diff --git a/proto/src/core/worker.rs b/proto/src/core/worker.rs
index 27cb8e4..0e01ab0 100644
--- a/proto/src/core/worker.rs
+++ b/proto/src/core/worker.rs
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ where
   ReadFrame: ValueDecode + Debug,
   WriteFrame: ValueEncode + Debug,
 {
+  /// Wraps the given `stream`.
   pub fn new(stream: TcpStream) -> Self {
     let (read_half, write_half) = stream.into_split();
     let reader = FrameReader::new(read_half);
@@ -74,6 +75,24 @@ where
     Self { reader, writer }
   }
 
+  /// Assembles a worker from a `reader` and a `writer`.
+  ///
+  /// Useful when some data has already been exchanged on a TCP stream, and
+  /// possibly buffered by either half.
+  pub fn from_parts(
+    reader: FrameReader<ReadFrame, OwnedReadHalf>,
+    writer: FrameWriter<WriteFrame, OwnedWriteHalf>,
+  ) -> Self {
+    Self { reader, writer }
+  }
+
+  /// Runs this worker until `outgoing_rx` is closed.
+  ///
+  /// Forwards incoming frames from the underlying stream into `incoming_tx`.
+  /// Forwards outgoing frames from `outgoing_rx` onto the underlying stream.
+  ///
+  /// Returns an error if reading or writing frames to and from the underlying
+  /// stream fails, or if `incoming_tx` is closed.
   pub async fn run(
     &mut self,
     incoming_tx: mpsc::Sender<ReadFrame>,
@@ -87,6 +106,7 @@ where
     Ok(())
   }
 
+  /// Returns the underlying stream. Discards any buffered data.
   pub fn into_inner(self) -> TcpStream {
     let read_half = self.reader.into_inner();
     let write_half = self.writer.into_inner();
diff --git a/proto/src/server/client.rs b/proto/src/server/client.rs
index 86dcded..a372392 100644
--- a/proto/src/server/client.rs
+++ b/proto/src/server/client.rs
@@ -1,22 +1,22 @@
 //! A client interface for remote servers.
 
+use std::io;
+
 use log::{debug, info};
 use thiserror::Error;
+use tokio::net::tcp::{OwnedReadHalf, OwnedWriteHalf};
 use tokio::net::TcpStream;
-use tokio::sync::mpsc;
 
-use crate::core::{Worker, WorkerError};
+use crate::core::{FrameReader, FrameWriter, Worker};
 use crate::server::{
   Credentials, LoginResponse, ServerRequest, ServerResponse, Version,
 };
 
-/// A `Worker` that sends `ServerRequest`s and receives `ServerResponse`s.
-pub type ClientWorker = Worker<ServerResponse, ServerRequest>;
-
 /// A client for the client-server protocol.
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct Client {
-  stream: TcpStream,
+  reader: FrameReader<ServerResponse, OwnedReadHalf>,
+  writer: FrameWriter<ServerRequest, OwnedWriteHalf>,
   version: Version,
 }
 
@@ -24,26 +24,31 @@ pub struct Client {
 #[derive(Debug, Error)]
 pub enum ClientLoginError {
   #[error("login failed: {0}")]
-  LoginFailed(String, ClientWorker),
+  LoginFailed(String, Client),
 
   #[error("unexpected response: {0:?}")]
   UnexpectedResponse(ServerResponse),
 
-  #[error("send error: {0}")]
-  SendError(#[from] mpsc::error::SendError<ServerRequest>),
+  #[error("read error: {0}")]
+  ReadError(#[source] io::Error),
 
-  #[error("worker error: {0}")]
-  WorkerError(#[from] WorkerError),
+  #[error("write error: {0}")]
+  WriteError(#[source] io::Error),
 
   #[error("stream closed unexpectedly")]
   StreamClosed,
 }
 
+/// A `Worker` that sends `ServerRequest`s and receives `ServerResponse`s.
+pub type ClientWorker = Worker<ServerResponse, ServerRequest>;
+
 impl Client {
   /// Instantiates a new client
   pub fn new(stream: TcpStream) -> Self {
+    let (read_half, write_half) = stream.into_split();
     Client {
-      stream,
+      reader: FrameReader::new(read_half),
+      writer: FrameWriter::new(write_half),
       version: Version::default(),
     }
   }
@@ -56,32 +61,23 @@ impl Client {
 
   /// Performs the login exchange, presenting `credentials` to the server.
   pub async fn login(
-    self,
+    mut self,
     credentials: Credentials,
   ) -> Result<ClientWorker, ClientLoginError> {
-    let mut worker = ClientWorker::new(self.stream);
-    let (request_tx, request_rx) = mpsc::channel(1);
-    let (response_tx, mut response_rx) = mpsc::channel(1);
-
-    let worker_task = tokio::spawn(async move {
-      worker
-        .run(response_tx, request_rx)
-        .await
-        .map(move |()| worker)
-    });
-
     let login_request = credentials.into_login_request(self.version);
     debug!("Sending login request: {:?}", login_request);
+    self
+      .writer
+      .write(&login_request.into())
+      .await
+      .map_err(ClientLoginError::WriteError)?;
 
-    request_tx.send(login_request.into()).await?;
-    let optional_response = response_rx.recv().await;
-
-    // Join the worker even if we received `None`, in case it failed.
-    // Panic in case of join error, as if we had run the worker itself.
-    drop(request_tx);
-    let worker = worker_task.await.expect("joining worker")?;
-
-    let response = match optional_response {
+    let response = match self
+      .reader
+      .read()
+      .await
+      .map_err(ClientLoginError::ReadError)?
+    {
       None => return Err(ClientLoginError::StreamClosed),
       Some(response) => response,
     };
@@ -98,10 +94,10 @@ impl Client {
         info!("Login: Public IP address: {}", ip);
         info!("Login: Password MD5: {:?}", password_md5_opt);
 
-        Ok(worker)
+        Ok(Worker::from_parts(self.reader, self.writer))
       }
       ServerResponse::LoginResponse(LoginResponse::LoginFail { reason }) => {
-        Err(ClientLoginError::LoginFailed(reason, worker))
+        Err(ClientLoginError::LoginFailed(reason, self))
       }
       response => Err(ClientLoginError::UnexpectedResponse(response)),
     }