diff --git a/safekeeper/src/receive_wal.rs b/safekeeper/src/receive_wal.rs
index e35f806e90..2a9ca85299 100644
--- a/safekeeper/src/receive_wal.rs
+++ b/safekeeper/src/receive_wal.rs
@@ -498,21 +498,18 @@ impl WalAcceptor {
         // we will send keepalives by replying to these requests once per second.
         let mut next_keepalive = Instant::now();
 
-        loop {
-            let opt_msg = self.msg_rx.recv().await;
-            if opt_msg.is_none() {
-                return Ok(()); // chan closed, streaming terminated
-            }
-            let mut next_msg = opt_msg.unwrap();
-
+        while let Some(mut next_msg) = self.msg_rx.recv().await {
             // Update walreceiver state in shmem for reporting.
             if let ProposerAcceptorMessage::Elected(_) = &next_msg {
                 walreceiver_guard.get().status = WalReceiverStatus::Streaming;
             }
 
             let reply_msg = if matches!(next_msg, ProposerAcceptorMessage::AppendRequest(_)) {
-                // loop through AppendRequest's while it's readily available to
-                // write as many WAL as possible without fsyncing
+                // Loop through AppendRequests while available to write as many WAL records as
+                // possible without fsyncing.
+                //
+                // Make sure the WAL is flushed before returning, see:
+                // https://github.com/neondatabase/neon/issues/9259
                 //
                 // Note: this will need to be rewritten if we want to read non-AppendRequest messages here.
                 // Otherwise, we might end up in a situation where we read a message, but don't
@@ -522,7 +519,7 @@ impl WalAcceptor {
 
                     if let Some(reply) = self.tli.process_msg(&noflush_msg).await? {
                         if self.reply_tx.send(reply).await.is_err() {
-                            return Ok(()); // chan closed, streaming terminated
+                            break; // disconnected, flush WAL and return on next send/recv
                         }
                     }
 
@@ -531,11 +528,13 @@ impl WalAcceptor {
                         break;
                     }
 
+                    // continue pulling AppendRequests if available
                     match self.msg_rx.try_recv() {
                         Ok(msg) => next_msg = msg,
                         Err(TryRecvError::Empty) => break,
-                        Err(TryRecvError::Disconnected) => return Ok(()), // chan closed, streaming terminated
-                    }
+                        // on disconnect, flush WAL and return on next send/recv
+                        Err(TryRecvError::Disconnected) => break,
+                    };
                 }
 
                 // flush all written WAL to the disk
@@ -555,5 +554,6 @@ impl WalAcceptor {
                 next_keepalive = Instant::now() + KEEPALIVE_INTERVAL;
             }
         }
+        Ok(())
     }
 }