diff --git a/clippy.toml b/clippy.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..32bfb77
--- /dev/null
+++ b/clippy.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+disallowed-methods = [
+  "xtra::Address::do_send_async", # discards the return value, possibly swallowing an error
+  "xtra::Address::do_send", # discards the return value, possibly swallowing an error
+]
diff --git a/daemon/src/lib.rs b/daemon/src/lib.rs
index 716db47..7530aec 100644
--- a/daemon/src/lib.rs
+++ b/daemon/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 #![cfg_attr(not(test), warn(clippy::unwrap_used))]
+#![warn(clippy::disallowed_method)]
+
 use crate::db::load_all_cfds;
 use crate::maker_cfd::{FromTaker, NewTakerOnline};
 use crate::model::cfd::{Cfd, Order, UpdateCfdProposals};
@@ -170,7 +172,7 @@ where
                 .spawn_with_handle(),
         );
 
-        oracle_addr.do_send_async(oracle::Sync).await?;
+        oracle_addr.send(oracle::Sync).await?;
 
         tracing::debug!("Maker actor system ready");
 
diff --git a/daemon/src/maker_cfd.rs b/daemon/src/maker_cfd.rs
index e3f7cd4..4f3afd2 100644
--- a/daemon/src/maker_cfd.rs
+++ b/daemon/src/maker_cfd.rs
@@ -329,6 +329,9 @@ where
             None => None,
         };
 
+        // Need to use `do_send_async` here because we are being invoked from the
+        // `maker_inc_connections::Actor`. Using `send` would result in a deadlock.
+        #[allow(clippy::disallowed_method)]
         self.takers
             .do_send_async(maker_inc_connections::TakerMessage {
                 taker_id,
@@ -346,17 +349,27 @@ where
 
         let taker_id = self.get_taker_id_of_proposal(&order_id)?;
 
-        self.takers
-            .do_send_async(maker_inc_connections::TakerMessage {
+        match self
+            .takers
+            .send(maker_inc_connections::TakerMessage {
                 taker_id,
                 command: TakerCommand::NotifySettlementAccepted { id: order_id },
             })
-            .await?;
+            .await?
+        {
+            Ok(_) => {
+                self.current_agreed_proposals
+                    .insert(order_id, self.get_settlement_proposal(order_id)?);
+                self.remove_pending_proposal(&order_id)
+                    .context("accepted settlement")?;
+            }
+            Err(e) => {
+                tracing::warn!("Failed to notify taker of accepted settlement: {}", e);
+                self.remove_pending_proposal(&order_id)
+                    .context("accepted settlement")?;
+            }
+        }
 
-        self.current_agreed_proposals
-            .insert(order_id, self.get_settlement_proposal(order_id)?);
-        self.remove_pending_proposal(&order_id)
-            .context("accepted settlement")?;
         Ok(())
     }
 
@@ -365,15 +378,18 @@ where
 
         let taker_id = self.get_taker_id_of_proposal(&order_id)?;
 
+        // clean-up state ahead of sending to ensure consistency in case we fail to deliver the
+        // message
+        self.remove_pending_proposal(&order_id)
+            .context("rejected settlement")?;
+
         self.takers
-            .do_send_async(maker_inc_connections::TakerMessage {
+            .send(maker_inc_connections::TakerMessage {
                 taker_id,
                 command: TakerCommand::NotifySettlementRejected { id: order_id },
             })
-            .await?;
+            .await??;
 
-        self.remove_pending_proposal(&order_id)
-            .context("rejected settlement")?;
         Ok(())
     }
 
@@ -394,15 +410,18 @@ where
             }
         };
 
+        // clean-up state ahead of sending to ensure consistency in case we fail to deliver the
+        // message
+        self.remove_pending_proposal(&order_id)
+            .context("rejected roll_over")?;
+
         self.takers
-            .do_send_async(maker_inc_connections::TakerMessage {
+            .send(maker_inc_connections::TakerMessage {
                 taker_id,
                 command: TakerCommand::NotifyRollOverRejected { id: order_id },
             })
-            .await?;
+            .await??;
 
-        self.remove_pending_proposal(&order_id)
-            .context("rejected roll_over")?;
         Ok(())
     }
 }
@@ -428,19 +447,19 @@ where
                 load_order_by_id(current_order_id, &mut conn).await?
             }
             _ => {
-                self.takers
-                    .do_send_async(maker_inc_connections::TakerMessage {
-                        taker_id,
-                        command: TakerCommand::NotifyInvalidOrderId { id: order_id },
-                    })
-                    .await?;
-
                 // An outdated order on the taker side does not require any state change on the
                 // maker. notifying the taker with a specific message should be sufficient.
                 // Since this is a scenario that we should rarely see we log
                 // a warning to be sure we don't trigger this code path frequently.
                 tracing::warn!("Taker tried to take order with outdated id {}", order_id);
 
+                self.takers
+                    .send(maker_inc_connections::TakerMessage {
+                        taker_id,
+                        command: TakerCommand::NotifyInvalidOrderId { id: order_id },
+                    })
+                    .await??;
+
                 return Ok(());
             }
         };
@@ -451,7 +470,7 @@ where
         // have to remove the current order.
         self.current_order_id = None;
         self.takers
-            .do_send_async(maker_inc_connections::BroadcastOrder(None))
+            .send(maker_inc_connections::BroadcastOrder(None))
             .await?;
         self.order_feed_sender.send(None)?;
 
@@ -517,11 +536,11 @@ where
         append_cfd_state(&cfd, &mut conn, &self.cfd_feed_actor_inbox).await?;
 
         self.takers
-            .do_send_async(maker_inc_connections::TakerMessage {
+            .send(maker_inc_connections::TakerMessage {
                 taker_id,
                 command: TakerCommand::NotifyOrderRejected { id: cfd.order.id },
             })
-            .await?;
+            .await??;
 
         Ok(())
     }
@@ -606,8 +625,9 @@ where
         tokio::spawn(async move {
             let dlc = contract_future.await;
 
-            this.do_send_async(CfdSetupCompleted { order_id, dlc })
+            this.send(CfdSetupCompleted { order_id, dlc })
                 .await
+                .expect("always connected to ourselves");
         });
 
         // 6. Record that we are in an active contract setup
@@ -668,7 +688,7 @@ where
         tracing::info!("Lock transaction published with txid {}", txid);
 
         self.monitor_actor
-            .do_send_async(monitor::StartMonitoring {
+            .send(monitor::StartMonitoring {
                 id: order_id,
                 params: MonitorParams::new(
                     dlc,
@@ -679,7 +699,7 @@ where
             .await?;
 
         self.oracle_actor
-            .do_send_async(oracle::MonitorAttestation {
+            .send(oracle::MonitorAttestation {
                 event_id: cfd.order.oracle_event_id,
             })
             .await?;
@@ -740,7 +760,7 @@ where
             .await??;
 
         self.oracle_actor
-            .do_send_async(oracle::MonitorAttestation {
+            .send(oracle::MonitorAttestation {
                 event_id: announcement.id,
             })
             .await?;
@@ -773,8 +793,9 @@ where
         tokio::spawn(async move {
             let dlc = contract_future.await;
 
-            this.do_send_async(CfdRollOverCompleted { order_id, dlc })
+            this.send(CfdRollOverCompleted { order_id, dlc })
                 .await
+                .expect("always connected to ourselves")
         });
 
         self.remove_pending_proposal(&order_id)
@@ -806,7 +827,7 @@ where
         append_cfd_state(&cfd, &mut conn, &self.cfd_feed_actor_inbox).await?;
 
         self.monitor_actor
-            .do_send_async(monitor::StartMonitoring {
+            .send(monitor::StartMonitoring {
                 id: order_id,
                 params: MonitorParams::new(
                     dlc,
@@ -875,7 +896,7 @@ where
         tracing::info!("Close transaction published with txid {}", txid);
 
         self.monitor_actor
-            .do_send_async(monitor::CollaborativeSettlement {
+            .send(monitor::CollaborativeSettlement {
                 order_id,
                 tx: (txid, own_script_pubkey),
             })
@@ -954,7 +975,7 @@ where
 
         // 4. Inform connected takers
         self.takers
-            .do_send_async(maker_inc_connections::BroadcastOrder(Some(order)))
+            .send(maker_inc_connections::BroadcastOrder(Some(order)))
             .await?;
 
         Ok(())
diff --git a/daemon/src/taker_cfd.rs b/daemon/src/taker_cfd.rs
index 3242dd8..3ac2ce1 100644
--- a/daemon/src/taker_cfd.rs
+++ b/daemon/src/taker_cfd.rs
@@ -441,7 +441,7 @@ where
         tracing::info!("Lock transaction published with txid {}", txid);
 
         self.monitor_actor
-            .do_send_async(monitor::StartMonitoring {
+            .send(monitor::StartMonitoring {
                 id: order_id,
                 params: MonitorParams::new(
                     dlc,
@@ -452,7 +452,7 @@ where
             .await?;
 
         self.oracle_actor
-            .do_send_async(oracle::MonitorAttestation {
+            .send(oracle::MonitorAttestation {
                 event_id: cfd.order.oracle_event_id,
             })
             .await?;
@@ -493,7 +493,7 @@ where
             .with_context(|| format!("Announcement {} not found", cfd.order.oracle_event_id))?;
 
         self.oracle_actor
-            .do_send_async(oracle::MonitorAttestation {
+            .send(oracle::MonitorAttestation {
                 event_id: offer_announcement.id,
             })
             .await?;
@@ -518,8 +518,9 @@ where
         tokio::spawn(async move {
             let dlc = contract_future.await;
 
-            this.do_send_async(CfdSetupCompleted { order_id, dlc })
+            this.send(CfdSetupCompleted { order_id, dlc })
                 .await
+                .expect("always connected to ourselves")
         });
 
         self.setup_state = SetupState::Active { sender };
@@ -582,8 +583,9 @@ where
         tokio::spawn(async move {
             let dlc = contract_future.await;
 
-            this.do_send_async(CfdRollOverCompleted { order_id, dlc })
+            this.send(CfdRollOverCompleted { order_id, dlc })
                 .await
+                .expect("always connected to ourselves")
         });
 
         self.remove_pending_proposal(&order_id)
@@ -616,7 +618,7 @@ where
         append_cfd_state(&cfd, &mut conn, &self.cfd_feed_actor_inbox).await?;
 
         self.monitor_actor
-            .do_send_async(monitor::StartMonitoring {
+            .send(monitor::StartMonitoring {
                 id: order_id,
                 params: MonitorParams::new(
                     dlc,
@@ -670,7 +672,7 @@ where
         self.remove_pending_proposal(&order_id)?;
 
         self.monitor_actor
-            .do_send_async(monitor::CollaborativeSettlement {
+            .send(monitor::CollaborativeSettlement {
                 order_id,
                 tx: (tx.txid(), dlc.script_pubkey_for(Role::Taker)),
             })
diff --git a/daemon/tests/happy_path.rs b/daemon/tests/happy_path.rs
index 0a712d3..d22701c 100644
--- a/daemon/tests/happy_path.rs
+++ b/daemon/tests/happy_path.rs
@@ -85,6 +85,15 @@ async fn taker_takes_order_and_maker_accepts_and_contract_setup() {
     maker.mocks.mock_party_params().await;
     taker.mocks.mock_party_params().await;
 
+    maker.mocks.mock_monitor_oracle_attestation().await;
+    taker.mocks.mock_monitor_oracle_attestation().await;
+
+    maker.mocks.mock_oracle_monitor_attestation().await;
+    taker.mocks.mock_oracle_monitor_attestation().await;
+
+    maker.mocks.mock_monitor_start_monitoring().await;
+    taker.mocks.mock_monitor_start_monitoring().await;
+
     maker.accept_take_request(received.clone()).await;
 
     let (taker_cfd, maker_cfd) = next_cfd(taker.cfd_feed(), maker.cfd_feed()).await.unwrap();
diff --git a/daemon/tests/harness/mocks/mod.rs b/daemon/tests/harness/mocks/mod.rs
index 50ae3cb..03d806f 100644
--- a/daemon/tests/harness/mocks/mod.rs
+++ b/daemon/tests/harness/mocks/mod.rs
@@ -32,13 +32,9 @@ impl Mocks {
         self.oracle.lock().await
     }
 
-    /// Mock message handlers that are not important for the test, but the cfd
-    /// actor still sends messages
-    pub async fn mock_common_empty_handlers(&mut self) {
-        // Sync methods need to be mocked before actors start
+    pub async fn mock_sync_handlers(&mut self) {
         self.oracle().await.expect_sync().return_const(());
         self.monitor().await.expect_sync().return_const(());
-        self.mock_monitor_oracle_attestation().await;
     }
 
     // Helper function setting up a "happy path" wallet mock
@@ -65,6 +61,13 @@ impl Mocks {
             .return_const(Some(oracle::dummy_announcement()));
     }
 
+    pub async fn mock_oracle_monitor_attestation(&mut self) {
+        self.oracle()
+            .await
+            .expect_monitor_attestation()
+            .return_const(());
+    }
+
     pub async fn mock_party_params(&mut self) {
         #[allow(clippy::redundant_closure)] // clippy is in the wrong here
         self.wallet()
@@ -79,6 +82,13 @@ impl Mocks {
             .expect_oracle_attestation()
             .return_const(());
     }
+
+    pub async fn mock_monitor_start_monitoring(&mut self) {
+        self.monitor()
+            .await
+            .expect_start_monitoring()
+            .return_const(());
+    }
 }
 
 impl Default for Mocks {
diff --git a/daemon/tests/harness/mod.rs b/daemon/tests/harness/mod.rs
index f6f49d8..a564326 100644
--- a/daemon/tests/harness/mod.rs
+++ b/daemon/tests/harness/mod.rs
@@ -63,7 +63,6 @@ impl Maker {
 
         let mut mocks = mocks::Mocks::default();
         let (oracle, monitor, wallet) = mocks::create_actors(&mocks);
-        mocks.mock_common_empty_handlers().await;
 
         let (wallet_addr, wallet_fut) = wallet.create(None).run();
         tokio::spawn(wallet_fut);
@@ -73,6 +72,8 @@ impl Maker {
         let seed = Seed::default();
         let (identity_pk, identity_sk) = seed.derive_identity();
 
+        // system startup sends sync messages, mock them
+        mocks.mock_sync_handlers().await;
         let maker = daemon::MakerActorSystem::new(
             db,
             wallet_addr,
@@ -119,6 +120,8 @@ impl Maker {
     }
 
     pub async fn publish_order(&mut self, new_order_params: maker_cfd::NewOrder) {
+        self.mocks.mock_monitor_oracle_attestation().await;
+
         self.system
             .cfd_actor_addr
             .send(new_order_params)
@@ -178,11 +181,12 @@ impl Taker {
 
         let mut mocks = mocks::Mocks::default();
         let (oracle, monitor, wallet) = mocks::create_actors(&mocks);
-        mocks.mock_common_empty_handlers().await;
 
         let (wallet_addr, wallet_fut) = wallet.create(None).run();
         tokio::spawn(wallet_fut);
 
+        // system startup sends sync messages, mock them
+        mocks.mock_sync_handlers().await;
         let taker = daemon::TakerActorSystem::new(
             db,
             wallet_addr,