diff --git a/tractor/trionics/_taskc.py b/tractor/trionics/_taskc.py
index e50b28f9..13310ff1 100644
--- a/tractor/trionics/_taskc.py
+++ b/tractor/trionics/_taskc.py
@@ -296,6 +296,9 @@ async def maybe_raise_from_masking_exc(
             if raise_unmasked:
                 raise exc_ctx from exc_match
 
+    else:
+        raise
+
 
 async def start_or_cancel(
     nursery: trio.Nursery,
@@ -345,6 +348,3 @@ async def start_or_cancel(
             await trio.lowlevel.checkpoint_if_cancelled()
 
         raise
-
-    else:
-        raise