diff --git a/netty/src/main/java/io/grpc/netty/Utils.java b/netty/src/main/java/io/grpc/netty/Utils.java
index c604267d430..9191dba1461 100644
--- a/netty/src/main/java/io/grpc/netty/Utils.java
+++ b/netty/src/main/java/io/grpc/netty/Utils.java
@@ -168,7 +168,10 @@ public static Status statusFromThrowable(Throwable t) {
     if (s.getCode() != Status.Code.UNKNOWN) {
       return s;
     }
-    if (t instanceof ClosedChannelException) {
+    // TODO(ejona): reenable once startup races are resolved; ClosedChannelException is being seen
+    // still. Some tests are asserting UNAVAILABLE and were "working" previously but are now
+    // detecting that our behavior is flaky. See #1330
+    if (false && t instanceof ClosedChannelException) {
       // ClosedChannelException is used any time the Netty channel is closed. Proper error
       // processing requires remembering the error that occurred before this one and using it
       // instead.