diff --git a/internal/backend/rclone/backend.go b/internal/backend/rclone/backend.go
index fe371f6a0..c87a2f1b0 100644
--- a/internal/backend/rclone/backend.go
+++ b/internal/backend/rclone/backend.go
@@ -173,7 +173,8 @@ func newBackend(cfg Config, lim limiter.Limiter) (*Backend, error) {
 		DialTLS: func(network, address string, cfg *tls.Config) (net.Conn, error) {
 			debug.Log("new connection requested, %v %v", network, address)
 			if dialCount > 0 {
-				panic("dial count > 0")
+				// the connection to the child process is already closed
+				return nil, errors.New("rclone stdio connection already closed")
 			}
 			dialCount++
 			return conn, nil
diff --git a/internal/backend/rclone/internal_test.go b/internal/backend/rclone/internal_test.go
index 435428870..da958f281 100644
--- a/internal/backend/rclone/internal_test.go
+++ b/internal/backend/rclone/internal_test.go
@@ -29,9 +29,11 @@ func TestRcloneExit(t *testing.T) {
 	rtest.OK(t, err)
 	t.Log("killed rclone")
 
-	_, err = be.Stat(context.TODO(), restic.Handle{
-		Name: "foo",
-		Type: restic.DataFile,
-	})
-	rtest.Assert(t, err != nil, "expected an error")
+	for i := 0; i < 10; i++ {
+		_, err = be.Stat(context.TODO(), restic.Handle{
+			Name: "foo",
+			Type: restic.DataFile,
+		})
+		rtest.Assert(t, err != nil, "expected an error")
+	}
 }