diff --git a/batch.go b/batch.go
index c5b1d32d..ca77dd6d 100644
--- a/batch.go
+++ b/batch.go
@@ -90,10 +90,6 @@ func (b *Batch) Send(ctx context.Context) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if err := b.conn.ensureConnectionReadyForQuery(); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
 	batch := &pgconn.Batch{}
 
 	for _, bi := range b.items {
diff --git a/conn.go b/conn.go
index 1609344e..78716cdf 100644
--- a/conn.go
+++ b/conn.go
@@ -78,9 +78,8 @@ type Conn struct {
 	status       byte // One of connStatus* constants
 	causeOfDeath error
 
-	pendingReadyForQueryCount int // number of ReadyForQuery messages expected
-	cancelQueryCompleted      chan struct{}
-	lastStmtSent              bool
+	cancelQueryCompleted chan struct{}
+	lastStmtSent         bool
 
 	// context support
 	ctxInProgress bool
@@ -498,10 +497,6 @@ func (c *Conn) PrepareEx(ctx context.Context, name, sql string, opts *PrepareExO
 		}
 	}
 
-	if err := c.ensureConnectionReadyForQuery(); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
 	if c.shouldLog(LogLevelError) {
 		defer func() {
 			if err != nil {
@@ -569,10 +564,6 @@ func (c *Conn) deallocateContext(ctx context.Context, name string) (err error) {
 		err = c.termContext(err)
 	}()
 
-	if err := c.ensureConnectionReadyForQuery(); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
 	delete(c.preparedStatements, name)
 
 	_, err = c.pgConn.Exec(ctx, "deallocate "+quoteIdentifier(name)).ReadAll()
@@ -635,8 +626,6 @@ func (c *Conn) processContextFreeMsg(msg pgproto3.BackendMessage) (err error) {
 	switch msg := msg.(type) {
 	case *pgproto3.ErrorResponse:
 		return c.rxErrorResponse(msg)
-	case *pgproto3.ReadyForQuery:
-		c.rxReadyForQuery(msg)
 	}
 
 	return nil
@@ -670,10 +659,6 @@ func (c *Conn) rxErrorResponse(msg *pgproto3.ErrorResponse) *pgconn.PgError {
 	return err
 }
 
-func (c *Conn) rxReadyForQuery(msg *pgproto3.ReadyForQuery) {
-	c.pendingReadyForQueryCount--
-}
-
 func (c *Conn) rxRowDescription(msg *pgproto3.RowDescription) []FieldDescription {
 	fields := make([]FieldDescription, len(msg.Fields))
 	for i := 0; i < len(fields); i++ {
@@ -872,7 +857,7 @@ func (c *Conn) WaitUntilReady(ctx context.Context) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	return c.ensureConnectionReadyForQuery()
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (c *Conn) waitForPreviousCancelQuery(ctx context.Context) error {
@@ -891,30 +876,6 @@ func (c *Conn) waitForPreviousCancelQuery(ctx context.Context) error {
 	}
 }
 
-func (c *Conn) ensureConnectionReadyForQuery() error {
-	for c.pendingReadyForQueryCount > 0 {
-		msg, err := c.pgConn.ReceiveMessage()
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-
-		switch msg := msg.(type) {
-		case *pgproto3.ErrorResponse:
-			pgErr := c.rxErrorResponse(msg)
-			if pgErr.Severity == "FATAL" {
-				return pgErr
-			}
-		default:
-			err = c.processContextFreeMsg(msg)
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-		}
-	}
-
-	return nil
-}
-
 func connInfoFromRows(rows *Rows, err error) (map[string]pgtype.OID, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -964,10 +925,6 @@ func (c *Conn) Exec(ctx context.Context, sql string, arguments ...interface{}) (
 	}
 	defer c.unlock()
 
-	if err := c.ensureConnectionReadyForQuery(); err != nil {
-		return "", err
-	}
-
 	startTime := time.Now()
 
 	commandTag, err := c.exec(ctx, sql, arguments...)
diff --git a/fastpath.go b/fastpath.go
index bee0dd0a..a6a4de8a 100644
--- a/fastpath.go
+++ b/fastpath.go
@@ -52,10 +52,6 @@ func fpInt64Arg(n int64) fpArg {
 }
 
 func (f *fastpath) Call(oid pgtype.OID, args []fpArg) (res []byte, err error) {
-	if err := f.cn.ensureConnectionReadyForQuery(); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
 	buf := f.cn.wbuf
 	buf = append(buf, 'F') // function call
 	sp := len(buf)
@@ -76,8 +72,6 @@ func (f *fastpath) Call(oid pgtype.OID, args []fpArg) (res []byte, err error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	f.cn.pendingReadyForQueryCount++
-
 	for {
 		msg, err := f.cn.pgConn.ReceiveMessage()
 		if err != nil {
@@ -88,7 +82,6 @@ func (f *fastpath) Call(oid pgtype.OID, args []fpArg) (res []byte, err error) {
 			res = make([]byte, len(msg.Result))
 			copy(res, msg.Result)
 		case *pgproto3.ReadyForQuery:
-			f.cn.rxReadyForQuery(msg)
 			// done
 			return res, err
 		default:
diff --git a/query.go b/query.go
index ec48db9b..0ba075d6 100644
--- a/query.go
+++ b/query.go
@@ -361,11 +361,6 @@ func (c *Conn) QueryEx(ctx context.Context, sql string, options *QueryExOptions,
 		return rows, err
 	}
 
-	if err := c.ensureConnectionReadyForQuery(); err != nil {
-		rows.fatal(err)
-		return rows, err
-	}
-
 	if err := c.lock(); err != nil {
 		rows.fatal(err)
 		return rows, err