diff --git a/channeld/channel.c b/channeld/channel.c
index 8cffb5c76..5d14358b7 100644
--- a/channeld/channel.c
+++ b/channeld/channel.c
@@ -1884,8 +1884,13 @@ static void peer_reconnect(struct peer *peer)
 
 	peer_billboard(false, "Sent reestablish, waiting for theirs");
 
-	/* Read until they say something interesting */
-	while ((msg = channeld_read_peer_msg(peer)) == NULL)
+	/* Read until they say something interesting (don't forward
+	 * gossip to them yet: we might try sending channel_update
+	 * before we've reestablished channel). */
+	while ((msg = read_peer_msg_nogossip(peer, &peer->cs,
+					     &peer->channel_id,
+					     channeld_send_reply,
+					     peer)) == NULL)
 		clean_tmpctx();
 
 	if (!fromwire_channel_reestablish(msg, &channel_id,
diff --git a/common/read_peer_msg.c b/common/read_peer_msg.c
index 9a3896895..95ab912b9 100644
--- a/common/read_peer_msg.c
+++ b/common/read_peer_msg.c
@@ -56,19 +56,18 @@ u8 *read_peer_msg_(const tal_t *ctx,
 
 	FD_ZERO(&readfds);
 	FD_SET(peer_fd, &readfds);
-	FD_SET(gossip_fd, &readfds);
+	if (gossip_fd >= 0)
+		FD_SET(gossip_fd, &readfds);
 
 	select(peer_fd > gossip_fd ? peer_fd + 1 : gossip_fd + 1,
 	       &readfds, NULL, NULL, NULL);
 
-	if (FD_ISSET(gossip_fd, &readfds)) {
-		/* gossipd uses this to kill us, so not a surprise if it
-		   happens. */
+	if (gossip_fd >= 0 && FD_ISSET(gossip_fd, &readfds)) {
 		msg = wire_sync_read(NULL, gossip_fd);
-		if (!msg) {
-			status_debug("Error reading gossip msg");
-			peer_failed_connection_lost();
-		}
+		if (!msg)
+			status_failed(STATUS_FAIL_GOSSIP_IO,
+				      "Error reading gossip msg: %s",
+				      strerror(errno));
 
 		handle_gossip_msg_(msg, peer_fd, cs, send_reply, arg);
 		return NULL;
diff --git a/common/read_peer_msg.h b/common/read_peer_msg.h
index c39ae8be6..b0f433af5 100644
--- a/common/read_peer_msg.h
+++ b/common/read_peer_msg.h
@@ -26,6 +26,15 @@ struct channel_id;
 					   const u8 *),			\
 		       arg)
 
+/* Like the above, but don't read from GOSSIP_FD */
+#define read_peer_msg_nogossip(ctx, cs, chanid, send_reply, arg)	\
+	read_peer_msg_((ctx), PEER_FD, -1, (cs),			\
+		       (chanid),					\
+		       typesafe_cb_preargs(bool, void *, (send_reply), (arg), \
+					   struct crypto_state *, int,	\
+					   const u8 *),			\
+		       arg)
+
 /* Helper: sync_crypto_write, with extra args it ignores */
 bool sync_crypto_write_arg(struct crypto_state *cs, int fd, const u8 *TAKES,
 			   void *unused);
diff --git a/tests/test_lightningd.py b/tests/test_lightningd.py
index ecc5e9595..c04d7faa3 100644
--- a/tests/test_lightningd.py
+++ b/tests/test_lightningd.py
@@ -3565,8 +3565,6 @@ class LightningDTests(BaseLightningDTests):
         # Just to be sure, second openingd hand over to channeld.
         l2.daemon.wait_for_log('lightning_openingd.*REPLY WIRE_OPENING_FUNDEE_REPLY with 2 fds')
 
-    # FIXME: bad gossip order fix is wrapped up in gossipd/welcomed: see #1706
-    @flaky
     @unittest.skipIf(not DEVELOPER, "needs DEVELOPER=1")
     def test_reconnect_normal(self):
         # Should reconnect fine even if locked message gets lost.