diff --git a/cmd/zload/main.go b/cmd/zload/main.go
index e0b420c..a238fb6 100644
--- a/cmd/zload/main.go
+++ b/cmd/zload/main.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
 	"math/rand"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/cookiejar"
@@ -93,12 +94,16 @@ func newSession() (*http.Client, error) {
 }
 
 func post(c *http.Client, path, body string) (int, error) {
-	req, _ := http.NewRequest("POST", *addr+path, strings.NewReader(body))
+	req, err := http.NewRequest("POST", *addr+path, strings.NewReader(body))
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	}
 	req.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
 	resp, err := c.Do(req)
 	if err != nil {
 		return 0, err
 	}
+	io.Copy(io.Discard, resp.Body) // drain so the connection can be reused
 	resp.Body.Close()
 	return resp.StatusCode, nil
 }
@@ -120,7 +125,7 @@ func reader(ctx context.Context, st *stats, observe bool) {
 	}
 	defer resp.Body.Close()
 
-	var src = brotli.NewReader(resp.Body)
+	src := brotli.NewReader(resp.Body)
 	sc := bufio.NewScanner(src)
 	sc.Buffer(make([]byte, 0, 64*1024), 1024*1024)
 	seen := map[int64]bool{}
diff --git a/tasks/prelaunch-checklist.md b/tasks/prelaunch-checklist.md
index c5d0071..b56ff5b 100644
--- a/tasks/prelaunch-checklist.md
+++ b/tasks/prelaunch-checklist.md
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ Verified clean at review time: `go vet ./...`, `gofmt -l .`, `go test -race ./..
 
 - [x] **P4.2 Concurrency test coverage** — `helpers_test.go` covers pure functions only; nothing exercises the Writer (batching/savepoint rollback/queue-full — would have caught P0.1), cache invalidation across version bumps, or hub frame/sweep/eviction. Add a test hammering `Writer.Submit` from N goroutines while readers hit the caches, run under `-race`.
 
-- [ ] **P4.3 `zload` harness nits** — `cmd/zload/main.go:95,123`: `post` ignores `http.NewRequest` error and doesn't drain bodies on non-2xx; `var src =` → `:=`. Fine for a harness; fix opportunistically.
+- [x] **P4.3 `zload` harness nits** — `cmd/zload/main.go:95,123`: `post` ignores `http.NewRequest` error and doesn't drain bodies on non-2xx; `var src =` → `:=`. Fine for a harness; fix opportunistically.
 
 ---