diff --git a/src/yggdrasil/peer.go b/src/yggdrasil/peer.go
index e092513..e4382a8 100644
--- a/src/yggdrasil/peer.go
+++ b/src/yggdrasil/peer.go
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ type peer struct {
 	firstSeen    time.Time       // To track uptime for getPeers
 	linkOut      (chan []byte)   // used for protocol traffic (to bypass queues)
 	doSend       (chan struct{}) // tell the linkLoop to send a switchMsg
-	dinfo        *dhtInfo        // used to keep the DHT working
+	dinfo        (chan *dhtInfo) // used to keep the DHT working
 	out          func([]byte)    // Set up by whatever created the peers struct, used to send packets to other nodes
 	close        func()          // Called when a peer is removed, to close the underlying connection, or via admin api
 }
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ func (ps *peers) newPeer(box *boxPubKey, sig *sigPubKey, linkShared *boxSharedKe
 		endpoint:   endpoint,
 		firstSeen:  now,
 		doSend:     make(chan struct{}, 1),
+		dinfo:      make(chan *dhtInfo, 1),
 		core:       ps.core}
 	ps.mutex.Lock()
 	defer ps.mutex.Unlock()
@@ -178,6 +179,7 @@ func (p *peer) linkLoop() {
 	tick := time.NewTicker(time.Second)
 	defer tick.Stop()
 	p.doSendSwitchMsgs()
+	var dinfo *dhtInfo
 	for {
 		select {
 		case _, ok := <-p.doSend:
@@ -185,8 +187,8 @@ func (p *peer) linkLoop() {
 				return
 			}
 			p.sendSwitchMsg()
+		case dinfo = <-p.dinfo:
 		case _ = <-tick.C:
-			dinfo := p.dinfo // FIXME? are pointer reads *always* atomic?
 			if dinfo != nil {
 				p.core.dht.peers <- dinfo
 			}
@@ -218,8 +220,9 @@ func (p *peer) handlePacket(packet []byte) {
 // Called to handle traffic or protocolTraffic packets.
 // In either case, this reads from the coords of the packet header, does a switch lookup, and forwards to the next node.
 func (p *peer) handleTraffic(packet []byte, pTypeLen int) {
-	if p.port != 0 && p.dinfo == nil {
-		// Drop traffic until the peer manages to send us at least one good switchMsg
+	table := p.core.switchTable.getTable()
+	if _, isIn := table.elems[p.port]; !isIn && p.port != 0 {
+		// Drop traffic if the peer isn't in the switch
 		return
 	}
 	p.core.switchTable.packetIn <- packet
@@ -323,9 +326,7 @@ func (p *peer) handleSwitchMsg(packet []byte) {
 	p.core.switchTable.handleMsg(&msg, p.port)
 	if !p.core.switchTable.checkRoot(&msg) {
 		// Bad switch message
-		// Stop forwarding traffic from it
-		// Stop refreshing it in the DHT
-		p.dinfo = nil
+		p.dinfo <- nil
 		return
 	}
 	// Pass a mesage to the dht informing it that this peer (still) exists
@@ -334,8 +335,7 @@ func (p *peer) handleSwitchMsg(packet []byte) {
 		key:    p.box,
 		coords: loc.getCoords(),
 	}
-	//p.core.dht.peers <- &dinfo
-	p.dinfo = &dinfo
+	p.dinfo <- &dinfo
 }
 
 // This generates the bytes that we sign or check the signature of for a switchMsg.