diff --git a/graphql/server-test/__tests__/notify-listener.test.ts b/graphql/server-test/__tests__/notify-listener.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5958f9284
--- /dev/null
+++ b/graphql/server-test/__tests__/notify-listener.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+import { Server } from '@constructive-io/graphql-server';
+import { EventEmitter } from 'events';
+import type { PoolClient } from 'pg';
+
+class FakeClient extends EventEmitter {
+  queries: string[] = [];
+  queryResult: Promise<unknown> = Promise.resolve({ rows: [] });
+
+  query(sql: string): Promise<unknown> {
+    this.queries.push(sql);
+    return this.queryResult;
+  }
+}
+
+const asPoolClient = (client: FakeClient): PoolClient => client as unknown as PoolClient;
+
+const createServer = () => {
+  const server = new Server({ pg: { database: 'notify_listener_test' } });
+  const reconnects: number[] = [];
+  jest.spyOn(server, 'addEventListener').mockImplementation(() => {
+    reconnects.push(Date.now());
+  });
+  return { server, reconnects };
+};
+
+describe('notify listener', () => {
+  it('attaches the error handler before issuing the LISTEN', () => {
+    const { server } = createServer();
+    const client = new FakeClient();
+    const listenerCounts: number[] = [];
+    jest.spyOn(client, 'query').mockImplementation((sql: string) => {
+      listenerCounts.push(client.listenerCount('error'));
+      client.queries.push(sql);
+      return Promise.resolve({ rows: [] });
+    });
+
+    server.listenForChanges(null, asPoolClient(client), () => {});
+
+    expect(client.queries).toEqual(['LISTEN "schema:update"']);
+    expect(listenerCounts).toEqual([1]);
+  });
+
+  it('releases and reconnects when the connection drops', () => {
+    const { server, reconnects } = createServer();
+    const client = new FakeClient();
+    let released = 0;
+
+    server.listenForChanges(null, asPoolClient(client), () => {
+      released += 1;
+    });
+    client.emit('error', new Error('Connection terminated unexpectedly'));
+
+    expect(released).toBe(1);
+    expect(reconnects).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(client.listenerCount('error')).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  it('tears down only once when the connection drops repeatedly', () => {
+    const { server, reconnects } = createServer();
+    const client = new FakeClient();
+    let released = 0;
+
+    server.listenForChanges(null, asPoolClient(client), () => {
+      released += 1;
+    });
+    const onError = client.listeners('error')[0] as (e: Error) => void;
+    onError(new Error('first'));
+    onError(new Error('second'));
+
+    expect(released).toBe(1);
+    expect(reconnects).toHaveLength(1);
+  });
+
+  it('observes a failing LISTEN and reconnects', async () => {
+    const { server, reconnects } = createServer();
+    const client = new FakeClient();
+    client.queryResult = Promise.reject(new Error('LISTEN failed'));
+    let released = 0;
+
+    server.listenForChanges(null, asPoolClient(client), () => {
+      released += 1;
+    });
+    await new Promise((resolve) => setImmediate(resolve));
+
+    expect(released).toBe(1);
+    expect(reconnects).toHaveLength(1);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/graphql/server/src/server.ts b/graphql/server/src/server.ts
index 8ddd11c48..ea7f1e94c 100644
--- a/graphql/server/src/server.ts
+++ b/graphql/server/src/server.ts
@@ -267,6 +267,12 @@ class Server {
     this.listenClient = client;
     this.listenRelease = release;
 
+    // Attached before any query is issued: an 'error' event on a Client with no
+    // listener is rethrown by Node and takes the whole process down.
+    client.on('error', (e) => {
+      this.dropListener(client, 'Error with database notify listener', e);
+    });
+
     client.on('notification', ({ channel, payload }) => {
       if (channel === 'schema:update' && payload) {
         log.info('schema:update', payload);
@@ -274,21 +280,33 @@ class Server {
       }
     });
 
-    client.query('LISTEN "schema:update"');
-
-    client.on('error', (e) => {
-      if (this.shuttingDown) {
-        release();
-        return;
-      }
-      this.error('Error with database notify listener', e);
-      release();
-      this.addEventListener();
+    client.query('LISTEN "schema:update"').catch((e) => {
+      this.dropListener(client, 'Failed to LISTEN for schema:update', e);
     });
 
     this.log('connected and listening for changes...');
   }
 
+  private dropListener(client: PoolClient, message: string, err: unknown): void {
+    // Another path (shutdown, an earlier failure) already tore this client down.
+    if (this.listenClient !== client) return;
+
+    const release = this.listenRelease;
+    this.listenClient = null;
+    this.listenRelease = null;
+    client.removeAllListeners('notification');
+    client.removeAllListeners('error');
+
+    if (this.shuttingDown) {
+      release?.();
+      return;
+    }
+
+    this.error(message, err);
+    release?.();
+    this.addEventListener();
+  }
+
   async removeEventListener(): Promise<void> {
     if (!this.listenClient || !this.listenRelease) {
       return;