diff --git a/include/kpn/pool_node.hpp b/include/kpn/pool_node.hpp
index 4fe37f2..1938302 100644
--- a/include/kpn/pool_node.hpp
+++ b/include/kpn/pool_node.hpp
@@ -400,12 +400,15 @@ private:
             ch->push_sentinel(std::move(val));
             return;
         }
-        try {
-            ch->push(std::move(val));
-        } catch (const ChannelOverflowError&) {
-            throw ChannelOverflowError(ch->capacity(),
-                "pool node '" + name_ + "' " + output_port_label<I>());
-        }
+        // Backpressure, not loss. A full downstream channel means the consumer
+        // is behind, and the correct response is for this producer to run
+        // slower — not to discard a value. A dropped frame does not degrade a
+        // result, it silently changes one, and the caller has no way to tell.
+        //
+        // Safe here because sentinels are handled above, out-of-band: this
+        // blocks only on data, so the EOF token that unwinds the network can
+        // always overtake a stalled data path.
+        ch->push_blocking(std::move(val));
     }
 
     template<std::size_t I>
@@ -706,12 +709,8 @@ private:
             ch->push_sentinel(std::move(val));
             return;
         }
-        try {
-            ch->push(std::move(val));
-        } catch (const ChannelOverflowError&) {
-            throw ChannelOverflowError(ch->capacity(),
-                "pool node '" + name_ + "'");
-        }
+        // See the note on the typed overload above: block rather than drop.
+        ch->push_blocking(std::move(val));
     }
 
     Obj&                                     obj_;