). The returned cleanup function must be called to terminate this goroutine. The cleanup function is safe to
-// call multiple times.
-func contextDoneToConnDeadline(ctx context.Context, conn net.Conn) (cleanup func()) {
-	if ctx.Done() != nil {
-		deadlineWasSet := false
-		doneChan := make(chan struct{})
-		go func() {
-			select {
-			case <-ctx.Done():
-				conn.SetDeadline(deadlineTime)
-				deadlineWasSet = true
-				<-doneChan
-				// TODO
-			case <-doneChan:
-			}
-		}()
-
-		finished := false
-		return func() {
-			if !finished {
-				doneChan <- struct{}{}
-				if deadlineWasSet {
-					conn.SetDeadline(time.Time{})
-				}
-				finished = true
-			}
-		}
-	}
-
-	return func() {}
-}
-
 // preferContextOverNetTimeoutError returns ctx.Err() if ctx.Err() is present and err is a net.Error with Timeout() ==
 // true. Otherwise returns err.
 func preferContextOverNetTimeoutError(ctx context.Context, err error) error {
@@ -670,6 +637,54 @@ func (pgConn *PgConn) RecoverFromTimeout(ctx context.Context) bool {
 	return true
 }
 
+// startOperation gets the connection ready for a new operation. It should be called at the beginning of every public
+// method that communicates with the server. The returned cleanup function must be called if err == nil or a goroutine may
+// be leaked. The cleanup function is safe to call multiple times.
+func (pgConn *PgConn) startOperation(ctx context.Context) (cleanup func(), err error) {
+	cleanup = contextDoneToConnDeadline(ctx, pgConn.conn)
+
+	err = pgConn.ensureReadyForQuery()
+	if err != nil {
+		cleanup()
+		return cleanup, preferContextOverNetTimeoutError(ctx, err)
+	}
+
+	return cleanup, nil
+}
+
+// contextDoneToConnDeadline starts a goroutine that will set an immediate deadline on conn after reading from
+// ctx.Done(). The returned cleanup function must be called to terminate this goroutine. The cleanup function is safe to
+// call multiple times.
+func contextDoneToConnDeadline(ctx context.Context, conn net.Conn) (cleanup func()) {
+	if ctx.Done() != nil {
+		deadlineWasSet := false
+		doneChan := make(chan struct{})
+		go func() {
+			select {
+			case <-ctx.Done():
+				conn.SetDeadline(deadlineTime)
+				deadlineWasSet = true
+				<-doneChan
+				// TODO
+			case <-doneChan:
+			}
+		}()
+
+		finished := false
+		return func() {
+			if !finished {
+				doneChan <- struct{}{}
+				if deadlineWasSet {
+					conn.SetDeadline(time.Time{})
+				}
+				finished = true
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	return func() {}
+}
+
 // ensureReadyForQuery reads until pendingReadyForQueryCount == 0.
 func (pgConn *PgConn) ensureReadyForQuery() error {
 	for pgConn.pendingReadyForQueryCount > 0 {
@@ -706,13 +721,11 @@ func (pgConn *PgConn) Exec(ctx context.Context, sql string) (*PgResult, error) {
 		return nil, errors.New("unflushed previous sends")
 	}
 
-	cleanup := contextDoneToConnDeadline(ctx, pgConn.conn)
-	defer cleanup()
-
-	err := pgConn.ensureReadyForQuery()
+	cleanup, err := pgConn.startOperation(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, preferContextOverNetTimeoutError(ctx, err)
+		return nil, err
 	}
+	defer cleanup()
 
 	pgConn.SendExec(sql)
 	err = pgConn.flush()
@@ -762,13 +775,11 @@ func (pgConn *PgConn) ExecParams(ctx context.Context, sql string, paramValues []
 		return nil, errors.New("unflushed previous sends")
 	}
 
-	cleanup := contextDoneToConnDeadline(ctx, pgConn.conn)
-	defer cleanup()
-
-	err := pgConn.ensureReadyForQuery()
+	cleanup, err := pgConn.startOperation(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, preferContextOverNetTimeoutError(ctx, err)
+		return nil, err
 	}
+	defer cleanup()
 
 	pgConn.SendExecParams(sql, paramValues, paramOIDs, paramFormats, resultFormats)
 	err = pgConn.flush()
@@ -788,13 +799,11 @@ func (pgConn *PgConn) ExecPrepared(ctx context.Context, stmtName string, paramVa
 		return nil, errors.New("unflushed previous sends")
 	}
 
-	cleanup := contextDoneToConnDeadline(ctx, pgConn.conn)
-	defer cleanup()
-
-	err := pgConn.ensureReadyForQuery()
+	cleanup, err := pgConn.startOperation(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, preferContextOverNetTimeoutError(ctx, err)
+		return nil, err
 	}
+	defer cleanup()
 
 	pgConn.SendExecPrepared(stmtName, paramValues, paramFormats, resultFormats)
 	err = pgConn.flush()
@@ -840,13 +849,11 @@ func (pgConn *PgConn) Prepare(ctx context.Context, name, sql string, paramOIDs [
 		return nil, errors.New("unflushed previous sends")
 	}
 
-	cleanup := contextDoneToConnDeadline(ctx, pgConn.conn)
-	defer cleanup()
-
-	err := pgConn.ensureReadyForQuery()
+	cleanup, err := pgConn.startOperation(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, preferContextOverNetTimeoutError(ctx, err)
+		return nil, err
 	}
+	defer cleanup()
 
 	pgConn.batchBuf = (&pgproto3.Parse{Name: name, Query: sql, ParameterOIDs: paramOIDs}).Encode(pgConn.batchBuf)
 	pgConn.batchBuf = (&pgproto3.Describe{ObjectType: 'S', Name: name}).Encode(pgConn.batchBuf)