diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index e8183e2567..491bbae0ae 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1085,8 +1085,7 @@ checksum = "df3b46402a9d5adb4c86a0cf463f42e19994e3ee891101b1841f30a545cb49a9"
 [[package]]
 name = "hyper"
 version = "1.6.0"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "cc2b571658e38e0c01b1fdca3bbbe93c00d3d71693ff2770043f8c29bc7d6f80"
+source = "git+https://github.com/cratelyn/hyper.git?rev=390a65c2#390a65c2965f0abaca01ed05f172d294ac047654"
 dependencies = [
  "bytes",
  "futures-channel",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index c0c45d3c00..c5bde6e659 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -136,3 +136,11 @@ features = ["tokio", "tracing"]
 
 [workspace.dependencies.linkerd2-proxy-api]
 version = "0.16.0"
+
+# TODO(kate): this is a temporary patch of hyper, until hyperium/hyper#3883
+# is released. see:
+# - https://github.com/hyperium/hyper/pull/3883
+# - https://github.com/cratelyn/hyper/commit/0edd1c80ed3576705423877d6906684df261cc45
+[patch.crates-io.hyper]
+git = "https://github.com/cratelyn/hyper.git"
+rev = "390a65c2"
diff --git a/linkerd/proxy/http/src/client.rs b/linkerd/proxy/http/src/client.rs
index 88f413c6a4..09cb13450c 100644
--- a/linkerd/proxy/http/src/client.rs
+++ b/linkerd/proxy/http/src/client.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 
 use crate::{h1, h2, orig_proto};
 use futures::prelude::*;
+use hyper::client::conn::TrySendError;
 use linkerd_error::{Error, Result};
 use linkerd_http_box::BoxBody;
 use linkerd_stack::{layer, ExtractParam, MakeConnection, Service, ServiceExt};
@@ -134,9 +135,12 @@ where
     #[inline]
     fn poll_ready(&mut self, cx: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<Result<()>> {
         match self {
-            Self::H2(ref mut svc) => svc.poll_ready(cx).map_err(Into::into),
-            Self::OrigProtoUpgrade(ref mut svc) => svc.poll_ready(cx),
-            Self::Http1(_) => Poll::Ready(Ok(())),
+            Self::H2(ref mut svc) => svc
+                .poll_ready(cx)
+                .map_err(TrySendError::into_error)
+                .map_err(Error::from),
+            Self::OrigProtoUpgrade(ref mut svc) => svc.poll_ready(cx).map_err(Error::from),
+            Self::Http1(ref mut svc) => svc.poll_ready(cx),
         }
     }
 
@@ -155,11 +159,13 @@ where
             debug!(headers = ?req.headers());
 
             match self {
-                Self::Http1(ref mut h1) => h1.request(req),
-                Self::OrigProtoUpgrade(ref mut svc) => svc.call(req),
+                Self::Http1(ref mut svc) => svc.call(req),
+                Self::OrigProtoUpgrade(ref mut svc) => svc.call(req).map_err(Into::into).boxed(),
                 Self::H2(ref mut svc) => Box::pin(
                     svc.call(req)
-                        .err_into::<Error>()
+                        // TODO(kate): recover abandoned requests from the http/2 client.
+                        .map_err(TrySendError::into_error)
+                        .map_err(Error::from)
                         .map_ok(|rsp| rsp.map(BoxBody::new)),
                 ) as RspFuture,
             }
diff --git a/linkerd/proxy/http/src/h1.rs b/linkerd/proxy/http/src/h1.rs
index 9f51ac9f17..8f3419a9f3 100644
--- a/linkerd/proxy/http/src/h1.rs
+++ b/linkerd/proxy/http/src/h1.rs
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ impl<C: Clone, T: Clone, B> Clone for Client<C, T, B> {
 
 type RspFuture = Pin<Box<dyn Future<Output = Result<http::Response<BoxBody>>> + Send + 'static>>;
 
-impl<C, T, B> Client<C, T, B>
+impl<C, T, B> tower::Service<http::Request<B>> for Client<C, T, B>
 where
     T: Clone + Send + Sync + 'static,
     C: MakeConnection<(crate::Variant, T)> + Clone + Send + Sync + 'static,
@@ -71,7 +71,15 @@ where
     B::Data: Send,
     B::Error: Into<Error> + Send + Sync,
 {
-    pub(crate) fn request(&mut self, mut req: http::Request<B>) -> RspFuture {
+    type Response = http::Response<BoxBody>;
+    type Error = Error;
+    type Future = RspFuture;
+
+    fn poll_ready(&mut self, _: &mut std::task::Context<'_>) -> std::task::Poll<Result<()>> {
+        std::task::Poll::Ready(Ok(()))
+    }
+
+    fn call(&mut self, mut req: http::Request<B>) -> RspFuture {
         // Marked by `upgrade`.
         let upgrade = req.extensions_mut().remove::<Http11Upgrade>();
         let is_http_connect = req.method() == http::Method::CONNECT;
diff --git a/linkerd/proxy/http/src/h2.rs b/linkerd/proxy/http/src/h2.rs
index 62c0ed58db..2b9621ea19 100644
--- a/linkerd/proxy/http/src/h2.rs
+++ b/linkerd/proxy/http/src/h2.rs
@@ -149,12 +149,12 @@ where
     B::Error: Into<Error> + Send + Sync,
 {
     type Response = http::Response<hyper::body::Incoming>;
-    type Error = hyper::Error;
+    type Error = hyper::client::conn::TrySendError<http::Request<B>>;
     type Future = Pin<Box<dyn Send + Future<Output = Result<Self::Response, Self::Error>>>>;
 
     #[inline]
     fn poll_ready(&mut self, cx: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<Result<(), Self::Error>> {
-        self.tx.poll_ready(cx).map_err(From::from)
+        self.tx.poll_ready(cx).map_err(Into::into)
     }
 
     fn call(&mut self, mut req: http::Request<B>) -> Self::Future {
@@ -172,6 +172,6 @@ where
             *req.version_mut() = http::Version::HTTP_11;
         }
 
-        self.tx.send_request(req).boxed()
+        self.tx.try_send_request(req).boxed()
     }
 }
diff --git a/linkerd/proxy/http/src/orig_proto.rs b/linkerd/proxy/http/src/orig_proto.rs
index c9c31c7861..6eabe5eca5 100644
--- a/linkerd/proxy/http/src/orig_proto.rs
+++ b/linkerd/proxy/http/src/orig_proto.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ use super::{h1, h2, Body};
 use futures::prelude::*;
 use http::header::{HeaderValue, TRANSFER_ENCODING};
 use http_body::Frame;
-use linkerd_error::{Error, Result};
+use linkerd_error::Result;
 use linkerd_http_box::BoxBody;
 use linkerd_stack::{layer, MakeConnection, Service};
 use std::{
@@ -43,6 +43,20 @@ pub struct Downgrade<S> {
 #[derive(Clone, Debug)]
 pub struct WasUpgrade(());
 
+/// An error returned by the [`Upgrade`] client.
+///
+/// This can represent an error presented by either of the underlying HTTP/1 or HTTP/2 clients,
+/// or a "downgraded" HTTP/2 error.
+#[derive(Debug, Error)]
+pub enum Error<B> {
+    #[error("{0}")]
+    Downgraded(#[from] DowngradedH2Error),
+    #[error(transparent)]
+    H1(linkerd_error::Error),
+    #[error(transparent)]
+    H2(hyper::client::conn::TrySendError<http::Request<B>>),
+}
+
 // === impl Upgrade ===
 
 impl<C, T, B> Upgrade<C, T, B> {
@@ -59,15 +73,24 @@ where
     C::Future: Unpin + Send + 'static,
     B: crate::Body + Send + Unpin + 'static,
     B::Data: Send,
-    B::Error: Into<Error> + Send + Sync,
+    B::Error: Into<linkerd_error::Error> + Send + Sync,
 {
     type Response = http::Response<BoxBody>;
-    type Error = Error;
-    type Future = Pin<Box<dyn Future<Output = Result<http::Response<BoxBody>>> + Send + 'static>>;
+    type Error = Error<B>;
+    type Future = Pin<
+        Box<dyn Future<Output = Result<http::Response<BoxBody>, Self::Error>> + Send + 'static>,
+    >;
 
     #[inline]
     fn poll_ready(&mut self, cx: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<Result<(), Self::Error>> {
-        self.h2.poll_ready(cx).map_err(downgrade_h2_error)
+        let Self { http1, h2 } = self;
+
+        match http1.poll_ready(cx).map_err(Error::H1) {
+            Poll::Ready(Ok(())) => {}
+            poll => return poll,
+        }
+
+        h2.poll_ready(cx).map_err(Error::h2)
     }
 
     fn call(&mut self, mut req: http::Request<B>) -> Self::Future {
@@ -78,7 +101,12 @@ where
             .is_some()
         {
             debug!("Skipping orig-proto upgrade due to HTTP/1.1 upgrade");
-            return Box::pin(self.http1.request(req).map_ok(|rsp| rsp.map(BoxBody::new)));
+            return Box::pin(
+                self.http1
+                    .call(req)
+                    .map_ok(|rsp| rsp.map(BoxBody::new))
+                    .map_err(Error::H1),
+            );
         }
 
         let orig_version = req.version();
@@ -106,97 +134,113 @@ where
 
         *req.version_mut() = http::Version::HTTP_2;
 
-        Box::pin(
-            self.h2
-                .call(req)
-                .map_err(downgrade_h2_error)
-                .map_ok(move |mut rsp| {
-                    let version = rsp
-                        .headers_mut()
-                        .remove(L5D_ORIG_PROTO)
-                        .and_then(|orig_proto| {
-                            if orig_proto == "HTTP/1.1" {
-                                Some(http::Version::HTTP_11)
-                            } else if orig_proto == "HTTP/1.0" {
-                                Some(http::Version::HTTP_10)
-                            } else {
-                                None
-                            }
-                        })
-                        .unwrap_or(orig_version);
-                    trace!(?version, "Downgrading response");
-                    *rsp.version_mut() = version;
-                    rsp.map(|inner| BoxBody::new(UpgradeResponseBody { inner }))
-                }),
-        )
+        Box::pin(self.h2.call(req).map_err(Error::h2).map_ok(move |mut rsp| {
+            let version = rsp
+                .headers_mut()
+                .remove(L5D_ORIG_PROTO)
+                .and_then(|orig_proto| {
+                    if orig_proto == "HTTP/1.1" {
+                        Some(http::Version::HTTP_11)
+                    } else if orig_proto == "HTTP/1.0" {
+                        Some(http::Version::HTTP_10)
+                    } else {
+                        None
+                    }
+                })
+                .unwrap_or(orig_version);
+            trace!(?version, "Downgrading response");
+            *rsp.version_mut() = version;
+            rsp.map(|inner| BoxBody::new(UpgradeResponseBody { inner }))
+        }))
+    }
+}
+
+// === impl Error ===
+
+impl<B> Error<B> {
+    fn h2(err: hyper::client::conn::TrySendError<http::Request<B>>) -> Self {
+        if let Some(downgraded) = downgrade_h2_error(err.error()) {
+            return Self::Downgraded(downgraded);
+        }
+
+        Self::H2(err)
     }
 }
 
 /// Handles HTTP/2 client errors for HTTP/1.1 requests by wrapping the error type. This
 /// simplifies error handling elsewhere so that HTTP/2 errors can only be encountered when the
 /// original request was HTTP/2.
-fn downgrade_h2_error<E: std::error::Error + Send + Sync + 'static>(orig: E) -> Error {
+fn downgrade_h2_error<E: std::error::Error + Send + Sync + 'static>(
+    orig: &E,
+) -> Option<DowngradedH2Error> {
     #[inline]
     fn reason(e: &(dyn std::error::Error + 'static)) -> Option<h2::Reason> {
         e.downcast_ref::<h2::H2Error>()?.reason()
     }
 
     // If the provided error was an H2 error, wrap it as a downgraded error.
-    if let Some(reason) = reason(&orig) {
-        return DowngradedH2Error(reason).into();
+    if let Some(reason) = reason(orig) {
+        return Some(DowngradedH2Error(reason));
     }
 
     // Otherwise, check the source chain to see if its original error was an H2 error.
     let mut cause = orig.source();
     while let Some(error) = cause {
         if let Some(reason) = reason(error) {
-            return DowngradedH2Error(reason).into();
+            return Some(DowngradedH2Error(reason));
         }
 
         cause = error.source();
     }
 
-    // If the error was not an H2 error, return the original error (boxed).
-    orig.into()
+    // If the error was not an H2 error, return None.
+    None
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
 #[test]
 fn test_downgrade_h2_error() {
     assert!(
-        downgrade_h2_error(h2::H2Error::from(h2::Reason::PROTOCOL_ERROR)).is::<DowngradedH2Error>(),
+        downgrade_h2_error(&h2::H2Error::from(h2::Reason::PROTOCOL_ERROR)).is_some(),
         "h2 errors must be downgraded"
     );
 
     #[derive(Debug, Error)]
     #[error("wrapped h2 error: {0}")]
-    struct WrapError(#[source] Error);
+    struct WrapError(#[source] linkerd_error::Error);
     assert!(
-        downgrade_h2_error(WrapError(
+        downgrade_h2_error(&WrapError(
             h2::H2Error::from(h2::Reason::PROTOCOL_ERROR).into()
         ))
-        .is::<DowngradedH2Error>(),
+        .is_some(),
         "wrapped h2 errors must be downgraded"
     );
 
     assert!(
-        downgrade_h2_error(WrapError(
+        downgrade_h2_error(&WrapError(
             WrapError(h2::H2Error::from(h2::Reason::PROTOCOL_ERROR).into()).into()
         ))
-        .is::<DowngradedH2Error>(),
+        .is_some(),
         "double-wrapped h2 errors must be downgraded"
     );
 
     assert!(
-        !downgrade_h2_error(std::io::Error::new(
+        downgrade_h2_error(&std::io::Error::new(
             std::io::ErrorKind::Other,
             "non h2 error"
         ))
-        .is::<DowngradedH2Error>(),
+        .is_none(),
         "other h2 errors must not be downgraded"
     );
 }
 
+#[cfg(test)]
+#[test]
+fn test_downgrade_error_source() {
+    let err = Error::Downgraded(DowngradedH2Error(h2::Reason::PROTOCOL_ERROR));
+    assert!(linkerd_error::is_caused_by::<DowngradedH2Error>(&err));
+}
+
 // === impl UpgradeResponseBody ===
 
 impl<B> Body for UpgradeResponseBody<B>
@@ -205,7 +249,7 @@ where
     B::Error: std::error::Error + Send + Sync + 'static,
 {
     type Data = B::Data;
-    type Error = Error;
+    type Error = linkerd_error::Error;
 
     #[inline]
     fn is_end_stream(&self) -> bool {
@@ -216,10 +260,11 @@ where
         self: Pin<&mut Self>,
         cx: &mut Context<'_>,
     ) -> Poll<Option<Result<Frame<Self::Data>, Self::Error>>> {
-        self.project()
-            .inner
-            .poll_frame(cx)
-            .map_err(downgrade_h2_error)
+        self.project().inner.poll_frame(cx).map_err(|err| {
+            downgrade_h2_error(&err)
+                .map(Into::into)
+                .unwrap_or_else(|| err.into())
+        })
     }
 
     #[inline]