diff --git a/tractor/_ipc.py b/tractor/_ipc.py
index d6afc33..efe388e 100644
--- a/tractor/_ipc.py
+++ b/tractor/_ipc.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 """
 Inter-process comms abstractions
 """
+import platform
 import typing
 from typing import Any, Tuple, Optional
 from functools import partial
@@ -13,6 +14,9 @@ from .log import get_logger
 from ._exceptions import TransportClosed
 log = get_logger(__name__)
 
+
+_is_windows = platform.system() == 'Windows'
+
 # :eyeroll:
 try:
     import msgpack_numpy
@@ -73,8 +77,9 @@ class MsgpackTCPStream:
                     # nix
                     '[Errno 104]' in msg or
 
-                    # windows
-                    '[WinError 10054]' in msg
+                    # on windows it seems there are a variety of errors
+                    # to handle..
+                    _is_windows
                 ):
                     raise TransportClosed(
                         f'{self} was broken with {msg}'