diff --git a/tower/src/load/completion.rs b/tower/src/load/completion.rs
index 50c441164..c5e0c2af5 100644
--- a/tower/src/load/completion.rs
+++ b/tower/src/load/completion.rs
@@ -76,9 +76,17 @@ where
 
     fn poll(self: Pin<&mut Self>, cx: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<Self::Output> {
         let this = self.project();
-        let rsp = ready!(this.future.poll(cx))?;
-        let h = this.handle.take().expect("handle");
-        Poll::Ready(Ok(this.completion.track_completion(h, rsp)))
+
+        match ready!(this.future.poll(cx)) {
+            Ok(rsp) => {
+                let h = this.handle.take().expect("handle");
+                Poll::Ready(Ok(this.completion.track_completion(h, rsp)))
+            }
+            Err(err) => {
+                drop(this.handle.take().expect("handle"));
+                Poll::Ready(Err(err))
+            }
+        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/tower/src/load/peak_ewma.rs b/tower/src/load/peak_ewma.rs
index b70d4b6b4..76972a0ac 100644
--- a/tower/src/load/peak_ewma.rs
+++ b/tower/src/load/peak_ewma.rs
@@ -392,6 +392,56 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(svc.load() < Cost(100_000.0));
     }
 
+    // Regression test for #858: a request that resolves to `Err` must stop
+    // contributing to load as soon as the response future resolves, not only
+    // when the future object is dropped.
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn completes_on_error() {
+        time::pause();
+
+        struct ErrSvc;
+        impl Service<()> for ErrSvc {
+            type Response = ();
+            type Error = ();
+            type Future = future::Ready<Result<(), ()>>;
+
+            fn poll_ready(&mut self, _: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<Result<(), ()>> {
+                Poll::Ready(Ok(()))
+            }
+
+            fn call(&mut self, (): ()) -> Self::Future {
+                future::ready(Err(()))
+            }
+        }
+
+        let mut svc = PeakEwma::new(
+            ErrSvc,
+            Duration::from_millis(10),
+            NANOS_PER_MILLI * 1_000.0,
+            CompleteOnResponse,
+        );
+
+        let baseline = svc.load();
+        let mut fut = task::spawn(svc.call(()));
+        let pending = svc.load();
+        assert!(pending > baseline, "an in-flight request should raise load");
+
+        // Poll the failed response to completion. The future object is kept
+        // alive afterwards.
+        assert!(matches!(fut.poll(), Poll::Ready(Err(()))));
+
+        // With the fix, the failed response releases its load handle at
+        // completion, so it no longer counts as pending even though `fut` has
+        // not been dropped.
+        let after = svc.load();
+        assert!(
+            after < pending,
+            "a failed request must stop counting as pending once its response resolves"
+        );
+
+        drop(fut);
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn nanos() {
         assert_eq!(super::nanos(Duration::new(0, 0)), 0.0);
diff --git a/tower/src/load/pending_requests.rs b/tower/src/load/pending_requests.rs
index d11f62cb8..720dd656d 100644
--- a/tower/src/load/pending_requests.rs
+++ b/tower/src/load/pending_requests.rs
@@ -216,4 +216,39 @@ mod tests {
         drop(i0);
         assert_eq!(svc.load(), Count(0));
     }
+
+    // Regression test for #858: a request that resolves to `Err` must stop
+    // counting as pending as soon as its response future resolves, not only
+    // once the future object is dropped.
+    #[test]
+    fn failed_response_completes_immediately() {
+        use tokio_test::task;
+
+        struct ErrSvc;
+        impl Service<()> for ErrSvc {
+            type Response = ();
+            type Error = ();
+            type Future = future::Ready<Result<(), ()>>;
+
+            fn poll_ready(&mut self, _: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<Result<(), ()>> {
+                Poll::Ready(Ok(()))
+            }
+
+            fn call(&mut self, (): ()) -> Self::Future {
+                future::ready(Err(()))
+            }
+        }
+
+        let mut svc = PendingRequests::new(ErrSvc, CompleteOnResponse);
+        assert_eq!(svc.load(), Count(0));
+
+        let mut fut = task::spawn(svc.call(()));
+        assert_eq!(svc.load(), Count(1));
+
+        assert!(matches!(fut.poll(), Poll::Ready(Err(()))));
+
+        // The request has completed (with an error), so it must no longer be
+        // counted as pending -- even though `fut` has not been dropped yet.
+        assert_eq!(svc.load(), Count(0));
+    }
 }