diff --git a/daemon/fw/face-table.cpp b/daemon/fw/face-table.cpp
index a3013f6..1ed79ad 100644
--- a/daemon/fw/face-table.cpp
+++ b/daemon/fw/face-table.cpp
@@ -31,9 +31,11 @@
   NFD_LOG_INFO("addFace id=" << faceId);
 
   face->onReceiveInterest += bind(&Forwarder::onInterest,
-                             &m_forwarder, boost::ref(*face), _1);
+                                  &m_forwarder, boost::ref(*face), _1);
   face->onReceiveData     += bind(&Forwarder::onData,
-                             &m_forwarder, boost::ref(*face), _1);
+                                  &m_forwarder, boost::ref(*face), _1);
+  face->onFail            += bind(&FaceTable::remove,
+                                  this, face);
 }
 
 void
@@ -48,6 +50,7 @@
   //     does not support only removing Forwarder's subscription
   face->onReceiveInterest.clear();
   face->onReceiveData    .clear();
+  // don't clear onFail because other functions may need to execute
 
   m_forwarder.getFib().removeNextHopFromAllEntries(face);
 }
diff --git a/daemon/fw/face-table.hpp b/daemon/fw/face-table.hpp
index 2415568..2af2b6b 100644
--- a/daemon/fw/face-table.hpp
+++ b/daemon/fw/face-table.hpp
@@ -29,9 +29,6 @@
   VIRTUAL_WITH_TESTS void
   add(shared_ptr<Face> face);
 
-  VIRTUAL_WITH_TESTS void
-  remove(shared_ptr<Face> face);
-
   VIRTUAL_WITH_TESTS shared_ptr<Face>
   get(FaceId id) const;
 
@@ -52,6 +49,12 @@
   end() const;
 
 private:
+  // remove is private because it's a subscriber of face.onFail event.
+  // face->close() closes a face and would trigger .remove(face)
+  void
+  remove(shared_ptr<Face> face);
+
+private:
   Forwarder& m_forwarder;
   FaceId m_lastFaceId;
   FaceMap m_faces;
diff --git a/daemon/fw/forwarder.hpp b/daemon/fw/forwarder.hpp
index 2d4d325..62612f2 100644
--- a/daemon/fw/forwarder.hpp
+++ b/daemon/fw/forwarder.hpp
@@ -53,13 +53,6 @@
   void
   addFace(shared_ptr<Face> face);
 
-  /** \brief remove existing Face
-   *
-   *  shortcut to .getFaceTable().remove(face)
-   */
-  void
-  removeFace(shared_ptr<Face> face);
-
 public: // forwarding entrypoints and tables
   void
   onInterest(Face& face, const Interest& interest);
@@ -188,12 +181,6 @@
 }
 
 inline void
-Forwarder::removeFace(shared_ptr<Face> face)
-{
-  m_faceTable.remove(face);
-}
-
-inline void
 Forwarder::onInterest(Face& face, const Interest& interest)
 {
   this->onIncomingInterest(face, interest);
diff --git a/daemon/mgmt/face-manager.cpp b/daemon/mgmt/face-manager.cpp
index bf31a10..6407237 100644
--- a/daemon/mgmt/face-manager.cpp
+++ b/daemon/mgmt/face-manager.cpp
@@ -632,7 +632,7 @@
   shared_ptr<Face> target = m_faceTable.get(options.getFaceId());
   if (target)
     {
-      m_faceTable.remove(target);
+      // don't call m_faceTable.remove(target): it's called by target->close() via onFail
       target->close();
     }
   sendResponse(requestName, 200, "Success");
diff --git a/tests/face/dummy-face.hpp b/tests/face/dummy-face.hpp
index a28a1bb..4e4bb57 100644
--- a/tests/face/dummy-face.hpp
+++ b/tests/face/dummy-face.hpp
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
   virtual void
   close()
   {
+    this->onFail("close");
   }
 
   void
diff --git a/tests/fw/client-control-strategy.cpp b/tests/fw/client-control-strategy.cpp
index aab5baa..51534a4 100644
--- a/tests/fw/client-control-strategy.cpp
+++ b/tests/fw/client-control-strategy.cpp
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@
   shared_ptr<pit::Entry> pitEntry3 = pit.insert(*interest3).first;
   pitEntry3->insertOrUpdateInRecord(face4, *interest3);
 
-  forwarder.removeFace(face3); // face3 is removed and its FaceId becomes invalid
+  face3->close(); // face3 is closed and its FaceId becomes invalid
   strategy.m_sendInterestHistory.clear();
   strategy.m_rejectPendingInterestHistory.clear();
   strategy.afterReceiveInterest(*face4, *interest3, fibEntry, pitEntry3);
diff --git a/tests/fw/face-table.cpp b/tests/fw/face-table.cpp
index 474a756..b07995f 100644
--- a/tests/fw/face-table.cpp
+++ b/tests/fw/face-table.cpp
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@
   BOOST_CHECK_NE(face2->getId(), INVALID_FACEID);
   BOOST_CHECK_NE(face1->getId(), face2->getId());
 
-  forwarder.removeFace(face1);
-  forwarder.removeFace(face2);
+  face1->close();
+  face2->close();
 
   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(face1->getId(), INVALID_FACEID);
   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(face2->getId(), INVALID_FACEID);
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@
   BOOST_CHECK(hasFace1);
   BOOST_CHECK(hasFace2);
 
-  faceTable.remove(face1);
+  face1->close();
   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(faceTable.size(), 1);
   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(std::distance(faceTable.begin(), faceTable.end()), faceTable.size());
   hasFace1 = hasFace2 = false;
diff --git a/tests/mgmt/face-manager.cpp b/tests/mgmt/face-manager.cpp
index 80e14d7..310a425 100644
--- a/tests/mgmt/face-manager.cpp
+++ b/tests/mgmt/face-manager.cpp
@@ -81,11 +81,11 @@
     m_addFired = true;
   }
 
-  virtual void
-  remove(shared_ptr<Face> face)
-  {
-    m_removeFired = true;
-  }
+//  virtual void
+//  remove(shared_ptr<Face> face)
+//  {
+//    m_removeFired = true;
+//  }
 
   virtual shared_ptr<Face>
   get(FaceId id) const
@@ -100,11 +100,11 @@
     return m_addFired;
   }
 
-  bool
-  didRemoveFire() const
-  {
-    return m_removeFired;
-  }
+//  bool
+//  didRemoveFire() const
+//  {
+//    return m_removeFired;
+//  }
 
   bool
   didGetFire() const
@@ -292,11 +292,11 @@
     return m_faceTable.didAddFire();
   }
 
-  bool
-  didFaceTableRemoveFire() const
-  {
-    return m_faceTable.didRemoveFire();
-  }
+//  bool
+//  didFaceTableRemoveFire() const
+//  {
+//    return m_faceTable.didRemoveFire();
+//  }
 
   bool
   didFaceTableGetFire() const
@@ -1022,7 +1022,7 @@
   destroyFace(command->getName(), options);
 
   BOOST_REQUIRE(didCallbackFire());
-  BOOST_CHECK(TestFaceTableFixture::m_faceTable.didRemoveFire());
+//  BOOST_CHECK(TestFaceTableFixture::m_faceTable.didRemoveFire());
   BOOST_CHECK(TestFaceTableFixture::m_faceTable.getDummyFace()->didCloseFire());
 }