diff --git a/channeld/Makefile b/channeld/Makefile
index 2c9e89d75..bef41c69a 100644
--- a/channeld/Makefile
+++ b/channeld/Makefile
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ CHANNELD_HEADERS :=			\
 	channeld/full_channel_error_names_gen.h	\
 	channeld/channeld_wiregen.h		\
 	channeld/channeld_htlc.h		\
+	channeld/channeld.h			\
 	channeld/commit_tx.h			\
 	channeld/full_channel.h			\
 	channeld/full_channel_error.h		\
diff --git a/channeld/channeld.c b/channeld/channeld.c
index dfc392318..fb90922d2 100644
--- a/channeld/channeld.c
+++ b/channeld/channeld.c
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 #include <ccan/cast/cast.h>
 #include <ccan/mem/mem.h>
 #include <ccan/tal/str/str.h>
+#include <channeld/channeld.h>
 #include <channeld/channeld_wiregen.h>
 #include <channeld/full_channel.h>
 #include <channeld/watchtower.h>
@@ -193,23 +194,17 @@ static void billboard_update(const struct peer *peer)
 	peer_billboard(false, update);
 }
 
-static const u8 *hsm_req(const tal_t *ctx, const u8 *req TAKES)
+const u8 *hsm_req(const tal_t *ctx, const u8 *req TAKES)
 {
 	u8 *msg;
-	int type = fromwire_peektype(req);
 
+	/* hsmd goes away at shutdown.  That's OK. */
 	if (!wire_sync_write(HSM_FD, req))
-		status_failed(STATUS_FAIL_HSM_IO,
-			      "Writing %s to HSM: %s",
-			      hsmd_wire_name(type),
-			      strerror(errno));
+		exit(0);
 
 	msg = wire_sync_read(ctx, HSM_FD);
 	if (!msg)
-		status_failed(STATUS_FAIL_HSM_IO,
-			      "Reading resp to %s: %s",
-			      hsmd_wire_name(type),
-			      strerror(errno));
+		exit(0);
 
 	return msg;
 }
diff --git a/channeld/channeld.h b/channeld/channeld.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a2b26b082
--- /dev/null
+++ b/channeld/channeld.h
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+#ifndef LIGHTNING_CHANNELD_CHANNELD_H
+#define LIGHTNING_CHANNELD_CHANNELD_H
+#include "config.h"
+#include <ccan/short_types/short_types.h>
+#include <ccan/take/take.h>
+#include <ccan/tal/tal.h>
+
+const u8 *hsm_req(const tal_t *ctx, const u8 *req TAKES);
+
+#endif /* LIGHTNING_CHANNELD_CHANNELD_H */
diff --git a/channeld/watchtower.c b/channeld/watchtower.c
index 20d273d65..e91dc4f89 100644
--- a/channeld/watchtower.c
+++ b/channeld/watchtower.c
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include "config.h"
 #include <bitcoin/feerate.h>
 #include <bitcoin/script.h>
+#include <channeld/channeld.h>
 #include <channeld/watchtower.h>
 #include <common/features.h>
 #include <common/htlc_tx.h>
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@ penalty_tx_create(const tal_t *ctx,
 	struct bitcoin_tx *tx;
 	struct keyset keyset;
 	size_t weight;
-	u8 *msg;
+	const u8 *msg;
 	struct amount_sat fee, min_out, amt;
 	struct bitcoin_signature sig;
 	u32 locktime = 0;
@@ -105,16 +106,12 @@ penalty_tx_create(const tal_t *ctx,
 	bitcoin_tx_finalize(tx);
 
 	u8 *hsm_sign_msg =
-	    towire_hsmd_sign_penalty_to_us(ctx, &remote_per_commitment_secret,
+	    towire_hsmd_sign_penalty_to_us(tmpctx, &remote_per_commitment_secret,
 					  tx, wscript);
 
-	if (!wire_sync_write(hsm_fd, take(hsm_sign_msg)))
-		status_failed(STATUS_FAIL_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-			      "Writing sign request to hsm");
-
-	msg = wire_sync_read(tmpctx, hsm_fd);
-	if (!msg || !fromwire_hsmd_sign_tx_reply(msg, &sig))
-		status_failed(STATUS_FAIL_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+	msg = hsm_req(tmpctx, hsm_sign_msg);
+	if (!fromwire_hsmd_sign_tx_reply(msg, &sig))
+		status_failed(STATUS_FAIL_HSM_IO,
 			      "Reading sign_tx_reply: %s", tal_hex(tmpctx, msg));
 
 	witness = bitcoin_witness_sig_and_element(tx, &sig, &ONE, sizeof(ONE),