diff --git a/.github/workflows/check-sdk-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/check-sdk-tests.yml
index 1e68fd3..9e40b61 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/check-sdk-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/check-sdk-tests.yml
@@ -62,8 +62,16 @@ jobs:
       - name: Check out repository
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
-      - name: Get labels from PR
+      - name: Skip label check for manual runs
         id: get-labels
+        if: ${{ github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' }}
+        run: |
+          echo "Manual workflow dispatch detected, skipping PR label check."
+          echo "run-sdk-tests=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+
+      - name: Get labels from PR
+        id: get-labels-pr
+        if: ${{ github.event_name == 'pull_request' }}
         run: |
           sleep 5
           LABELS=$(gh api repos/${{ github.repository }}/issues/${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}/labels --jq '.[].name')
diff --git a/async_substrate_interface/async_substrate.py b/async_substrate_interface/async_substrate.py
index 105b93a..7f5cb71 100644
--- a/async_substrate_interface/async_substrate.py
+++ b/async_substrate_interface/async_substrate.py
@@ -561,7 +561,7 @@ def __init__(
         self._received: dict[str, asyncio.Future] = {}
         self._received_subscriptions: dict[str, asyncio.Queue] = {}
         self._sending: Optional[asyncio.Queue] = None
-        self._send_recv_task = None
+        self._send_recv_task: Optional[asyncio.Task] = None
         self._inflight: dict[str, str] = {}
         self._attempts = 0
         self._lock = asyncio.Lock()
@@ -747,7 +747,7 @@ async def _start_receiving(self, ws: ClientConnection) -> Exception:
             elif isinstance(e, websockets.exceptions.ConnectionClosedOK):
                 logger.debug("Websocket connection closed.")
             else:
-                logger.debug(f"Timeout occurred. Reconnecting.")
+                logger.debug(f"Timeout occurred.")
             return e
 
     async def _start_sending(self, ws) -> Exception:
@@ -780,7 +780,7 @@ async def _start_sending(self, ws) -> Exception:
             elif isinstance(e, websockets.exceptions.ConnectionClosedOK):
                 logger.debug("Websocket connection closed.")
             else:
-                logger.debug("Timeout occurred. Reconnecting.")
+                logger.debug("Timeout occurred.")
             return e
 
     async def send(self, payload: dict) -> str:
@@ -859,6 +859,9 @@ async def retrieve(self, item_id: str) -> Optional[dict]:
                 if isinstance((e := self._send_recv_task.exception()), Exception):
                     logger.exception(f"Websocket sending exception: {e}")
                     raise e
+                elif isinstance((e := self._send_recv_task.result()), Exception):
+                    logger.exception(f"Websocket sending exception: {e}")
+                    raise e
         await asyncio.sleep(0.1)
         return None