diff --git a/internal/transport/http2_client.go b/internal/transport/http2_client.go
index 91e446fbe6c3..e26e28141e7c 100644
--- a/internal/transport/http2_client.go
+++ b/internal/transport/http2_client.go
@@ -549,7 +549,7 @@ func (t *http2Client) NewStream(ctx context.Context, callHdr *CallHdr) (_ *Strea
 		s.write(recvMsg{err: err})
 		close(s.done)
 		// If headerChan isn't closed, then close it.
-		if atomic.SwapUint32(&s.headerDone, 1) == 0 {
+		if atomic.CompareAndSwapUint32(&s.headerChanClosed, 0, 1) {
 			close(s.headerChan)
 		}
 
@@ -713,7 +713,7 @@ func (t *http2Client) closeStream(s *Stream, err error, rst bool, rstCode http2.
 		s.write(recvMsg{err: err})
 	}
 	// If headerChan isn't closed, then close it.
-	if atomic.SwapUint32(&s.headerDone, 1) == 0 {
+	if atomic.CompareAndSwapUint32(&s.headerChanClosed, 0, 1) {
 		s.noHeaders = true
 		close(s.headerChan)
 	}
@@ -1142,26 +1142,24 @@ func (t *http2Client) operateHeaders(frame *http2.MetaHeadersFrame) {
 	}
 	endStream := frame.StreamEnded()
 	atomic.StoreUint32(&s.bytesReceived, 1)
-	initialHeader := atomic.SwapUint32(&s.headerDone, 1) == 0
+	initialHeader := atomic.LoadUint32(&s.headerChanClosed) == 0
 
 	if !initialHeader && !endStream {
-		// As specified by RFC 7540, a HEADERS frame (and associated CONTINUATION frames) can only appear
-		// at the start or end of a stream. Therefore, second HEADERS frame must have EOS bit set.
+		// As specified by gRPC over HTTP2, a HEADERS frame (and associated CONTINUATION frames) can only appear at the start or end of a stream. Therefore, second HEADERS frame must have EOS bit set.
 		st := status.New(codes.Internal, "a HEADERS frame cannot appear in the middle of a stream")
 		t.closeStream(s, st.Err(), true, http2.ErrCodeProtocol, st, nil, false)
 		return
 	}
 
 	state := &decodeState{}
-	// Initialize isGRPC value to be !initialHeader, since if a gRPC ResponseHeader has been received
-	// which indicates peer speaking gRPC, we are in gRPC mode.
+	// Initialize isGRPC value to be !initialHeader, since if a gRPC Response-Headers has already been received, then it means that the peer is speaking gRPC and we are in gRPC mode.
 	state.data.isGRPC = !initialHeader
 	if err := state.decodeHeader(frame); err != nil {
 		t.closeStream(s, err, true, http2.ErrCodeProtocol, status.Convert(err), nil, endStream)
 		return
 	}
 
-	var isHeader bool
+	isHeader := false
 	defer func() {
 		if t.statsHandler != nil {
 			if isHeader {
@@ -1180,10 +1178,10 @@ func (t *http2Client) operateHeaders(frame *http2.MetaHeadersFrame) {
 		}
 	}()
 
-	// If headers haven't been received yet.
-	if initialHeader {
+	// If headerChan hasn't been closed yet
+	if atomic.CompareAndSwapUint32(&s.headerChanClosed, 0, 1) {
 		if !endStream {
-			// Headers frame is ResponseHeader.
+			// HEADERS frame block carries a Response-Headers.
 			isHeader = true
 			// These values can be set without any synchronization because
 			// stream goroutine will read it only after seeing a closed
@@ -1192,14 +1190,17 @@ func (t *http2Client) operateHeaders(frame *http2.MetaHeadersFrame) {
 			if len(state.data.mdata) > 0 {
 				s.header = state.data.mdata
 			}
-			close(s.headerChan)
-			return
+		} else {
+			// HEADERS frame block carries a Trailers-Only.
+			s.noHeaders = true
 		}
-		// Headers frame is Trailers-only.
-		s.noHeaders = true
 		close(s.headerChan)
 	}
 
+	if !endStream {
+		return
+	}
+
 	// if client received END_STREAM from server while stream was still active, send RST_STREAM
 	rst := s.getState() == streamActive
 	t.closeStream(s, io.EOF, rst, http2.ErrCodeNo, state.status(), state.data.mdata, true)
diff --git a/internal/transport/transport.go b/internal/transport/transport.go
index 846147a64e50..4bf583efc290 100644
--- a/internal/transport/transport.go
+++ b/internal/transport/transport.go
@@ -204,8 +204,8 @@ type Stream struct {
 	// is used to adjust flow control, if needed.
 	requestRead func(int)
 
-	headerChan chan struct{} // closed to indicate the end of header metadata.
-	headerDone uint32        // set when headerChan is closed. Used to avoid closing headerChan multiple times.
+	headerChan       chan struct{} // closed to indicate the end of header metadata.
+	headerChanClosed uint32        // set when headerChan is closed. Used to avoid closing headerChan multiple times.
 
 	// hdrMu protects header and trailer metadata on the server-side.
 	hdrMu sync.Mutex
diff --git a/internal/transport/transport_test.go b/internal/transport/transport_test.go
index f2e0d48c0ffe..ba4174d3c50b 100644
--- a/internal/transport/transport_test.go
+++ b/internal/transport/transport_test.go
@@ -1717,6 +1717,24 @@ func TestInvalidHeaderField(t *testing.T) {
 	server.stop()
 }
 
+func TestHeaderChanClosedAfterReceivingAnInvalidHeader(t *testing.T) {
+	server, ct, cancel := setUp(t, 0, math.MaxUint32, invalidHeaderField)
+	defer cancel()
+	defer server.stop()
+	defer ct.Close()
+	s, err := ct.NewStream(context.Background(), &CallHdr{Host: "localhost", Method: "foo"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to create the stream")
+	}
+	timer := time.NewTimer(time.Second)
+	defer timer.Stop()
+	select {
+	case <-s.headerChan:
+	case <-timer.C:
+		t.Errorf("s.headerChan: got open, want closed")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestIsReservedHeader(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
 		h    string