diff --git a/flow.go b/flow.go
index 0686d9d..8d6e839 100644
--- a/flow.go
+++ b/flow.go
@@ -179,11 +179,11 @@ func (f *KeycardFlow) closeKeycard(kc *keycardContext) {
 	}
 }
 
-func (f *KeycardFlow) connect() *keycardContext {
+func (f *KeycardFlow) connect() (*keycardContext, error) {
 	kc, err := startKeycardContext()
 
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil
+		return nil, restartErr()
 	}
 
 	f.pause(InsertCard, ErrorConnection, FlowParams{})
@@ -192,23 +192,24 @@ func (f *KeycardFlow) connect() *keycardContext {
 		if f.state != Cancelling {
 			panic("Resuming is not expected during connection")
 		}
-		return nil
+		return nil, giveupErr()
 	case <-kc.connected:
 		if kc.runErr != nil {
-			return nil
+			return nil, restartErr()
 		}
 
+		f.state = Running
 		signal.Send(CardInserted, FlowStatus{})
-		return kc
+		return kc, nil
 	}
 }
 
 func (f *KeycardFlow) connectedFlow() (FlowStatus, error) {
-	kc := f.connect()
+	kc, err := f.connect()
 	defer f.closeKeycard(kc)
 
-	if kc == nil {
-		return nil, f.pauseAndRestart(InsertCard, ErrorConnection)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	if factoryReset, ok := f.params[FactoryReset]; ok && factoryReset.(bool) {
@@ -219,7 +220,7 @@ func (f *KeycardFlow) connectedFlow() (FlowStatus, error) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	err := f.selectKeycard(kc)
+	err = f.selectKeycard(kc)
 
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
diff --git a/flow_commands.go b/flow_commands.go
index d073b40..6583701 100644
--- a/flow_commands.go
+++ b/flow_commands.go
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func (f *KeycardFlow) factoryReset(kc *keycardContext) error {
-	err := kc.factoryReset()
+	err := kc.factoryReset(true)
 
 	if err == nil {
 		delete(f.params, FactoryReset)
diff --git a/keycard_context.go b/keycard_context.go
index 47cce1e..1b9a085 100644
--- a/keycard_context.go
+++ b/keycard_context.go
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ func (kc *keycardContext) start() error {
 		err = newKeycardError("cannot get readers")
 		l(err.Error())
 		close(kc.connected)
+		_ = kc.cardCtx.Release()
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -67,6 +68,7 @@ func (kc *keycardContext) start() error {
 		err = newKeycardError("no smartcard reader found")
 		l(err.Error())
 		close(kc.connected)
+		_ = kc.cardCtx.Release()
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -95,6 +97,7 @@ func (kc *keycardContext) run() {
 		l(err.Error())
 		kc.runErr = err
 		close(kc.connected)
+		_ = kc.cardCtx.Release()
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -106,8 +109,10 @@ func (kc *keycardContext) run() {
 	card, err := kc.cardCtx.Connect(reader, scard.ShareShared, scard.ProtocolAny)
 	if err != nil {
 		// error connecting to card
+		l(err.Error())
 		kc.runErr = err
 		close(kc.connected)
+		_ = kc.cardCtx.Release()
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -115,6 +120,7 @@ func (kc *keycardContext) run() {
 	if err != nil {
 		kc.runErr = err
 		close(kc.connected)
+		_ = kc.cardCtx.Release()
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -465,7 +471,7 @@ func (kc *keycardContext) changePairingPassword(pairingPassword string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (kc *keycardContext) factoryReset() error {
+func (kc *keycardContext) factoryReset(retry bool) error {
 	<-kc.connected
 	if kc.runErr != nil {
 		return kc.runErr
@@ -491,7 +497,12 @@ func (kc *keycardContext) factoryReset() error {
 
 	if err := cmdSet.DeleteObject(aid); err != nil {
 		l("error deleting keycard aid %+v", err)
-		return err
+
+		if retry {
+			return kc.factoryReset(false)
+		} else {
+			return err
+		}
 	}
 
 	if err := cmdSet.InstallKeycardApplet(); err != nil {