diff --git a/libtransmission/announcer-common.h b/libtransmission/announcer-common.h
index d59ff055d..94e7d6adc 100644
--- a/libtransmission/announcer-common.h
+++ b/libtransmission/announcer-common.h
@@ -147,29 +147,21 @@ struct tr_announce_response
      * https://www.bittorrent.org/beps/bep_0024.html */
     std::optional<tr_address> external_ip;
 
-    static constexpr struct
+    static constexpr int compare_failed(tr_announce_response const& lhs, tr_announce_response const& rhs) noexcept
     {
-        static constexpr int compare(tr_announce_response const& lhs, tr_announce_response const& rhs)
+        if (auto val = tr_compare_3way(lhs.did_connect, rhs.did_connect); val != 0)
         {
-            if (auto val = tr_compare_3way(lhs.did_connect, rhs.did_connect); val != 0)
-            {
-                return val;
-            }
-
-            if (auto val = tr_compare_3way(lhs.did_timeout, rhs.did_timeout); val != 0)
-            {
-                return -val;
-            }
-
-            // Non-empty error message most likely means we reached the tracker
-            return -tr_compare_3way(std::empty(lhs.errmsg), std::empty(rhs.errmsg));
+            return val;
         }
 
-        constexpr bool operator()(tr_announce_response const& lhs, tr_announce_response const& rhs) const noexcept
+        if (auto val = tr_compare_3way(lhs.did_timeout, rhs.did_timeout); val != 0)
         {
-            return compare(lhs, rhs) > 0;
+            return -val;
         }
-    } CompareFailed{};
+
+        // Non-empty error message most likely means we reached the tracker
+        return -tr_compare_3way(std::empty(lhs.errmsg), std::empty(rhs.errmsg));
+    }
 };
 
 // --- SCRAPE
diff --git a/libtransmission/announcer-http.cc b/libtransmission/announcer-http.cc
index 2d9488ed2..3d76902d7 100644
--- a/libtransmission/announcer-http.cc
+++ b/libtransmission/announcer-http.cc
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <string_view>
 #include <utility>
-#include <vector>
 
 #include <curl/curl.h>
 
@@ -92,11 +91,10 @@ struct http_announce_data
         , on_response{ std::move(on_response_in) }
         , log_name{ log_name_in }
     {
-        failed_responses.reserve(NUM_TR_AF_INET_TYPES);
     }
 
     tr_sha1_digest_t info_hash = {};
-    std::vector<tr_announce_response> failed_responses;
+    std::optional<tr_announce_response> failed_response;
 
     tr_announce_response_func on_response;
 
@@ -162,16 +160,14 @@ void onAnnounceDone(tr_web::FetchResponse const& web_response)
         }
         else
         {
-            data->failed_responses.emplace_back(std::move(response));
+            if (!data->failed_response || tr_announce_response::compare_failed(*data->failed_response, response) < 0)
+            {
+                data->failed_response = std::move(response);
+            }
+
             if (got_all_responses)
             {
-                auto const begin = std::begin(data->failed_responses);
-                std::partial_sort(
-                    begin,
-                    std::next(begin),
-                    std::end(data->failed_responses),
-                    tr_announce_response::CompareFailed);
-                data->on_response(data->failed_responses.front());
+                data->on_response(*data->failed_response);
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/libtransmission/announcer-udp.cc b/libtransmission/announcer-udp.cc
index 76af1aac8..61ef7b570 100644
--- a/libtransmission/announcer-udp.cc
+++ b/libtransmission/announcer-udp.cc
@@ -201,13 +201,14 @@ public:
         }
         else if (!succeeded_)
         {
-            failed_responses_.emplace_back(std::move(response));
+            if (!failed_responses_ || tr_announce_response::compare_failed(*failed_responses_, response) < 0)
+            {
+                failed_responses_ = std::move(response);
+            }
 
             if (got_all_responses)
             {
-                auto const begin = std::begin(failed_responses_);
-                std::partial_sort(begin, std::next(begin), std::end(failed_responses_), tr_announce_response::CompareFailed);
-                on_response_(failed_responses_.front());
+                on_response_(*failed_responses_);
             }
         }
     }
@@ -215,7 +216,7 @@ public:
 private:
     bool succeeded_ = false;
 
-    std::vector<tr_announce_response> failed_responses_;
+    std::optional<tr_announce_response> failed_responses_;
 
     tr_announce_response_func on_response_;