diff --git a/include/lighttpd/virtualrequest.h b/include/lighttpd/virtualrequest.h
index 12d23b0..01dd23a 100644
--- a/include/lighttpd/virtualrequest.h
+++ b/include/lighttpd/virtualrequest.h
@@ -95,6 +95,10 @@ LI_API void vrequest_reset(vrequest *vr);
 
 LI_API void vrequest_error(vrequest *vr);
 
+LI_API void vrequest_backend_overloaded(vrequest *vr);
+LI_API void vrequest_backend_dead(vrequest *vr);
+LI_API void vrequest_backend_error(vrequest *vr, backend_error berror);
+
 /* received all request headers */
 LI_API void vrequest_handle_request_headers(vrequest *vr);
 /* received (partial) request content */
diff --git a/src/actions.c b/src/actions.c
index b2acd5e..b12d16e 100644
--- a/src/actions.c
+++ b/src/actions.c
@@ -192,14 +192,16 @@ handler_t action_execute(vrequest *vr) {
 
 	while (NULL != (ase = action_stack_top(as))) {
 		if (as->backend_failed) {
-			while (ase->act->type != ACTION_TBALANCER || !ase->act->data.balancer.provide_backlog) {
+			/* pop top action in every case (if the balancer itself failed we don't want to restart it) */
+			action_stack_pop(srv, vr, as);
+			while (NULL != (ase = action_stack_top(as)) && (ase->act->type != ACTION_TBALANCER || !ase->act->data.balancer.provide_backlog)) {
 				action_stack_pop(srv, vr, as);
 				ase = action_stack_top(as);
-				if (!ase) { /* no backlogging balancer found */
-					if (vrequest_handle_direct(vr))
-						vr->response.http_status = 503;
-					return HANDLER_GO_ON;
-				}
+			}
+			if (!ase) { /* no backlogging balancer found */
+				if (vrequest_handle_direct(vr))
+					vr->response.http_status = 503;
+				return HANDLER_GO_ON;
 			}
 			as->backend_failed = FALSE;
 			
@@ -216,12 +218,6 @@ handler_t action_execute(vrequest *vr) {
 			case HANDLER_WAIT_FOR_FD:
 				return res;
 			}
-			if (as->backend_failed) { /* if balancer failed, pop it */
-				action_stack_element *tmp_ase;
-				while (ase != (tmp_ase = action_stack_top(as))) {
-					action_stack_pop(srv, vr, as);
-				}
-			}
 			continue;
 		}
 		if (ase->finished) {
diff --git a/src/modules/mod_balancer.c b/src/modules/mod_balancer.c
index 4273255..d5d2863 100644
--- a/src/modules/mod_balancer.c
+++ b/src/modules/mod_balancer.c
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ static handler_t balancer_act_select(vrequest *vr, gboolean backlog_provided, gp
 
 static handler_t balancer_act_fallback(vrequest *vr, gboolean backlog_provided, gpointer param, gpointer *context, backend_error error) {
 	balancer *b = (balancer*) param;
-	gint be_ndx = GPOINTER_TO_INT(context);
+	gint be_ndx = GPOINTER_TO_INT(*context);
 	backend *be = &g_array_index(b->backends, backend, be_ndx);
 
 	UNUSED(backlog_provided);
@@ -105,8 +105,8 @@ static handler_t balancer_act_fallback(vrequest *vr, gboolean backlog_provided,
 	/* TODO implement fallback/backlog */
 
 	be->load--;
-	if (vrequest_handle_direct(vr))
-		vr->response.http_status = 503;
+	*context = GINT_TO_POINTER(-1);
+	vrequest_backend_error(vr, error);
 	return HANDLER_GO_ON;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/virtualrequest.c b/src/virtualrequest.c
index 2a695ba..8bacdfe 100644
--- a/src/virtualrequest.c
+++ b/src/virtualrequest.c
@@ -114,6 +114,21 @@ void vrequest_error(vrequest *vr) {
 	vrequest_joblist_append(vr);
 }
 
+void vrequest_backend_overloaded(vrequest *vr) {
+	vr->action_stack.backend_failed = TRUE;
+	vr->action_stack.backend_error = BACKEND_OVERLOAD;
+}
+
+void vrequest_backend_error(vrequest *vr, backend_error berror) {
+	vr->action_stack.backend_failed = TRUE;
+	vr->action_stack.backend_error = berror;
+}
+
+void vrequest_backend_dead(vrequest *vr) {
+	vr->action_stack.backend_failed = TRUE;
+	vr->action_stack.backend_error = BACKEND_DEAD;
+}
+
 /* received all request headers */
 void vrequest_handle_request_headers(vrequest *vr) {
 	if (VRS_CLEAN == vr->state) {