diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f1d0ffc..c20917b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -22,17 +22,17 @@ you want; importing the package never fails because an extra is missing.
 `requirements.txt` (pick the extra you need):
 
 ```
-aioweb_tls[curl]  @ git+ssh://git@git.rethinkstudios.io/rethink-public/aioweb_tls.git@v0.1.2
-aioweb_tls[noble] @ git+ssh://git@git.rethinkstudios.io/rethink-public/aioweb_tls.git@v0.1.2
-aioweb_tls[all]   @ git+ssh://git@git.rethinkstudios.io/rethink-public/aioweb_tls.git@v0.1.2
+aioweb_tls[curl]  @ git+ssh://git@git.rethinkstudios.io/rethink-public/aioweb_tls.git@v0.1.3
+aioweb_tls[noble] @ git+ssh://git@git.rethinkstudios.io/rethink-public/aioweb_tls.git@v0.1.3
+aioweb_tls[all]   @ git+ssh://git@git.rethinkstudios.io/rethink-public/aioweb_tls.git@v0.1.3
 ```
 
 Direct:
 
 ```bash
-pip install "aioweb_tls[curl] @ git+ssh://git@git.rethinkstudios.io/rethink-public/aioweb_tls.git@v0.1.2"
-pip install "aioweb_tls[noble] @ git+ssh://git@git.rethinkstudios.io/rethink-public/aioweb_tls.git@v0.1.2"
-pip install "aioweb_tls[all] @ git+ssh://git@git.rethinkstudios.io/rethink-public/aioweb_tls.git@v0.1.2"
+pip install "aioweb_tls[curl] @ git+ssh://git@git.rethinkstudios.io/rethink-public/aioweb_tls.git@v0.1.3"
+pip install "aioweb_tls[noble] @ git+ssh://git@git.rethinkstudios.io/rethink-public/aioweb_tls.git@v0.1.3"
+pip install "aioweb_tls[all] @ git+ssh://git@git.rethinkstudios.io/rethink-public/aioweb_tls.git@v0.1.3"
 ```
 
 - `[curl]` → curl_cffi backend · `[noble]` → noble_tls backend · `[all]` → both.
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 2a16762..ae40ebc 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ build-backend = "hatchling.build"
 
 [project]
 name = "aioweb_tls"
-version = "0.1.2"
-description = "TLS-fingerprinting backends for aioweb — curl_cffi / noble_tls ExtendedSession subclasses, config-free, installable."
+version = "0.1.3"
+description = "TLS-fingerprinting backends (curl_cffi / noble_tls) for aioweb via one injectable TLSSession, config-free, installable."
 requires-python = ">=3.10"
 dependencies = [
     "aioweb @ git+ssh://git@git.rethinkstudios.io/rethink-public/aioweb.git@v0.1.0",
diff --git a/src/aioweb_tls/backends.py b/src/aioweb_tls/backends.py
index 68c17f9..475d45a 100644
--- a/src/aioweb_tls/backends.py
+++ b/src/aioweb_tls/backends.py
@@ -15,10 +15,23 @@ import asyncio
 import logging
 import math
 
+import aiohttp
 from aioweb import Response
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
+
+def _as_client_error(error: Exception, backend: str) -> aiohttp.ClientError:
+    """wrap a backend-native network exception as an aiohttp.ClientError
+
+    aioweb's request() only re-wraps aiohttp.ClientError; curl_cffi raises
+    RequestException(OSError) and noble_tls raises TLSClientException(IOError), neither
+    of which is an aiohttp.ClientError. translating here gives TLS backends the same
+    typed failure contract as the aiohttp path on the bare request() route.
+    """
+    return aiohttp.ClientError(f"{backend} request failed: {error}")
+
+
 try:
     from curl_cffi import AsyncSession as _CurlAsyncSession
     _CURL_ERROR = None
@@ -94,10 +107,13 @@ class CurlCffi:
         if proxy:
             kwargs["proxy"] = proxy
 
-        response = await session.request(method, url, impersonate=impersonate, **kwargs)
-        content = response.content
-        if content is None:
-            content = response.text.encode() if response.text else b""
+        try:
+            response = await session.request(method, url, impersonate=impersonate, **kwargs)
+        except aiohttp.ClientError:
+            raise
+        except Exception as error:
+            raise _as_client_error(error, "curl_cffi") from error
+        content = response.content if response.content is not None else b""
         return Response(
             status_code=response.status_code,
             headers=dict(response.headers),
@@ -161,9 +177,9 @@ class Noble:
     async def setup(self) -> None:
         """fetch the noble_tls Go shared library once; idempotent and concurrency-safe
 
-        download_if_necessary handles the first-time fetch (no lib present);
-        update_if_necessary refreshes an existing one. try download first so a
-        clean environment works, falling back to update.
+        uses noble_tls.download_if_necessary (the current API: it fetches the asset on
+        first use and no-ops when it already exists). older noble_tls without that name
+        is handled via update_if_necessary as a fallback.
 
         guarded by an asyncio.Lock with a check-lock-recheck so concurrent first
         requests don't both run the fetch: the fast path returns once _updated is
@@ -177,7 +193,7 @@ class Noble:
             download = getattr(noble_tls, "download_if_necessary", None)
             if download is not None:
                 await download()
-            else:
+            elif hasattr(noble_tls, "update_if_necessary"):
                 await noble_tls.update_if_necessary()
             self._updated = True
 
@@ -210,7 +226,12 @@ class Noble:
         if proxy:
             kwargs["proxy"] = proxy
 
-        response = await session.execute_request(method=method.upper(), url=url, **kwargs)
+        try:
+            response = await session.execute_request(method=method.upper(), url=url, **kwargs)
+        except aiohttp.ClientError:
+            raise
+        except Exception as error:
+            raise _as_client_error(error, "noble_tls") from error
         content = getattr(response, "content", None)
         if content is None:
             text = getattr(response, "text", "") or ""