diff --git a/distributed/scheduler.py b/distributed/scheduler.py
index bebfbc2109b..8bf58a3a038 100644
--- a/distributed/scheduler.py
+++ b/distributed/scheduler.py
@@ -7091,12 +7091,11 @@ async def retire_workers(
             If neither ``workers`` nor ``names`` are provided, we call
             ``workers_to_close`` which finds a good set.
         close_workers: bool (defaults to False)
-            Whether or not to actually close the worker explicitly from here.
-            Otherwise we expect some external job scheduler to finish off the
-            worker.
+            Whether to actually close the worker explicitly from here.
+            Otherwise, we expect some external job scheduler to finish off the worker.
         remove: bool (defaults to True)
-            Whether or not to remove the worker metadata immediately or else
-            wait for the worker to contact us.
+            Whether to remove the worker metadata immediately or else wait for the
+            worker to contact us.
 
             If close_workers=False and remove=False, this method just flushes the tasks
             in memory out of the workers and then returns.
diff --git a/distributed/tests/test_cancelled_state.py b/distributed/tests/test_cancelled_state.py
index 8daa83bf871..982947b0bd6 100644
--- a/distributed/tests/test_cancelled_state.py
+++ b/distributed/tests/test_cancelled_state.py
@@ -169,7 +169,11 @@ def blockable_compute(x, lock):
         with lock:
             return x + 1
 
-    async with BrokenWorker(s.address) as a:
+    async with BrokenWorker(
+        s.address,
+        # heartbeat will close a worker after remove_worker(close=False)
+        heartbeat_interval="100s",
+    ) as a:
         await c.wait_for_workers(2)
         fut1 = c.submit(
             blockable_compute,
@@ -267,7 +271,11 @@ def test_flight_cancelled_error(ws):
 
 @gen_cluster(client=True, nthreads=[("", 1)])
 async def test_in_flight_lost_after_resumed(c, s, b):
-    async with BlockedGetData(s.address) as a:
+    async with BlockedGetData(
+        s.address,
+        # heartbeat will close a worker after remove_worker(close=False)
+        heartbeat_interval="100s",
+    ) as a:
         fut1 = c.submit(inc, 1, workers=[a.address], key="fut1")
         # Ensure fut1 is in memory but block any further execution afterwards to
         # ensure we control when the recomputation happens
diff --git a/distributed/tests/test_worker.py b/distributed/tests/test_worker.py
index f67cd4c26f8..cfe6941bb8e 100644
--- a/distributed/tests/test_worker.py
+++ b/distributed/tests/test_worker.py
@@ -1834,7 +1834,8 @@ async def test_heartbeat_missing_real_cluster(s, a):
     Worker=Nanny,
     worker_kwargs={"heartbeat_interval": "1ms"},
 )
-async def test_heartbeat_missing_restarts(c, s, n):
+async def test_heartbeat_missing_doesnt_restart(c, s, n):
+    """Read: https://github.com/dask/distributed/pull/8522"""
     old_heartbeat_handler = s.handlers["heartbeat_worker"]
     s.handlers["heartbeat_worker"] = lambda *args, **kwargs: {"status": "missing"}
 
@@ -1843,11 +1844,8 @@ async def test_heartbeat_missing_restarts(c, s, n):
 
     assert not s.workers
     s.handlers["heartbeat_worker"] = old_heartbeat_handler
-
-    await n.process.running.wait()
-    assert n.status == Status.running
-
-    await c.wait_for_workers(1)
+    assert n.status == Status.closing_gracefully
+    assert not n.process.is_alive()
 
 
 @gen_cluster(nthreads=[])
diff --git a/distributed/worker.py b/distributed/worker.py
index 55dd5a7724f..396ae203925 100644
--- a/distributed/worker.py
+++ b/distributed/worker.py
@@ -1272,12 +1272,15 @@ async def heartbeat(self) -> None:
             self._update_latency(end - start)
 
             if response["status"] == "missing":
-                # Scheduler thought we left. Reconnection is not supported, so just shut down.
-                logger.error(
-                    f"Scheduler was unaware of this worker {self.address!r}. Shutting down."
-                )
-                # Something is out of sync; have the nanny restart us if possible.
-                await self.close(nanny=False)
+                # Scheduler thought we left.
+                # This is a common race condition when the scheduler calls
+                # remove_worker(); there can be a heartbeat between when the scheduler
+                # removes the worker on its side and when the {"op": "close"} command
+                # arrives through batched comms to the worker.
+                logger.warning("Scheduler was unaware of this worker; shutting down.")
+                # We close here just for safety's sake - the {op: close} should
+                # arrive soon anyway.
+                await self.close(reason="worker-heartbeat-missing")
                 return
 
             self.scheduler_delay = response["time"] - middle
@@ -1290,7 +1293,7 @@ async def heartbeat(self) -> None:
             logger.exception("Failed to communicate with scheduler during heartbeat.")
         except Exception:
             logger.exception("Unexpected exception during heartbeat. Closing worker.")
-            await self.close()
+            await self.close(reason="worker-heartbeat-error")
             raise
 
     @fail_hard