diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/screenshot.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/screenshot.dart
index d6370fd3555..937dfe25a69 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/screenshot.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/screenshot.dart
@@ -97,19 +97,21 @@ class ScreenshotCommand extends FlutterCommand {
       outputFile = globals.fs.file(stringArg(_kOut));
     }
 
+    bool success = true;
     switch (stringArg(_kType)) {
       case _kDeviceType:
         await runScreenshot(outputFile);
-        return FlutterCommandResult.success();
+        break;
       case _kSkiaType:
-        await runSkia(outputFile);
-        return FlutterCommandResult.success();
+        success = await runSkia(outputFile);
+        break;
       case _kRasterizerType:
-        await runRasterizer(outputFile);
-        return FlutterCommandResult.success();
+        success = await runRasterizer(outputFile);
+        break;
     }
 
-    return FlutterCommandResult.success();
+    return success ? FlutterCommandResult.success()
+                   : FlutterCommandResult.fail();
   }
 
   Future<void> runScreenshot(File outputFile) async {
@@ -126,10 +128,17 @@ class ScreenshotCommand extends FlutterCommand {
     _showOutputFileInfo(outputFile);
   }
 
-  Future<void> runSkia(File outputFile) async {
+  Future<bool> runSkia(File outputFile) async {
     final Uri observatoryUri = Uri.parse(stringArg(_kObservatoryUri));
     final vm_service.VmService vmService = await connectToVmService(observatoryUri);
     final vm_service.Response skp = await vmService.screenshotSkp();
+    if (skp == null) {
+      globals.printError(
+        'The Skia picture request failed, probably because the device was '
+        'disconnected',
+      );
+      return false;
+    }
     outputFile ??= globals.fsUtils.getUniqueFile(
       globals.fs.currentDirectory,
       'flutter',
@@ -140,12 +149,20 @@ class ScreenshotCommand extends FlutterCommand {
     await sink.close();
     _showOutputFileInfo(outputFile);
     _ensureOutputIsNotJsonRpcError(outputFile);
+    return true;
   }
 
-  Future<void> runRasterizer(File outputFile) async {
+  Future<bool> runRasterizer(File outputFile) async {
     final Uri observatoryUri = Uri.parse(stringArg(_kObservatoryUri));
     final vm_service.VmService vmService = await connectToVmService(observatoryUri);
     final vm_service.Response response = await vmService.screenshot();
+    if (response == null) {
+      globals.printError(
+        'The screenshot request failed, probably because the device was '
+        'disconnected',
+      );
+      return false;
+    }
     outputFile ??= globals.fsUtils.getUniqueFile(
       globals.fs.currentDirectory,
       'flutter',
@@ -156,6 +173,7 @@ class ScreenshotCommand extends FlutterCommand {
     await sink.close();
     _showOutputFileInfo(outputFile);
     _ensureOutputIsNotJsonRpcError(outputFile);
+    return true;
   }
 
   void _ensureOutputIsNotJsonRpcError(File outputFile) {
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/devfs.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/devfs.dart
index 9a64b2eb453..b463dce3174 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/devfs.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/devfs.dart
@@ -419,8 +419,15 @@ class DevFS {
       final vm_service.Response response = await _vmService.createDevFS(fsName);
       _baseUri = Uri.parse(response.json['uri'] as String);
     } on vm_service.RPCError catch (rpcException) {
+      if (rpcException.code == RPCErrorCodes.kServiceDisappeared) {
+        // This can happen if the device has been disconnected, so translate to
+        // a DevFSException, which the caller will handle.
+        throw DevFSException('Service disconnected', rpcException);
+      }
       // 1001 is kFileSystemAlreadyExists in //dart/runtime/vm/json_stream.h
       if (rpcException.code != 1001) {
+        // Other RPCErrors are unexpected. Rethrow so it will hit crash
+        // logging.
         rethrow;
       }
       _logger.printTrace('DevFS: Creating failed. Destroying and trying again');
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/tracing.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/tracing.dart
index 7c55d3584b9..9c6a64ae1ae 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/tracing.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/tracing.dart
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ class Tracing {
   final Logger _logger;
 
   Future<void> startTracing() async {
-    await vmService.setVMTimelineFlags(<String>['Compiler', 'Dart', 'Embedder', 'GC']);
+    await vmService.setTimelineFlags(<String>['Compiler', 'Dart', 'Embedder', 'GC']);
     await vmService.clearVMTimeline();
   }
 
@@ -78,8 +78,13 @@ class Tracing {
       }
       status.stop();
     }
-    final vm_service.Timeline timeline = await vmService.getVMTimeline();
-    await vmService.setVMTimelineFlags(<String>[]);
+    final vm_service.Response timeline = await vmService.getTimeline();
+    await vmService.setTimelineFlags(<String>[]);
+    if (timeline == null) {
+      throwToolExit(
+        'The device disconnected before the timeline could be retrieved.',
+      );
+    }
     return timeline.json;
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/vmservice.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/vmservice.dart
index c0aee7ee40f..9e45e553d20 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/vmservice.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/vmservice.dart
@@ -728,23 +728,12 @@ extension FlutterVmService on vm_service.VmService {
     return null;
   }
 
-  /// Invoke a flutter extension method, if the flutter extension is not
-  /// available, returns null.
-  Future<Map<String, dynamic>> invokeFlutterExtensionRpcRaw(
+  Future<vm_service.Response> _checkedCallServiceExtension(
     String method, {
-    @required String isolateId,
     Map<String, dynamic> args,
   }) async {
     try {
-
-      final vm_service.Response response = await callServiceExtension(
-        method,
-        args: <String, Object>{
-          'isolateId': isolateId,
-          ...?args,
-        },
-      );
-      return response.json;
+      return await callServiceExtension(method, args: args);
     } on vm_service.RPCError catch (err) {
       // If an application is not using the framework or the VM service
       // disappears while handling a request, return null.
@@ -756,6 +745,23 @@ extension FlutterVmService on vm_service.VmService {
     }
   }
 
+  /// Invoke a flutter extension method, if the flutter extension is not
+  /// available, returns null.
+  Future<Map<String, dynamic>> invokeFlutterExtensionRpcRaw(
+    String method, {
+    @required String isolateId,
+    Map<String, dynamic> args,
+  }) async {
+    final vm_service.Response response = await _checkedCallServiceExtension(
+      method,
+      args: <String, Object>{
+        'isolateId': isolateId,
+        ...?args,
+      },
+    );
+    return response?.json;
+  }
+
   /// List all [FlutterView]s attached to the current VM.
   ///
   /// If this returns an empty list, it will poll forever unless [returnEarly]
@@ -799,26 +805,34 @@ extension FlutterVmService on vm_service.VmService {
 
   /// Create a new development file system on the device.
   Future<vm_service.Response> createDevFS(String fsName) {
-    return callServiceExtension('_createDevFS', args: <String, dynamic>{'fsName': fsName});
+    // Call the unchecked version of `callServiceExtension` because the caller
+    // has custom handling of certain RPCErrors.
+    return callServiceExtension(
+      '_createDevFS',
+      args: <String, dynamic>{'fsName': fsName},
+    );
   }
 
   /// Delete an existing file system.
-  Future<vm_service.Response> deleteDevFS(String fsName) {
-    return callServiceExtension('_deleteDevFS', args: <String, dynamic>{'fsName': fsName});
+  Future<void> deleteDevFS(String fsName) async {
+    await _checkedCallServiceExtension(
+      '_deleteDevFS',
+      args: <String, dynamic>{'fsName': fsName},
+    );
   }
 
   Future<vm_service.Response> screenshot() {
-    return callServiceExtension(kScreenshotMethod);
+    return _checkedCallServiceExtension(kScreenshotMethod);
   }
 
   Future<vm_service.Response> screenshotSkp() {
-    return callServiceExtension(kScreenshotSkpMethod);
+    return _checkedCallServiceExtension(kScreenshotSkpMethod);
   }
 
   /// Set the VM timeline flags.
-  Future<vm_service.Response> setVMTimelineFlags(List<String> recordedStreams) {
+  Future<void> setTimelineFlags(List<String> recordedStreams) async {
     assert(recordedStreams != null);
-    return callServiceExtension(
+    await _checkedCallServiceExtension(
       'setVMTimelineFlags',
       args: <String, dynamic>{
         'recordedStreams': recordedStreams,
@@ -826,8 +840,8 @@ extension FlutterVmService on vm_service.VmService {
     );
   }
 
-  Future<vm_service.Response> getVMTimeline() {
-    return callServiceExtension('getVMTimeline');
+  Future<vm_service.Response> getTimeline() {
+    return _checkedCallServiceExtension('getVMTimeline');
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/test/general.shard/devfs_test.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/test/general.shard/devfs_test.dart
index 5a7667d241f..0fd20b04a5f 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/test/general.shard/devfs_test.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/test/general.shard/devfs_test.dart
@@ -31,6 +31,20 @@ final FakeVmServiceRequest createDevFSRequest = FakeVmServiceRequest(
   }
 );
 
+const FakeVmServiceRequest failingCreateDevFSRequest = FakeVmServiceRequest(
+  method: '_createDevFS',
+  args: <String, Object>{
+    'fsName': 'test',
+  },
+  errorCode: RPCErrorCodes.kServiceDisappeared,
+);
+
+const FakeVmServiceRequest failingDeleteDevFSRequest = FakeVmServiceRequest(
+  method: '_deleteDevFS',
+  args: <String, dynamic>{'fsName': 'test'},
+  errorCode: RPCErrorCodes.kServiceDisappeared,
+);
+
 void main() {
   testWithoutContext('DevFSByteContent', () {
     final DevFSByteContent content = DevFSByteContent(<int>[4, 5, 6]);
@@ -93,6 +107,73 @@ void main() {
     expect(content.isModified, isFalse);
   });
 
+  testWithoutContext('DevFS create throws a DevFSException when vmservice disconnects unexpectedly', () async {
+    final HttpClient httpClient = MockHttpClient();
+    final FileSystem fileSystem = MemoryFileSystem.test();
+    final OperatingSystemUtils osUtils = MockOperatingSystemUtils();
+    final FakeVmServiceHost fakeVmServiceHost = FakeVmServiceHost(
+      requests: <VmServiceExpectation>[failingCreateDevFSRequest],
+    );
+    setHttpAddress(Uri.parse('http://localhost'), fakeVmServiceHost.vmService);
+
+    final MockHttpClientRequest httpRequest = MockHttpClientRequest();
+    when(httpRequest.headers).thenReturn(MockHttpHeaders());
+    when(httpClient.putUrl(any)).thenAnswer((Invocation invocation) {
+      return Future<HttpClientRequest>.value(httpRequest);
+    });
+    final MockHttpClientResponse httpClientResponse = MockHttpClientResponse();
+    when(httpRequest.close()).thenAnswer((Invocation invocation) {
+      return Future<HttpClientResponse>.value(httpClientResponse);
+    });
+
+    final DevFS devFS = DevFS(
+      fakeVmServiceHost.vmService,
+      'test',
+      fileSystem.currentDirectory,
+      osUtils: osUtils,
+      fileSystem: fileSystem,
+      logger: BufferLogger.test(),
+      httpClient: httpClient,
+    );
+    expect(() async => await devFS.create(), throwsA(isA<DevFSException>()));
+  });
+
+  testWithoutContext('DevFS destroy is resiliant to vmservice disconnection', () async {
+    final HttpClient httpClient = MockHttpClient();
+    final FileSystem fileSystem = MemoryFileSystem.test();
+    final OperatingSystemUtils osUtils = MockOperatingSystemUtils();
+    final FakeVmServiceHost fakeVmServiceHost = FakeVmServiceHost(
+      requests: <VmServiceExpectation>[
+        createDevFSRequest,
+        failingDeleteDevFSRequest,
+      ],
+    );
+    setHttpAddress(Uri.parse('http://localhost'), fakeVmServiceHost.vmService);
+
+    final MockHttpClientRequest httpRequest = MockHttpClientRequest();
+    when(httpRequest.headers).thenReturn(MockHttpHeaders());
+    when(httpClient.putUrl(any)).thenAnswer((Invocation invocation) {
+      return Future<HttpClientRequest>.value(httpRequest);
+    });
+    final MockHttpClientResponse httpClientResponse = MockHttpClientResponse();
+    when(httpRequest.close()).thenAnswer((Invocation invocation) {
+      return Future<HttpClientResponse>.value(httpClientResponse);
+    });
+
+    final DevFS devFS = DevFS(
+      fakeVmServiceHost.vmService,
+      'test',
+      fileSystem.currentDirectory,
+      osUtils: osUtils,
+      fileSystem: fileSystem,
+      logger: BufferLogger.test(),
+      httpClient: httpClient,
+    );
+
+    expect(await devFS.create(), isNotNull);
+    await devFS.destroy();  // Testing that this does not throw.
+  });
+
   testWithoutContext('DevFS retries uploads when connection reset by peer', () async {
     final HttpClient httpClient = MockHttpClient();
     final FileSystem fileSystem = MemoryFileSystem.test();
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/test/general.shard/tracing_test.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/test/general.shard/tracing_test.dart
index 95004317467..d17cc85bf2c 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/test/general.shard/tracing_test.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/test/general.shard/tracing_test.dart
@@ -130,6 +130,29 @@ void main() {
     });
   });
 
+  testWithoutContext('throws tool exit if the vmservice disconnects', () async {
+    final BufferLogger logger = BufferLogger.test();
+    final FileSystem fileSystem = MemoryFileSystem.test();
+    final FakeVmServiceHost fakeVmServiceHost = FakeVmServiceHost(requests: <FakeVmServiceRequest>[
+      ...vmServiceSetup,
+      const FakeVmServiceRequest(
+        method: 'getVMTimeline',
+        errorCode: RPCErrorCodes.kServiceDisappeared,
+      ),
+      const FakeVmServiceRequest(
+        method: 'setVMTimelineFlags',
+        args: <String, Object>{
+          'recordedStreams': <Object>[],
+        },
+      ),
+    ]);
+
+    await expectLater(() async => await downloadStartupTrace(fakeVmServiceHost.vmService,
+      output: fileSystem.currentDirectory,
+      logger: logger,
+    ), throwsToolExit(message: 'The device disconnected before the timeline could be retrieved.'));
+  });
+
   testWithoutContext('throws tool exit if timeline is missing the engine start event', () async {
     final BufferLogger logger = BufferLogger.test();
     final FileSystem fileSystem = MemoryFileSystem.test();
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/test/general.shard/vmservice_test.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/test/general.shard/vmservice_test.dart
index 8aef59ed7a4..2edce097401 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/test/general.shard/vmservice_test.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/test/general.shard/vmservice_test.dart
@@ -315,20 +315,58 @@ void main() {
   testWithoutContext('Framework service extension invocations return null if service disappears ', () async {
     final FakeVmServiceHost fakeVmServiceHost = FakeVmServiceHost(
       requests: <VmServiceExpectation>[
-        const FakeVmServiceRequest(method: kGetSkSLsMethod, args: <String, Object>{
-          'viewId': '1234',
-        }, errorCode: RPCErrorCodes.kServiceDisappeared),
-        const FakeVmServiceRequest(method: kListViewsMethod, errorCode: RPCErrorCodes.kServiceDisappeared),
+        const FakeVmServiceRequest(
+          method: kGetSkSLsMethod,
+          args: <String, Object>{
+            'viewId': '1234',
+          },
+          errorCode: RPCErrorCodes.kServiceDisappeared,
+        ),
+        const FakeVmServiceRequest(
+          method: kListViewsMethod,
+          errorCode: RPCErrorCodes.kServiceDisappeared,
+        ),
+        const FakeVmServiceRequest(
+          method: kScreenshotMethod,
+          errorCode: RPCErrorCodes.kServiceDisappeared,
+        ),
+        const FakeVmServiceRequest(
+          method: kScreenshotSkpMethod,
+          errorCode: RPCErrorCodes.kServiceDisappeared,
+        ),
+        const FakeVmServiceRequest(
+          method: 'setVMTimelineFlags',
+          args: <String, dynamic>{
+            'recordedStreams': <String>['test'],
+          },
+          errorCode: RPCErrorCodes.kServiceDisappeared,
+        ),
+        const FakeVmServiceRequest(
+          method: 'getVMTimeline',
+          errorCode: RPCErrorCodes.kServiceDisappeared,
+        ),
       ]
     );
 
     final Map<String, Object> skSLs = await fakeVmServiceHost.vmService.getSkSLs(
       viewId: '1234',
     );
-    expect(skSLs, null);
+    expect(skSLs, isNull);
 
     final List<FlutterView> views = await fakeVmServiceHost.vmService.getFlutterViews();
-    expect(views, null);
+    expect(views, isNull);
+
+    final vm_service.Response screenshot = await fakeVmServiceHost.vmService.screenshot();
+    expect(screenshot, isNull);
+
+    final vm_service.Response screenshotSkp = await fakeVmServiceHost.vmService.screenshotSkp();
+    expect(screenshotSkp, isNull);
+
+    // Checking that this doesn't throw.
+    await fakeVmServiceHost.vmService.setTimelineFlags(<String>['test']);
+
+    final vm_service.Response timeline = await fakeVmServiceHost.vmService.getTimeline();
+    expect(timeline, isNull);
 
     expect(fakeVmServiceHost.hasRemainingExpectations, false);
   });