diff --git a/runtime-rpc/src/main/java/org/capnproto/RpcState.java b/runtime-rpc/src/main/java/org/capnproto/RpcState.java
index 220d559..1753374 100644
--- a/runtime-rpc/src/main/java/org/capnproto/RpcState.java
+++ b/runtime-rpc/src/main/java/org/capnproto/RpcState.java
@@ -161,9 +161,10 @@ final class RpcState<VatId> {
 
     final class Import {
         final int importId;
-        ImportRef importClient;
+        ImportDisposer disposer;
+        Integer fd;
         int remoteRefCount;
-        WeakReference<RpcClient> appClient;
+        RpcClient appClient;
         CompletableFuture<ClientHook> promise;
         // If non-null, the import is a promise.
 
@@ -175,6 +176,12 @@ final class RpcState<VatId> {
             this.remoteRefCount++;
         }
 
+        void setFdIfMissing(Integer fd) {
+            if (this.fd == null) {
+                this.fd = fd;
+            }
+        }
+
         public void dispose() {
             // Remove self from the import table.
             var imp = imports.find(importId);
@@ -246,7 +253,7 @@ final class RpcState<VatId> {
     private final CompletableFuture<java.lang.Void> messageLoop = new CompletableFuture<>();
     // completes when the message loop exits
     private final ReferenceQueue<QuestionRef> questionRefs = new ReferenceQueue<>();
-    private final ReferenceQueue<ImportClient> importRefs = new ReferenceQueue<>();
+    private final ReferenceQueue<ImportRef> importRefs = new ReferenceQueue<>();
     private final Queue<Callable<java.lang.Void>> lastEvals = new ArrayDeque<>();
 
     RpcState(BootstrapFactory<? super VatId> bootstrapFactory,
@@ -763,7 +770,7 @@ final class RpcState<VatId> {
         }
 
         if (imp.promise == null) {
-            assert imp.importClient == null : "Import already resolved.";
+            assert imp.disposer != null: "Import already resolved.";
             // It appears this is a valid entry on the import table, but was not expected to be a
             // promise.
             return;
@@ -1087,36 +1094,45 @@ final class RpcState<VatId> {
     private ClientHook importCap(int importId, boolean isPromise, Integer fd) {
         // Receive a new import.
 
+
         var imp = imports.put(importId);
-        ImportClient importClient = null;
-        if (imp.importClient != null) {
-            importClient = imp.importClient.get();
-        }
-        if (importClient == null) {
-            importClient = new ImportClient(imp, fd);
-            imp.importClient = new ImportRef(importId, importClient);
+
+        ImportClient importClient;
+
+        // new import
+        if (imp.disposer == null) {
+            var importRef = new ImportRef(importId);
+            imp.disposer = new ImportDisposer(importRef);
+            importClient = new ImportClient(importRef);
         }
         else {
-            importClient.setFdIfMissing(fd);
+            var importRef = imp.disposer.get();
+            if (importRef == null) {
+                // Import still exists, but has no references. Resurrect it.
+                importRef = new ImportRef(importId);
+                imp.disposer = new ImportDisposer(importRef);
+                importClient = new ImportClient(importRef);
+            }
+            else {
+                importClient = new ImportClient(importRef);
+            }
         }
 
+
+        imp.setFdIfMissing(fd);
         imp.addRemoteRef();
 
         if (!isPromise) {
-            imp.appClient = new WeakReference<>(importClient);
             return importClient;
         }
 
         if (imp.appClient != null) {
-            var tmp = imp.appClient.get();
-            if (tmp != null) {
-                return tmp;
-            }
+            return imp.appClient;
         }
 
         imp.promise = new CompletableFuture<>();
-        var result = new PromiseClient(importClient, imp.promise, importId);
-        imp.appClient = new WeakReference<>(result);
+        var result = new PromiseClient(importClient, imp.promise, importClient.importRef);
+        imp.appClient = result;
         return result;
     }
 
@@ -1736,41 +1752,49 @@ final class RpcState<VatId> {
         }
     }
 
-    private class ImportRef extends WeakReference<ImportClient> {
+    private class ImportDisposer extends WeakReference<ImportRef> {
+
+        private final int importId;
+
+        ImportDisposer(ImportRef importRef) {
+            super(importRef, importRefs);
+            this.importId = importRef.importId;
+        }
+
+        void dispose() {
+            var imp = imports.find(this.importId);
+            if (imp != null) {
+                imp.dispose();
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static class ImportRef {
 
         final int importId;
 
-        ImportRef(int importId, ImportClient hook) {
-            super(hook, importRefs);
+        ImportRef(int importId) {
             this.importId = importId;
         }
     }
 
     private class ImportClient extends RpcClient {
 
-        final Import imp;
-        Integer fd;
+        private final ImportRef importRef;
 
-        ImportClient(Import imp, Integer fd) {
-            this.imp = imp;
-            this.fd = fd;
-        }
-
-        void setFdIfMissing(Integer fd) {
-            if (this.fd == null) {
-                this.fd = fd;
-            }
+        ImportClient(ImportRef importRef) {
+            this.importRef = importRef;
         }
 
         @Override
         public Integer writeDescriptor(RpcProtocol.CapDescriptor.Builder descriptor, List<Integer> fds) {
-            descriptor.setReceiverHosted(this.imp.importId);
+            descriptor.setReceiverHosted(this.importRef.importId);
             return null;
         }
 
         @Override
         public ClientHook writeTarget(RpcProtocol.MessageTarget.Builder target) {
-            target.setImportedCap(this.imp.importId);
+            target.setImportedCap(this.importRef.importId);
             return null;
         }
 
@@ -1778,19 +1802,21 @@ final class RpcState<VatId> {
         public CompletableFuture<ClientHook> whenMoreResolved() {
             return null;
         }
+
+        @Override
+        public Integer getFd() {
+            var imp = imports.find(this.importRef.importId);
+            return imp != null ? imp.fd : null;
+        }
     }
 
     private void cleanupImports() {
         while (true) {
-            var ref = (ImportRef)this.importRefs.poll();
-            if (ref == null) {
+            var disposer = (ImportDisposer)this.importRefs.poll();
+            if (disposer == null) {
                 return;
             }
-            var imp = this.imports.find(ref.importId);
-            assert imp != null;
-            if (imp != null) {
-                imp.dispose();
-            }
+            disposer.dispose();
         }
     }
 
@@ -1815,20 +1841,28 @@ final class RpcState<VatId> {
     private class PromiseClient extends RpcClient {
 
         private ClientHook cap;
-        private final Integer importId;
+        private final ImportRef importRef;
         private boolean receivedCall = false;
         private ResolutionType resolutionType = ResolutionType.UNRESOLVED;
         private final CompletableFuture<ClientHook> eventual;
 
         PromiseClient(RpcClient initial,
                       CompletableFuture<ClientHook> eventual,
-                      Integer importId) {
+                      ImportRef importRef) {
             this.cap = initial;
-            this.importId = importId;
+            this.importRef = importRef;
             this.eventual = eventual.handle((resolution, exc) -> {
                 this.cap = exc == null
                         ? this.resolve(resolution)
                         : this.resolve(Capability.newBrokenCap(exc));
+
+                if (this.importRef != null) {
+                    var imp = imports.find(this.importRef.importId);
+                    if (imp != null && imp.appClient == this) {
+                        imp.appClient = null;
+                    }
+                }
+
                 return this.cap;
             });
         }
diff --git a/runtime-rpc/src/test/java/org/capnproto/RpcTest.java b/runtime-rpc/src/test/java/org/capnproto/RpcTest.java
index 9751075..c054119 100644
--- a/runtime-rpc/src/test/java/org/capnproto/RpcTest.java
+++ b/runtime-rpc/src/test/java/org/capnproto/RpcTest.java
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import org.capnproto.rpctest.Test;
 
 import org.junit.Assert;
 
+import java.lang.ref.WeakReference;
 import java.util.ArrayDeque;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.Map;
@@ -402,11 +403,18 @@ public class RpcTest {
         var promise = client.getHandleRequest().send();
         var handle2 = this.context.runUntil(promise).join().getHandle();
 
+        var handleRef1 = new WeakReference<>(handle1);
+        var handleRef2 = new WeakReference<>(handle2);
+
+        promise = null;
         handle1 = null;
         handle2 = null;
 
-        System.gc();
-        this.context.runUntil(client.echoRequest().send()).join();
+        // TODO monitor the imported caps for release? close?
+        while (handleRef1.get() != null && handleRef2.get() != null) {
+            System.gc();
+            this.context.runUntil(client.echoRequest().send()).join();
+        }
     }
 
     @org.junit.Test