diff --git a/ipa-core/src/query/processor.rs b/ipa-core/src/query/processor.rs
index 4b35ab3af..df392b44f 100644
--- a/ipa-core/src/query/processor.rs
+++ b/ipa-core/src/query/processor.rs
@@ -369,13 +369,14 @@ impl Processor {
     /// [`QueryStatusError::DifferentStatus`] and retrieve it's internal state. Returns [`None`]
     /// if not possible.
     #[cfg(feature = "in-memory-infra")]
-    fn downcast_state_error(box_error: crate::error::BoxError) -> Option<QueryStatus> {
+    fn downcast_state_error(box_error: &crate::error::BoxError) -> Option<QueryStatus> {
         use crate::helpers::ApiError;
-        let api_error = box_error.downcast::<ApiError>().ok()?;
-        if let ApiError::QueryStatus(QueryStatusError::DifferentStatus { my_status, .. }) =
-            *api_error
+        let api_error = box_error.downcast_ref::<ApiError>();
+        if let Some(ApiError::QueryStatus(QueryStatusError::DifferentStatus {
+            my_status, ..
+        })) = api_error
         {
-            return Some(my_status);
+            return Some(*my_status);
         }
         None
     }
@@ -386,7 +387,7 @@ impl Processor {
     /// of relying on errors.
     #[cfg(feature = "in-memory-infra")]
     fn get_state_from_error(
-        error: crate::helpers::InMemoryTransportError<ShardIndex>,
+        error: &crate::helpers::InMemoryTransportError<ShardIndex>,
     ) -> Option<QueryStatus> {
         if let crate::helpers::InMemoryTransportError::Rejected { inner, .. } = error {
             return Self::downcast_state_error(inner);
@@ -399,8 +400,8 @@ impl Processor {
     /// TODO: Ideally broadcast should return a value, that we could use to parse the state instead
     /// of relying on errors.
     #[cfg(feature = "real-world-infra")]
-    fn get_state_from_error(shard_error: crate::net::ShardError) -> Option<QueryStatus> {
-        if let crate::net::Error::ShardQueryStatusMismatch { error, .. } = shard_error.source {
+    fn get_state_from_error(shard_error: &crate::net::ShardError) -> Option<QueryStatus> {
+        if let crate::net::Error::ShardQueryStatusMismatch { error, .. } = &shard_error.source {
             return Some(error.actual);
         }
         None
@@ -431,17 +432,14 @@ impl Processor {
 
         let shard_responses = shard_transport.broadcast(shard_query_status_req).await;
         if let Err(e) = shard_responses {
-            // The following silently ignores the cases where the query isn't found.
-            // TODO: this code is a ticking bomb - it ignores all errors, not just when
-            // query is not found. If there is no handler, handler responded with an error, etc.
-            // Moreover, any error may result in client mistakenly assuming that the status
-            // is completed.
-            let states: Vec<_> = e
-                .failures
-                .into_iter()
-                .filter_map(|(_si, e)| Self::get_state_from_error(e))
-                .collect();
-            status = states.into_iter().fold(status, min_status);
+            for (shard, failure) in &e.failures {
+                if let Some(other) = Self::get_state_from_error(failure) {
+                    status = min_status(status, other);
+                } else {
+                    tracing::error!("failed to get status from shard {shard}: {failure:?}");
+                    return Err(e.into());
+                }
+            }
         }
 
         Ok(status)
@@ -1205,9 +1203,12 @@ mod tests {
         /// * From the standpoint of leader shard in Helper 1
         /// * On query_status
         ///
-        /// If one of my shards hasn't received the query yet (NoSuchQuery) the leader shouldn't
-        /// return an error but instead with the min state.
+        /// If one of my shards hasn't received the query yet (NoSuchQuery) the leader should
+        /// return an error despite other shards returning their status
         #[tokio::test]
+        #[should_panic(
+            expected = "(ShardIndex(3), Rejected { dest: ShardIndex(3), inner: QueryStatus(NoSuchQuery(QueryId)) })"
+        )]
         async fn status_query_doesnt_exist() {
             fn shard_handle(si: ShardIndex) -> Arc<dyn RequestHandler<ShardIndex>> {
                 create_handler(move |_| async move {
@@ -1215,6 +1216,12 @@ mod tests {
                         Err(ApiError::QueryStatus(QueryStatusError::NoSuchQuery(
                             QueryId,
                         )))
+                    } else if si == ShardIndex::from(2) {
+                        Err(ApiError::QueryStatus(QueryStatusError::DifferentStatus {
+                            query_id: QueryId,
+                            my_status: QueryStatus::Running,
+                            other_status: QueryStatus::Preparing,
+                        }))
                     } else {
                         Ok(HelperResponse::ok())
                     }
@@ -1237,16 +1244,10 @@ mod tests {
                     req,
                 )
                 .unwrap();
-            let r = t
-                .processor
+            t.processor
                 .query_status(t.shard_transport.clone_ref(), QueryId)
-                .await;
-            if let Err(e) = r {
-                panic!("Unexpected error {e}");
-            }
-            if let Ok(st) = r {
-                assert_eq!(QueryStatus::AwaitingInputs, st);
-            }
+                .await
+                .unwrap();
         }
 
         /// Context: