diff --git a/juju/client/connection.py b/juju/client/connection.py
index 45ee6d95e..cb87f118e 100644
--- a/juju/client/connection.py
+++ b/juju/client/connection.py
@@ -656,7 +656,7 @@ async def rpc(self, msg, encoder=None):
                 # if it is triggered by the pinger, then this RPC call will
                 # be cancelled when the pinger is cancelled by the reconnect,
                 # and we don't want the reconnect to be aborted halfway through
-                await jasyncio.wait([self.reconnect()])
+                await jasyncio.wait([jasyncio.create_task(self.reconnect())])
                 if self.monitor.status != Monitor.CONNECTED:
                     # reconnect failed; abort and shutdown
                     log.error('RPC: Automatic reconnect failed')