diff --git a/cbits/grpc_haskell.c b/cbits/grpc_haskell.c
index bdffed8..14995a7 100644
--- a/cbits/grpc_haskell.c
+++ b/cbits/grpc_haskell.c
@@ -127,6 +127,12 @@ gpr_timespec* millis_to_deadline(int64_t millis){
   return retval;
 }
 
+gpr_timespec* infinite_deadline(){
+  gpr_timespec *retval = malloc(sizeof(gpr_timespec));
+  *retval = gpr_inf_future(GPR_CLOCK_MONOTONIC);
+  return retval;
+}
+
 grpc_metadata_array** metadata_array_create(){
   grpc_metadata_array **retval = malloc(sizeof(grpc_metadata_array*));
   *retval = malloc(sizeof(grpc_metadata_array));
diff --git a/include/grpc_haskell.h b/include/grpc_haskell.h
index 132d4da..e03f884 100644
--- a/include/grpc_haskell.h
+++ b/include/grpc_haskell.h
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ gpr_timespec* seconds_to_deadline(int64_t seconds);
 
 gpr_timespec* millis_to_deadline(int64_t millis);
 
+gpr_timespec* infinite_deadline();
+
 grpc_metadata_array** metadata_array_create();
 
 void metadata_array_destroy(grpc_metadata_array **arr);
diff --git a/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/Client.hs b/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/Client.hs
index 836fde0..18ebbb3 100644
--- a/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/Client.hs
+++ b/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/Client.hs
@@ -41,12 +41,14 @@ createClient grpc clientConfig = do
 
 destroyClient :: Client -> IO ()
 destroyClient Client{..} = do
+  grpcDebug "destroyClient: calling grpc_channel_destroy()"
+  C.grpcChannelDestroy clientChannel
+  grpcDebug "destroyClient: shutting down CQ."
   shutdownResult <- shutdownCompletionQueue clientCQ
   case shutdownResult of
     Left x -> do putStrLn $ "Failed to stop client CQ: " ++ show x
                  putStrLn $ "Trying to shut down anyway."
     Right _ -> return ()
-  C.grpcChannelDestroy clientChannel
 
 withClient :: GRPC -> ClientConfig -> (Client -> IO a) -> IO a
 withClient grpc config = bracket (createClient grpc config)
@@ -159,18 +161,18 @@ clientRequest client@(Client{..}) rm@(RegisteredMethod{..})
                 let sendOps = [OpSendInitialMetadata meta
                            , OpSendMessage body
                            , OpSendCloseFromClient]
-                sendRes <- runOps call' clientCQ sendOps timeLimit
+                sendRes <- runOps call' clientCQ sendOps
                 case sendRes of
-                  Left x -> do grpcDebug "clientRequest(R) : batch error."
+                  Left x -> do grpcDebug "clientRequest(R) : batch error sending."
                                return $ Left x
                   Right rs -> do
                     let recvOps = [OpRecvInitialMetadata,
                                    OpRecvMessage,
                                    OpRecvStatusOnClient]
-                    recvRes <- runOps call' clientCQ recvOps timeLimit
+                    recvRes <- runOps call' clientCQ recvOps
                     case recvRes of
                       Left x -> do
-                        grpcDebug "clientRequest(R): batch error."
+                        grpcDebug "clientRequest(R): batch error receiving."
                         return $ Left x
                       Right rs' -> do
                         grpcDebug $ "clientRequest(R): got " ++ show rs'
diff --git a/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/Client/Unregistered.hs b/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/Client/Unregistered.hs
index 1623801..e0a47d7 100644
--- a/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/Client/Unregistered.hs
+++ b/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/Client/Unregistered.hs
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ clientRequest client@Client{..} meth timeLimit body meta =
   fmap join $ do
   withClientCall client meth timeLimit $ \call -> do
     let ops = clientNormalRequestOps body meta
-    results <- runOps (unClientCall call) clientCQ ops timeLimit
+    results <- runOps (unClientCall call) clientCQ ops
     grpcDebug "clientRequest(U): ops ran."
     case results of
       Left x -> return $ Left x
diff --git a/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/CompletionQueue.hs b/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/CompletionQueue.hs
index c491714..a3eb0ff 100644
--- a/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/CompletionQueue.hs
+++ b/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/CompletionQueue.hs
@@ -92,14 +92,17 @@ shutdownCompletionQueue (CompletionQueue{..}) = do
   --drain the queue
   C.grpcCompletionQueueShutdown unsafeCQ
   loopRes <- timeout (5*10^(6::Int)) drainLoop
+  grpcDebug $ "Got CQ loop shutdown result of: " ++ show loopRes
   case loopRes of
     Nothing -> return $ Left GRPCIOShutdownFailure
     Just () -> C.grpcCompletionQueueDestroy unsafeCQ >> return (Right ())
 
   where drainLoop :: IO ()
         drainLoop = do
+          grpcDebug "drainLoop: before next() call"
           ev <- C.withDeadlineSeconds 1 $ \deadline ->
                   C.grpcCompletionQueueNext unsafeCQ deadline C.reserved
+          grpcDebug $ "drainLoop: next() call got " ++ show ev
           case (C.eventCompletionType ev) of
             C.QueueShutdown -> return ()
             C.QueueTimeout -> drainLoop
@@ -140,6 +143,7 @@ serverRequestCall
       metadataArray <- peek metadataArrayPtr
       bbPtr <- malloc
       tag <- newTag cq
+      grpcDebug $ "serverRequestCall(R): tag is " ++ show tag
       callError <- C.grpcServerRequestRegisteredCall
                      server methodHandle callPtr deadline
                      metadataArray bbPtr unsafeCQ unsafeCQ tag
@@ -149,7 +153,7 @@ serverRequestCall
          then do grpcDebug "serverRequestCall(R): callError. cleaning up"
                  failureCleanup deadline callPtr metadataArrayPtr bbPtr
                  return $ Left $ GRPCIOCallError callError
-         else do pluckResult <- pluck cq tag timeLimit
+         else do pluckResult <- pluck cq tag (Just timeLimit)
                  grpcDebug "serverRequestCall(R): finished pluck."
                  case pluckResult of
                    Left x -> do
diff --git a/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/CompletionQueue/Internal.hs b/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/CompletionQueue/Internal.hs
index 1facf67..6b9090f 100644
--- a/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/CompletionQueue/Internal.hs
+++ b/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/CompletionQueue/Internal.hs
@@ -97,17 +97,23 @@ withPermission op cq f =
 
 -- | Waits for the given number of seconds for the given tag to appear on the
 -- completion queue. Throws 'GRPCIOShutdown' if the completion queue is shutting
--- down and cannot handle new requests.
-pluck :: CompletionQueue -> C.Tag -> TimeoutSeconds
+-- down and cannot handle new requests. Note that the timeout is optional. When
+-- doing client ops, provide @Nothing@ and the pluck will automatically fail if
+-- the deadline associated with the 'ClientCall' expires. If plucking
+-- 'serverRequestCall', this will block forever unless a timeout is given.
+pluck :: CompletionQueue -> C.Tag -> Maybe TimeoutSeconds
          -> IO (Either GRPCIOError ())
 pluck cq@CompletionQueue{..} tag waitSeconds = do
   grpcDebug $ "pluck: called with tag: " ++ show tag
               ++ " and wait: " ++ show waitSeconds
-  withPermission Pluck cq $ do
-    C.withDeadlineSeconds waitSeconds $ \deadline -> do
-      ev <- C.grpcCompletionQueuePluck unsafeCQ tag deadline C.reserved
-      grpcDebug $ "pluck: finished. Event: " ++ show ev
-      return $ if isEventSuccessful ev then Right () else eventToError ev
+  withPermission Pluck cq $
+    case waitSeconds of
+      Nothing -> C.withInfiniteDeadline go
+      Just seconds -> C.withDeadlineSeconds seconds go
+    where go deadline = do
+            ev <- C.grpcCompletionQueuePluck unsafeCQ tag deadline C.reserved
+            grpcDebug $ "pluck: finished. Event: " ++ show ev
+            return $ if isEventSuccessful ev then Right () else eventToError ev
 
 -- | Translate 'C.Event' to an error. The caller is responsible for ensuring
 -- that the event actually corresponds to an error condition; a successful event
diff --git a/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/CompletionQueue/Unregistered.hs b/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/CompletionQueue/Unregistered.hs
index 67cc169..bc9d0fe 100644
--- a/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/CompletionQueue/Unregistered.hs
+++ b/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/CompletionQueue/Unregistered.hs
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ serverRequestCall server cq@CompletionQueue{..} timeLimit =
        then do grpcDebug "serverRequestCall: got call error; cleaning up."
                failureCleanup callPtr callDetails metadataArrayPtr
                return $ Left $ GRPCIOCallError callError
-       else do pluckResult <- pluck cq tag timeLimit
+       else do pluckResult <- pluck cq tag (Just timeLimit)
                grpcDebug $ "serverRequestCall: pluckResult was "
                            ++ show pluckResult
                case pluckResult of
diff --git a/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/GRPC.hs b/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/GRPC.hs
index aa4106f..17e91aa 100644
--- a/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/GRPC.hs
+++ b/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/GRPC.hs
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ newtype StatusDetails = StatusDetails B.ByteString deriving (Show, Eq, IsString)
 data GRPC = GRPC
 
 withGRPC :: (GRPC -> IO a) -> IO a
-withGRPC = bracket (C.grpcInit >> return GRPC) (const C.grpcShutdown)
+withGRPC = bracket (C.grpcInit >> return GRPC)
+                   (\_ -> grpcDebug "withGRPC: shutting down" >> C.grpcShutdown)
 
 -- | Describes all errors that can occur while running a GRPC-related IO action.
 data GRPCIOError = GRPCIOCallError C.CallError
diff --git a/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/Op.hs b/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/Op.hs
index 88fb211..fc1d0ac 100644
--- a/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/Op.hs
+++ b/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/Op.hs
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ freeOpContext (OpRecvCloseOnServerContext pcancelled) =
   >> free pcancelled
 
 -- | Allocates an `OpArray` and a list of `OpContext`s from the given list of
--- `Op`s. 
+-- `Op`s.
 withOpArrayAndCtxts :: [Op] -> ((C.OpArray, [OpContext]) -> IO a) -> IO a
 withOpArrayAndCtxts ops = bracket setup teardown
   where setup = do ctxts <- mapM createOpContext ops
@@ -186,8 +186,9 @@ resultFromOpContext _ = do
   return Nothing
 
 -- | For a given call, run the given 'Op's on the given completion queue with
--- the given tag. Blocks until the ops are complete or the given number of
--- seconds have elapsed.  TODO: now that we distinguish between different types
+-- the given tag. Blocks until the ops are complete or the deadline on the
+-- associated call has been reached.
+-- TODO: now that we distinguish between different types
 -- of calls at the type level, we could try to limit the input 'Op's more
 -- appropriately. E.g., we don't use an 'OpRecvInitialMetadata' when receiving a
 -- registered call, because gRPC handles that for us.
@@ -211,23 +212,20 @@ runOps :: C.Call
           -- running.
        -> [Op]
           -- ^ The list of 'Op's to execute.
-       -> TimeoutSeconds
-          -- ^ How long to block waiting for the tag to appear on the queue. If
-          -- we time out, the result of this action will be @CallBatchError
-          -- BatchTimeout@.
        -> IO (Either GRPCIOError [OpRecvResult])
-runOps call cq ops timeLimit =
+runOps call cq ops =
   let l = length ops in
     withOpArrayAndCtxts ops $ \(opArray, contexts) -> do
       grpcDebug $ "runOps: allocated op contexts: " ++ show contexts
       tag <- newTag cq
+      grpcDebug $ "runOps: tag: " ++ show tag
       callError <- startBatch cq call opArray l tag
       grpcDebug $ "runOps: called start_batch. callError: "
                    ++ (show callError)
       case callError of
         Left x -> return $ Left x
         Right () -> do
-          ev <- pluck cq tag timeLimit
+          ev <- pluck cq tag Nothing
           grpcDebug $ "runOps: pluck returned " ++ show ev
           case ev of
             Right () -> do
diff --git a/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/Server.hs b/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/Server.hs
index e2c4172..759457f 100644
--- a/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/Server.hs
+++ b/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/Server.hs
@@ -83,7 +83,9 @@ stopServer (Server server cq _ _) = do
         shutdownNotify = do
           let shutdownTag = C.tag 0
           serverShutdownAndNotify server cq shutdownTag
-          shutdownEvent <- pluck cq shutdownTag 30
+          grpcDebug "called serverShutdownAndNotify; plucking."
+          shutdownEvent <- pluck cq shutdownTag (Just 30)
+          grpcDebug $ "shutdownNotify: got shutdown event" ++ show shutdownEvent
           case shutdownEvent of
             -- This case occurs when we pluck but the queue is already in the
             -- 'shuttingDown' state, implying we already tried to shut down.
@@ -181,10 +183,6 @@ serverHandleNormalCall :: Server
                        -> ServerHandler
                        -> IO (Either GRPCIOError ())
 serverHandleNormalCall s@Server{..} rm timeLimit initMeta f = do
-  -- TODO: we use this timeLimit twice, so the max time spent is 2*timeLimit.
-  -- Should we just hard-code time limits instead? Not sure if client
-  -- programmer cares, since this function will likely just be put in a loop
-  -- anyway.
   withServerCall s rm timeLimit $ \call -> do
     grpcDebug "serverHandleNormalCall(R): starting batch."
     debugServerCall call
@@ -199,7 +197,7 @@ serverHandleNormalCall s@Server{..} rm timeLimit initMeta f = do
         let status = C.GrpcStatusOk
         let respOps = serverOpsSendNormalRegisteredResponse
                         respBody initMeta trailingMeta status details
-        respOpsResults <- runOps (unServerCall call) serverCQ respOps timeLimit
+        respOpsResults <- runOps (unServerCall call) serverCQ respOps
         grpcDebug "serverHandleNormalCall(R): finished response ops."
         case respOpsResults of
           Left x -> return $ Left x
diff --git a/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/Server/Unregistered.hs b/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/Server/Unregistered.hs
index 9340f3c..323c2f3 100644
--- a/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/Server/Unregistered.hs
+++ b/src/Network/GRPC/LowLevel/Server/Unregistered.hs
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ serverHandleNormalCall s@Server{..} timeLimit srvMetadata f = do
     grpcDebug "serverHandleNormalCall(U): starting batch."
     let recvOps = serverOpsGetNormalCall srvMetadata
         call'   = unServerCall call
-    opResults <- runOps call' serverCQ recvOps timeLimit
+    opResults <- runOps call' serverCQ recvOps
     case opResults of
       Left x -> do grpcDebug "serverHandleNormalCall(U): ops failed; aborting"
                    return $ Left x
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ serverHandleNormalCall s@Server{..} timeLimit srvMetadata f = do
         let status = C.GrpcStatusOk
         let respOps = serverOpsSendNormalResponse
                         respBody respMetadata status details
-        respOpsResults <- runOps call' serverCQ respOps timeLimit
+        respOpsResults <- runOps call' serverCQ respOps
         case respOpsResults of
           Left x -> do grpcDebug "serverHandleNormalCall(U): resp failed."
                        return $ Left x
diff --git a/src/Network/GRPC/Unsafe/Time.chs b/src/Network/GRPC/Unsafe/Time.chs
index ab88d8f..eed1aa6 100644
--- a/src/Network/GRPC/Unsafe/Time.chs
+++ b/src/Network/GRPC/Unsafe/Time.chs
@@ -49,3 +49,10 @@ withDeadlineSeconds i = bracket (secondsToDeadline i) timespecDestroy
 -- | Returns a GprClockMonotonic representing a deadline n milliseconds
 -- in the future.
 {#fun millis_to_deadline as ^ {`Int'} -> `CTimeSpecPtr'#}
+
+-- | Returns a GprClockMonotonic representing an infinitely distant deadline.
+-- wraps gpr_inf_future in the gRPC library.
+{#fun infinite_deadline as ^ {} -> `CTimeSpecPtr'#}
+
+withInfiniteDeadline :: (CTimeSpecPtr -> IO a) -> IO a
+withInfiniteDeadline = bracket infiniteDeadline timespecDestroy
diff --git a/tests/LowLevelTests.hs b/tests/LowLevelTests.hs
index d17f0c8..337ca58 100644
--- a/tests/LowLevelTests.hs
+++ b/tests/LowLevelTests.hs
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ testGoaway =
       assertBool "Client handles server shutdown gracefully" $
         lastResult == unavailableStatus
         ||
-        lastResult == Left GRPCIOTimeout
+        lastResult == deadlineExceededStatus
     server s = do
       let rm = head (registeredMethods s)
       serverHandleNormalCall s rm 11 mempty dummyHandler
@@ -196,10 +196,7 @@ testSlowServer =
     client c = do
       rm <- clientRegisterMethod c "/foo" Normal
       result <- clientRequest c rm 1 "" mempty
-      assertBool "Client gets timeout or deadline exceeded" $
-        result == Left GRPCIOTimeout
-        ||
-        result == deadlineExceededStatus
+      result @?= deadlineExceededStatus
     server s = do
       let rm = head (registeredMethods s)
       serverHandleNormalCall s rm 1 mempty $ \_ _ _ -> do
diff --git a/tests/LowLevelTests/Op.hs b/tests/LowLevelTests/Op.hs
index f0b1e5b..ac454e0 100644
--- a/tests/LowLevelTests/Op.hs
+++ b/tests/LowLevelTests/Op.hs
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ testCancelWhileHandling =
       withOpArrayAndCtxts serverEmptyRecvOps $ \(opArray, ctxts) -> do
         tag <- newTag serverCQ
         startBatch serverCQ unServerCall opArray 3 tag
-        pluck serverCQ tag 1
+        pluck serverCQ tag (Just 1)
         let (OpRecvCloseOnServerContext pcancelled) = last ctxts
         cancelledBefore <- peek pcancelled
         cancelledBefore @?= 0
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ testCancelFromServer =
     withClientServerUnaryCall grpc $
     \(c@Client{..}, s@Server{..}, cc@ClientCall{..}, sc@ServerCall{..}) -> do
       serverCallCancel sc GrpcStatusPermissionDenied "TestStatus"
-      clientRes <- runOps unClientCall clientCQ clientRecvOps 1
+      clientRes <- runOps unClientCall clientCQ clientRecvOps
       case clientRes of
         Left x -> error $ "Client recv error: " ++ show x
         Right [_,_,OpRecvStatusOnClientResult _ code details] -> do
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ withClientServerUnaryCall grpc f = do
         -- because registered methods try to do recv ops immediately when
         -- created. If later we want to send payloads or metadata, we'll need
         -- to tweak this.
-        clientRes <- runOps (unClientCall cc) (clientCQ c) clientEmptySendOps 1
+        clientRes <- runOps (unClientCall cc) (clientCQ c) clientEmptySendOps
         withServerCall s srm 10 $ \sc ->
           f (c, s, cc, sc)