diff --git a/src/database/sql/fakedb_test.go b/src/database/sql/fakedb_test.go
index 112f280ec5..f1e8f6cb6e 100644
--- a/src/database/sql/fakedb_test.go
+++ b/src/database/sql/fakedb_test.go
@@ -153,12 +153,32 @@ func TestDrivers(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// hook to simulate connection failures
+var hookOpenErr struct {
+	sync.Mutex
+	fn func() error
+}
+
+func setHookOpenErr(fn func() error) {
+	hookOpenErr.Lock()
+	defer hookOpenErr.Unlock()
+	hookOpenErr.fn = fn
+}
+
 // Supports dsn forms:
 //    <dbname>
 //    <dbname>;<opts>  (only currently supported option is `badConn`,
 //                      which causes driver.ErrBadConn to be returned on
 //                      every other conn.Begin())
 func (d *fakeDriver) Open(dsn string) (driver.Conn, error) {
+	hookOpenErr.Lock()
+	fn := hookOpenErr.fn
+	hookOpenErr.Unlock()
+	if fn != nil {
+		if err := fn(); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	}
 	parts := strings.Split(dsn, ";")
 	if len(parts) < 1 {
 		return nil, errors.New("fakedb: no database name")
diff --git a/src/database/sql/sql.go b/src/database/sql/sql.go
index fbb0e594a5..f3fed953ad 100644
--- a/src/database/sql/sql.go
+++ b/src/database/sql/sql.go
@@ -229,8 +229,7 @@ type DB struct {
 	mu           sync.Mutex // protects following fields
 	freeConn     []*driverConn
 	connRequests []chan connRequest
-	numOpen      int
-	pendingOpens int
+	numOpen      int // number of opened and pending open connections
 	// Used to signal the need for new connections
 	// a goroutine running connectionOpener() reads on this chan and
 	// maybeOpenNewConnections sends on the chan (one send per needed connection)
@@ -615,15 +614,15 @@ func (db *DB) Stats() DBStats {
 // If there are connRequests and the connection limit hasn't been reached,
 // then tell the connectionOpener to open new connections.
 func (db *DB) maybeOpenNewConnections() {
-	numRequests := len(db.connRequests) - db.pendingOpens
+	numRequests := len(db.connRequests)
 	if db.maxOpen > 0 {
-		numCanOpen := db.maxOpen - (db.numOpen + db.pendingOpens)
+		numCanOpen := db.maxOpen - db.numOpen
 		if numRequests > numCanOpen {
 			numRequests = numCanOpen
 		}
 	}
 	for numRequests > 0 {
-		db.pendingOpens++
+		db.numOpen++ // optimistically
 		numRequests--
 		db.openerCh <- struct{}{}
 	}
@@ -638,6 +637,9 @@ func (db *DB) connectionOpener() {
 
 // Open one new connection
 func (db *DB) openNewConnection() {
+	// maybeOpenNewConnctions has already executed db.numOpen++ before it sent
+	// on db.openerCh. This function must execute db.numOpen-- if the
+	// connection fails or is closed before returning.
 	ci, err := db.driver.Open(db.dsn)
 	db.mu.Lock()
 	defer db.mu.Unlock()
@@ -645,11 +647,13 @@ func (db *DB) openNewConnection() {
 		if err == nil {
 			ci.Close()
 		}
+		db.numOpen--
 		return
 	}
-	db.pendingOpens--
 	if err != nil {
+		db.numOpen--
 		db.putConnDBLocked(nil, err)
+		db.maybeOpenNewConnections()
 		return
 	}
 	dc := &driverConn{
@@ -658,8 +662,8 @@ func (db *DB) openNewConnection() {
 	}
 	if db.putConnDBLocked(dc, err) {
 		db.addDepLocked(dc, dc)
-		db.numOpen++
 	} else {
+		db.numOpen--
 		ci.Close()
 	}
 }
@@ -701,7 +705,10 @@ func (db *DB) conn(strategy connReuseStrategy) (*driverConn, error) {
 		req := make(chan connRequest, 1)
 		db.connRequests = append(db.connRequests, req)
 		db.mu.Unlock()
-		ret := <-req
+		ret, ok := <-req
+		if !ok {
+			return nil, errDBClosed
+		}
 		return ret.conn, ret.err
 	}
 
@@ -711,6 +718,7 @@ func (db *DB) conn(strategy connReuseStrategy) (*driverConn, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		db.mu.Lock()
 		db.numOpen-- // correct for earlier optimism
+		db.maybeOpenNewConnections()
 		db.mu.Unlock()
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/src/database/sql/sql_test.go b/src/database/sql/sql_test.go
index e1063bbc6b..d835bc160a 100644
--- a/src/database/sql/sql_test.go
+++ b/src/database/sql/sql_test.go
@@ -1159,6 +1159,67 @@ func TestMaxOpenConnsOnBusy(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// Issue 10886: tests that all connection attempts return when more than
+// DB.maxOpen connections are in flight and the first DB.maxOpen fail.
+func TestPendingConnsAfterErr(t *testing.T) {
+	const (
+		maxOpen = 2
+		tryOpen = maxOpen*2 + 2
+	)
+
+	db := newTestDB(t, "people")
+	defer closeDB(t, db)
+	defer func() {
+		for k, v := range db.lastPut {
+			t.Logf("%p: %v", k, v)
+		}
+	}()
+
+	db.SetMaxOpenConns(maxOpen)
+	db.SetMaxIdleConns(0)
+
+	errOffline := errors.New("db offline")
+	defer func() { setHookOpenErr(nil) }()
+
+	errs := make(chan error, tryOpen)
+
+	unblock := make(chan struct{})
+	setHookOpenErr(func() error {
+		<-unblock // block until all connections are in flight
+		return errOffline
+	})
+
+	var opening sync.WaitGroup
+	opening.Add(tryOpen)
+	for i := 0; i < tryOpen; i++ {
+		go func() {
+			opening.Done() // signal one connection is in flight
+			_, err := db.Exec("INSERT|people|name=Julia,age=19")
+			errs <- err
+		}()
+	}
+
+	opening.Wait()                    // wait for all workers to begin running
+	time.Sleep(10 * time.Millisecond) // make extra sure all workers are blocked
+	close(unblock)                    // let all workers proceed
+
+	const timeout = 100 * time.Millisecond
+	to := time.NewTimer(timeout)
+	defer to.Stop()
+
+	// check that all connections fail without deadlock
+	for i := 0; i < tryOpen; i++ {
+		select {
+		case err := <-errs:
+			if got, want := err, errOffline; got != want {
+				t.Errorf("unexpected err: got %v, want %v", got, want)
+			}
+		case <-to.C:
+			t.Fatalf("orphaned connection request(s), still waiting after %v", timeout)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func TestSingleOpenConn(t *testing.T) {
 	db := newTestDB(t, "people")
 	defer closeDB(t, db)