diff --git a/distributed/comm/ucx.py b/distributed/comm/ucx.py
index 61c6c0dc03..e47b61a4fa 100644
--- a/distributed/comm/ucx.py
+++ b/distributed/comm/ucx.py
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 
 .. _UCX: https://github.com/openucx/ucx
 """
-import asyncio
 import functools
 import logging
 import os
@@ -279,6 +278,16 @@ async def write(
 
                 # Send meta data
 
+                # Send close flag and number of frames (_Bool, int64)
+                await self.ep.send(struct.pack("?Q", False, nframes))
+                # Send which frames are CUDA (bool) and
+                # how large each frame is (uint64)
+                await self.ep.send(
+                    struct.pack(nframes * "?" + nframes * "Q", *cuda_frames, *sizes)
+                )
+
+                # Send frames
+
                 # It is necessary to first synchronize the default stream before start
                 # sending We synchronize the default stream because UCX is not
                 # stream-ordered and syncing the default stream will wait for other
@@ -287,22 +296,8 @@ async def write(
                 if any(cuda_send_frames):
                     synchronize_stream(0)
 
-                tasks = []
-
-                # Send close flag and number of frames (_Bool, int64)
-                tasks.append(self.ep.send(struct.pack("?Q", False, nframes)))
-                # Send which frames are CUDA (bool) and
-                # how large each frame is (uint64)
-                tasks.append(
-                    self.ep.send(
-                        struct.pack(nframes * "?" + nframes * "Q", *cuda_frames, *sizes)
-                    )
-                )
-
-                # Send frames
                 for each_frame in send_frames:
-                    tasks.append(self.ep.send(each_frame))
-                await asyncio.gather(*tasks)
+                    await self.ep.send(each_frame)
                 return sum(sizes)
             except (ucp.exceptions.UCXBaseException):
                 self.abort()
@@ -359,10 +354,8 @@ async def read(self, deserializers=("cuda", "dask", "pickle", "error")):
                 if any(cuda_recv_frames):
                     synchronize_stream(0)
 
-                tasks = []
                 for each_frame in recv_frames:
-                    tasks.append(self.ep.recv(each_frame))
-                await asyncio.gather(*tasks)
+                    await self.ep.recv(each_frame)
                 msg = await from_frames(
                     frames,
                     deserialize=self.deserialize,