diff --git a/queue/queue.go b/queue/queue.go
index 8f7f24a4..29053cf6 100644
--- a/queue/queue.go
+++ b/queue/queue.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package queue
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"expvar"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
@@ -58,16 +59,16 @@ type queuedStatements struct {
 
 func mergeQueued(qs []*queuedStatements) *Request {
 	var o *Request
+	if len(qs) > 0 {
+		o = &Request{
+			SequenceNumber: qs[0].SequenceNumber,
+			flushChans:     make([]FlushChannel, 0),
+		}
+	}
+
 	for i := range qs {
-		if o == nil {
-			o = &Request{
-				SequenceNumber: qs[i].SequenceNumber,
-				flushChans:     make([]FlushChannel, 0),
-			}
-		} else {
-			if o.SequenceNumber < qs[i].SequenceNumber {
-				o.SequenceNumber = qs[i].SequenceNumber
-			}
+		if o.SequenceNumber < qs[i].SequenceNumber {
+			o.SequenceNumber = qs[i].SequenceNumber
 		}
 		o.Statements = append(o.Statements, qs[i].Statements...)
 		if qs[i].flushChan != nil {
@@ -126,6 +127,12 @@ func New(maxSize, batchSize int, t time.Duration) *Queue {
 // c is an optional channel. If non-nil, it will be closed when the Request
 // containing these statements is closed.
 func (q *Queue) Write(stmts []*command.Statement, c FlushChannel) (int64, error) {
+	select {
+	case <-q.done:
+		return 0, errors.New("queue is closed")
+	default:
+	}
+
 	q.seqMu.Lock()
 	defer q.seqMu.Unlock()
 	q.seqNum++
diff --git a/queue/queue_test.go b/queue/queue_test.go
index 980efe80..f2b63bd5 100644
--- a/queue/queue_test.go
+++ b/queue/queue_test.go
@@ -120,6 +120,17 @@ func Test_NewQueue(t *testing.T) {
 	defer q.Close()
 }
 
+func Test_NewQueueClosedWrite(t *testing.T) {
+	q := New(1, 1, 100*time.Millisecond)
+	if q == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to create new Queue")
+	}
+	q.Close()
+	if _, err := q.Write(testStmtsFoo, nil); err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to detect closed queue")
+	}
+}
+
 func Test_NewQueueWriteNil(t *testing.T) {
 	q := New(1, 1, 60*time.Second)
 	defer q.Close()