diff --git a/clientconn.go b/clientconn.go
index c4bca5203eb1..b27c7e84a3d4 100644
--- a/clientconn.go
+++ b/clientconn.go
@@ -24,12 +24,10 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"math"
 	"net/url"
-	"os"
 	"slices"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
-	"syscall"
 	"time"
 
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/balancer"
@@ -1573,26 +1571,13 @@ func (ac *addrConn) createTransport(ctx context.Context, addr resolver.Address,
 // to the provided transport.GoAwayInfo, as specified by gRFC A94:
 // https://github.com/grpc/proposal/blob/master/A94-grpc-subchannel-disconnections-metrics.md
 func disconnectErrorString(info transport.GoAwayInfo) string {
-	err := info.Err
-	var sysErr syscall.Errno
-	switch {
-	case info.Reason != transport.GoAwayInvalid:
+	if info.Reason != transport.GoAwayInvalid {
 		return fmt.Sprintf("GOAWAY %s", info.GoAwayCode.String())
-	case err == nil:
-		return "unknown"
-	case errors.Is(err, context.Canceled):
-		return "subchannel shutdown"
-	case errors.Is(err, syscall.ECONNRESET):
-		return "connection reset"
-	case errors.Is(err, syscall.ETIMEDOUT), errors.Is(err, context.DeadlineExceeded), errors.Is(err, os.ErrDeadlineExceeded):
-		return "connection timed out"
-	case errors.Is(err, syscall.ECONNABORTED):
-		return "connection aborted"
-	case errors.As(err, &sysErr):
-		return "socket error"
-	default:
+	}
+	if info.Err == nil {
 		return "unknown"
 	}
+	return disconnectErrorLabel(info.Err)
 }
 
 // startHealthCheck starts the health checking stream (RPC) to watch the health
diff --git a/clientconn_disconnect_reason_noplan9.go b/clientconn_disconnect_reason_noplan9.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..f0fcd884237a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/clientconn_disconnect_reason_noplan9.go
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+//go:build !plan9
+
+/*
+ *
+ * Copyright 2026 gRPC authors.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ *
+ */
+
+package grpc
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"os"
+	"syscall"
+)
+
+// disconnectErrorLabel returns the grpc.disconnect_error metric label for a
+// transport error, as specified by gRFC A94.
+func disconnectErrorLabel(err error) string {
+	var sysErr syscall.Errno
+	switch {
+	case errors.Is(err, context.Canceled):
+		return "subchannel shutdown"
+	case errors.Is(err, syscall.ECONNRESET):
+		return "connection reset"
+	case errors.Is(err, syscall.ETIMEDOUT), errors.Is(err, context.DeadlineExceeded), errors.Is(err, os.ErrDeadlineExceeded):
+		return "connection timed out"
+	case errors.Is(err, syscall.ECONNABORTED):
+		return "connection aborted"
+	case errors.As(err, &sysErr):
+		return "socket error"
+	default:
+		return "unknown"
+	}
+}
diff --git a/clientconn_disconnect_reason_plan9.go b/clientconn_disconnect_reason_plan9.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..930b12664ccf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/clientconn_disconnect_reason_plan9.go
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+/*
+ *
+ * Copyright 2026 gRPC authors.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ *
+ */
+
+package grpc
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"os"
+)
+
+// disconnectErrorLabel returns the grpc.disconnect_error metric label for a
+// transport error, as specified by gRFC A94. syscall.Errno does not exist on
+// plan9, so only the portable classifications are available.
+func disconnectErrorLabel(err error) string {
+	switch {
+	case errors.Is(err, context.Canceled):
+		return "subchannel shutdown"
+	case errors.Is(err, context.DeadlineExceeded), errors.Is(err, os.ErrDeadlineExceeded):
+		return "connection timed out"
+	default:
+		return "unknown"
+	}
+}