diff --git a/helix-term/src/application.rs b/helix-term/src/application.rs
index 6ca5b657..b4b4a675 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/application.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/application.rs
@@ -977,7 +977,10 @@ impl Application {
             errs.push(err);
         };
 
-        self.editor.flush_writes().await;
+        if let Err(err) = self.editor.flush_writes().await {
+            log::error!("Error writing: {}", err);
+            errs.push(err);
+        }
 
         if self.editor.close_language_servers(None).await.is_err() {
             log::error!("Timed out waiting for language servers to shutdown");
diff --git a/helix-term/src/commands/typed.rs b/helix-term/src/commands/typed.rs
index c18f3c39..eeeb4625 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/commands/typed.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/commands/typed.rs
@@ -75,17 +75,16 @@ fn open(cx: &mut compositor::Context, args: &[Cow<str>], event: PromptEvent) ->
 }
 
 fn buffer_close_by_ids_impl(
-    editor: &mut Editor,
+    cx: &mut compositor::Context,
     doc_ids: &[DocumentId],
     force: bool,
 ) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-    // TODO: deduplicate with ctx.block_try_flush_writes
-    tokio::task::block_in_place(|| helix_lsp::block_on(editor.flush_writes()));
+    cx.block_try_flush_writes()?;
 
     let (modified_ids, modified_names): (Vec<_>, Vec<_>) = doc_ids
         .iter()
         .filter_map(|&doc_id| {
-            if let Err(CloseError::BufferModified(name)) = editor.close_document(doc_id, force) {
+            if let Err(CloseError::BufferModified(name)) = cx.editor.close_document(doc_id, force) {
                 Some((doc_id, name))
             } else {
                 None
@@ -94,11 +93,11 @@ fn buffer_close_by_ids_impl(
         .unzip();
 
     if let Some(first) = modified_ids.first() {
-        let current = doc!(editor);
+        let current = doc!(cx.editor);
         // If the current document is unmodified, and there are modified
         // documents, switch focus to the first modified doc.
         if !modified_ids.contains(&current.id()) {
-            editor.switch(*first, Action::Replace);
+            cx.editor.switch(*first, Action::Replace);
         }
         bail!(
             "{} unsaved buffer(s) remaining: {:?}",
@@ -157,7 +156,7 @@ fn buffer_close(
     }
 
     let document_ids = buffer_gather_paths_impl(cx.editor, args);
-    buffer_close_by_ids_impl(cx.editor, &document_ids, false)
+    buffer_close_by_ids_impl(cx, &document_ids, false)
 }
 
 fn force_buffer_close(
@@ -170,7 +169,7 @@ fn force_buffer_close(
     }
 
     let document_ids = buffer_gather_paths_impl(cx.editor, args);
-    buffer_close_by_ids_impl(cx.editor, &document_ids, true)
+    buffer_close_by_ids_impl(cx, &document_ids, true)
 }
 
 fn buffer_gather_others_impl(editor: &mut Editor) -> Vec<DocumentId> {
@@ -192,7 +191,7 @@ fn buffer_close_others(
     }
 
     let document_ids = buffer_gather_others_impl(cx.editor);
-    buffer_close_by_ids_impl(cx.editor, &document_ids, false)
+    buffer_close_by_ids_impl(cx, &document_ids, false)
 }
 
 fn force_buffer_close_others(
@@ -205,7 +204,7 @@ fn force_buffer_close_others(
     }
 
     let document_ids = buffer_gather_others_impl(cx.editor);
-    buffer_close_by_ids_impl(cx.editor, &document_ids, true)
+    buffer_close_by_ids_impl(cx, &document_ids, true)
 }
 
 fn buffer_gather_all_impl(editor: &mut Editor) -> Vec<DocumentId> {
@@ -222,7 +221,7 @@ fn buffer_close_all(
     }
 
     let document_ids = buffer_gather_all_impl(cx.editor);
-    buffer_close_by_ids_impl(cx.editor, &document_ids, false)
+    buffer_close_by_ids_impl(cx, &document_ids, false)
 }
 
 fn force_buffer_close_all(
@@ -235,7 +234,7 @@ fn force_buffer_close_all(
     }
 
     let document_ids = buffer_gather_all_impl(cx.editor);
-    buffer_close_by_ids_impl(cx.editor, &document_ids, true)
+    buffer_close_by_ids_impl(cx, &document_ids, true)
 }
 
 fn buffer_next(
diff --git a/helix-term/src/compositor.rs b/helix-term/src/compositor.rs
index 76703780..971dc52d 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/compositor.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/compositor.rs
@@ -32,9 +32,7 @@ impl<'a> Context<'a> {
     /// operations for all documents.
     pub fn block_try_flush_writes(&mut self) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         tokio::task::block_in_place(|| helix_lsp::block_on(self.jobs.finish(self.editor, None)))?;
-
-        tokio::task::block_in_place(|| helix_lsp::block_on(self.editor.flush_writes()));
-
+        tokio::task::block_in_place(|| helix_lsp::block_on(self.editor.flush_writes()))?;
         Ok(())
     }
 }
diff --git a/helix-view/src/editor.rs b/helix-view/src/editor.rs
index dc1a800e..9f74c5ec 100644
--- a/helix-view/src/editor.rs
+++ b/helix-view/src/editor.rs
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ use tokio::{
     time::{sleep, Duration, Instant, Sleep},
 };
 
-use anyhow::{anyhow, Error};
+use anyhow::{anyhow, bail, Error};
 
 pub use helix_core::diagnostic::Severity;
 pub use helix_core::register::Registers;
@@ -1355,22 +1355,24 @@ impl Editor {
         }
     }
 
-    pub async fn flush_writes(&mut self) {
+    pub async fn flush_writes(&mut self) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         while self.write_count > 0 {
             if let Some(save_event) = self.save_queue.next().await {
-                match &save_event {
-                    Ok(event) => {
-                        let doc = doc_mut!(self, &event.doc_id);
-                        doc.set_last_saved_revision(event.revision);
-                    }
+                self.write_count -= 1;
+
+                let save_event = match save_event {
+                    Ok(event) => event,
                     Err(err) => {
-                        log::error!("error saving document: {}", err);
+                        self.set_error(err.to_string());
+                        bail!(err);
                     }
                 };
-                // TODO: if is_err: break?
 
-                self.write_count -= 1;
+                let doc = doc_mut!(self, &save_event.doc_id);
+                doc.set_last_saved_revision(save_event.revision);
             }
         }
+
+        Ok(())
     }
 }