diff --git a/go/vt/vtctl/localvtctldclient/bidi_stream.go b/go/vt/vtctl/localvtctldclient/bidi_stream.go
index 6df8177374c..6b126b38acc 100644
--- a/go/vt/vtctl/localvtctldclient/bidi_stream.go
+++ b/go/vt/vtctl/localvtctldclient/bidi_stream.go
@@ -32,6 +32,13 @@ type bidiStream struct {
 	sendClosed bool
 }
 
+func newBidiStream(ctx context.Context) *bidiStream {
+	return &bidiStream{
+		ctx:   ctx,
+		errch: make(chan error, 1),
+	}
+}
+
 func (bs *bidiStream) close(err error) {
 	if err == nil {
 		err = io.EOF
diff --git a/go/vt/vtctl/vtctldclient/codegen/template.go b/go/vt/vtctl/vtctldclient/codegen/template.go
index 26cd43d87b7..2bdb5b9ba9f 100644
--- a/go/vt/vtctl/vtctldclient/codegen/template.go
+++ b/go/vt/vtctl/vtctldclient/codegen/template.go
@@ -99,10 +99,8 @@ func (client *{{ $.Type }}) {{ .Name }}(ctx context.Context, {{ .Param.Name }} {
 	{{- else -}}
 	{{- if .IsStreaming -}}
 	stream := &{{ streamAdapterName .Name }}{
-		bidiStream: &bidiStream{
-			ctx: ctx,
-		},
-		ch: make(chan {{ .StreamMessage.Type }}),
+		bidiStream: newBidiStream(ctx),
+		ch:         make(chan {{ .StreamMessage.Type }}, 1),
 	}
 	go func() {
 		err := client.s.{{ .Name }}(in, stream)