diff --git a/src/transport/middle_proxy/reader.rs b/src/transport/middle_proxy/reader.rs
index aec55cd..9eaaa3f 100644
--- a/src/transport/middle_proxy/reader.rs
+++ b/src/transport/middle_proxy/reader.rs
@@ -23,6 +23,48 @@ use super::codec::{RpcChecksumMode, WriterCommand, rpc_crc};
 use super::registry::RouteResult;
 use super::{ConnRegistry, MeResponse};
 
+const DATA_ROUTE_MAX_ATTEMPTS: usize = 3;
+
+fn should_close_on_route_result_for_data(result: RouteResult) -> bool {
+    !matches!(result, RouteResult::Routed)
+}
+
+fn should_close_on_route_result_for_ack(result: RouteResult) -> bool {
+    matches!(result, RouteResult::NoConn | RouteResult::ChannelClosed)
+}
+
+async fn route_data_with_retry(
+    reg: &ConnRegistry,
+    conn_id: u64,
+    flags: u32,
+    data: Bytes,
+    timeout_ms: u64,
+) -> RouteResult {
+    let mut attempt = 0usize;
+    loop {
+        let routed = reg
+            .route_with_timeout(
+                conn_id,
+                MeResponse::Data {
+                    flags,
+                    data: data.clone(),
+                },
+                timeout_ms,
+            )
+            .await;
+        match routed {
+            RouteResult::QueueFullBase | RouteResult::QueueFullHigh => {
+                attempt = attempt.saturating_add(1);
+                if attempt >= DATA_ROUTE_MAX_ATTEMPTS {
+                    return routed;
+                }
+                tokio::task::yield_now().await;
+            }
+            _ => return routed,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 pub(crate) async fn reader_loop(
     mut rd: tokio::io::ReadHalf<TcpStream>,
     dk: [u8; 32],
@@ -127,10 +169,8 @@ pub(crate) async fn reader_loop(
                 trace!(cid, flags, len = data.len(), "RPC_PROXY_ANS");
 
                 let route_wait_ms = reader_route_data_wait_ms.load(Ordering::Relaxed);
-                let routed = reg
-                    .route_with_timeout(cid, MeResponse::Data { flags, data }, route_wait_ms)
-                    .await;
-                if !matches!(routed, RouteResult::Routed) {
+                let routed = route_data_with_retry(reg.as_ref(), cid, flags, data, route_wait_ms).await;
+                if should_close_on_route_result_for_data(routed) {
                     match routed {
                         RouteResult::NoConn => stats.increment_me_route_drop_no_conn(),
                         RouteResult::ChannelClosed => {
@@ -171,8 +211,10 @@ pub(crate) async fn reader_loop(
                         }
                         RouteResult::Routed => {}
                     }
-                    reg.unregister(cid).await;
-                    send_close_conn(&tx, cid).await;
+                    if should_close_on_route_result_for_ack(routed) {
+                        reg.unregister(cid).await;
+                        send_close_conn(&tx, cid).await;
+                    }
                 }
             } else if pt == RPC_CLOSE_EXT_U32 && body.len() >= 8 {
                 let cid = u64::from_le_bytes(body[0..8].try_into().unwrap());
@@ -243,6 +285,71 @@ pub(crate) async fn reader_loop(
     }
 }
 
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use bytes::Bytes;
+
+    use crate::transport::middle_proxy::ConnRegistry;
+
+    use super::{
+        MeResponse, RouteResult, route_data_with_retry, should_close_on_route_result_for_ack,
+        should_close_on_route_result_for_data,
+    };
+
+    #[test]
+    fn data_route_failure_always_closes_session() {
+        assert!(!should_close_on_route_result_for_data(RouteResult::Routed));
+        assert!(should_close_on_route_result_for_data(RouteResult::NoConn));
+        assert!(should_close_on_route_result_for_data(RouteResult::ChannelClosed));
+        assert!(should_close_on_route_result_for_data(RouteResult::QueueFullBase));
+        assert!(should_close_on_route_result_for_data(RouteResult::QueueFullHigh));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn ack_queue_full_is_soft_dropped_without_forced_close() {
+        assert!(!should_close_on_route_result_for_ack(RouteResult::Routed));
+        assert!(!should_close_on_route_result_for_ack(RouteResult::QueueFullBase));
+        assert!(!should_close_on_route_result_for_ack(RouteResult::QueueFullHigh));
+        assert!(should_close_on_route_result_for_ack(RouteResult::NoConn));
+        assert!(should_close_on_route_result_for_ack(RouteResult::ChannelClosed));
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn route_data_with_retry_returns_routed_when_channel_has_capacity() {
+        let reg = ConnRegistry::with_route_channel_capacity(1);
+        let (conn_id, mut rx) = reg.register().await;
+
+        let routed =
+            route_data_with_retry(&reg, conn_id, 0, Bytes::from_static(b"a"), 20).await;
+        assert!(matches!(routed, RouteResult::Routed));
+        match rx.recv().await {
+            Some(MeResponse::Data { flags, data }) => {
+                assert_eq!(flags, 0);
+                assert_eq!(data, Bytes::from_static(b"a"));
+            }
+            other => panic!("expected routed data response, got {other:?}"),
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn route_data_with_retry_stops_after_bounded_attempts() {
+        let reg = ConnRegistry::with_route_channel_capacity(1);
+        let (conn_id, _rx) = reg.register().await;
+
+        assert!(matches!(
+            reg.route_nowait(conn_id, MeResponse::Ack(1)).await,
+            RouteResult::Routed
+        ));
+
+        let routed =
+            route_data_with_retry(&reg, conn_id, 0, Bytes::from_static(b"a"), 0).await;
+        assert!(matches!(
+            routed,
+            RouteResult::QueueFullBase | RouteResult::QueueFullHigh
+        ));
+    }
+}
+
 async fn send_close_conn(tx: &mpsc::Sender<WriterCommand>, conn_id: u64) {
     let mut p = Vec::with_capacity(12);
     p.extend_from_slice(&RPC_CLOSE_CONN_U32.to_le_bytes());