diff --git a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/Connection.groovy b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/Connection.groovy
index cfb6f270..d0ee2fea 100644
--- a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/Connection.groovy
+++ b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/Connection.groovy
@@ -83,12 +83,11 @@ abstract class Connection implements Closeable {
 			}
 		} catch (SocketTimeoutException e) {
 			close()
-		} catch (Exception e) {
-			if (running.get()) {
-				log.log(Level.WARNING,"unhandled exception in reader",e)
-				close()
-			}
-		}
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            log.log(Level.WARNING,"unhandled exception in reader",e)
+        } finally {
+            close()
+        }
 	}
 	
 	protected abstract void read()
@@ -100,11 +99,10 @@ abstract class Connection implements Closeable {
 				write(message)
 			}
 		} catch (Exception e) {
-			if (running.get()) {
-				log.log(Level.WARNING, "unhandled exception in writer",e)
-				close()
-			}
-		}
+            log.log(Level.WARNING, "unhandled exception in writer",e)
+        } finally {
+            close()
+        }
 	}
 	
 	protected abstract void write(def message);
diff --git a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/ConnectionAcceptor.groovy b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/ConnectionAcceptor.groovy
index 6b44e2da..9e4c69d3 100644
--- a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/ConnectionAcceptor.groovy
+++ b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/ConnectionAcceptor.groovy
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ class ConnectionAcceptor {
     }
 
 	private void handleIncoming(Endpoint e, boolean leaf) {
-		boolean accept = leaf ? manager.hasLeafSlots() : manager.hasPeerSlots()
+		boolean accept = !manager.isConnected(e.destination) && (leaf ? manager.hasLeafSlots() : manager.hasPeerSlots())
 		if (accept) {
 			log.info("accepting connection, leaf:$leaf")
 			e.outputStream.write("OK".bytes)
diff --git a/core/src/test/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/ConnectionAcceptorTest.groovy b/core/src/test/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/ConnectionAcceptorTest.groovy
index ba2113d3..3483c915 100644
--- a/core/src/test/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/ConnectionAcceptorTest.groovy
+++ b/core/src/test/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/ConnectionAcceptorTest.groovy
@@ -108,7 +108,11 @@ class ConnectionAcceptorTest {
 			new Endpoint(destinations.dest1, is, os, null)
 		}
 		i2pAcceptorMock.demand.accept { Thread.sleep(Integer.MAX_VALUE) }
-		connectionManagerMock.demand.hasLeafSlots() { true }
+        connectionManagerMock.demand.isConnected { dest ->
+            assert dest == destinations.dest1
+            false
+        }
+        connectionManagerMock.demand.hasLeafSlots() { true }
 		trustServiceMock.demand.getLevel { dest ->
 			assert dest == destinations.dest1
 			TrustLevel.TRUSTED
@@ -146,7 +150,11 @@ class ConnectionAcceptorTest {
 			new Endpoint(destinations.dest1, is, os, null)
 		}
 		i2pAcceptorMock.demand.accept { Thread.sleep(Integer.MAX_VALUE) }
-		connectionManagerMock.demand.hasPeerSlots() { true }
+        connectionManagerMock.demand.isConnected { dest ->
+            assert dest == destinations.dest1
+            false
+        }
+        connectionManagerMock.demand.hasPeerSlots() { true }
 		trustServiceMock.demand.getLevel { dest ->
 			assert dest == destinations.dest1
 			TrustLevel.TRUSTED
@@ -242,7 +250,7 @@ class ConnectionAcceptorTest {
 	}
 	
 	@Test
-	void testPeerRejectsPeer() {
+	void testPeerRejectsPeerSlots() {
 		settings = new MuWireSettings() {
 			boolean isLeaf() {
 				false
@@ -256,7 +264,11 @@ class ConnectionAcceptorTest {
 			new Endpoint(destinations.dest1, is, os, null)
 		}
 		i2pAcceptorMock.demand.accept { Thread.sleep(Integer.MAX_VALUE) }
-		connectionManagerMock.demand.hasPeerSlots() { false }
+        connectionManagerMock.demand.isConnected { dest ->
+            assert dest == destinations.dest1
+            false
+        }
+        connectionManagerMock.demand.hasPeerSlots() { false }
 		trustServiceMock.demand.getLevel { dest ->
 			assert dest == destinations.dest1
 			TrustLevel.TRUSTED
@@ -284,7 +296,7 @@ class ConnectionAcceptorTest {
 	}
 	
 	@Test
-	void testPeerRejectsLeaf() {
+	void testPeerRejectsLeafSlots() {
 		settings = new MuWireSettings() {
 			boolean isLeaf() {
 				false
@@ -298,7 +310,11 @@ class ConnectionAcceptorTest {
 			new Endpoint(destinations.dest1, is, os, null)
 		}
 		i2pAcceptorMock.demand.accept { Thread.sleep(Integer.MAX_VALUE) }
-		connectionManagerMock.demand.hasLeafSlots() { false }
+        connectionManagerMock.demand.isConnected { dest ->
+            assert dest == destinations.dest1
+            false
+        }
+        connectionManagerMock.demand.hasLeafSlots() { false }
 		trustServiceMock.demand.getLevel { dest ->
 			assert dest == destinations.dest1
 			TrustLevel.TRUSTED
@@ -340,7 +356,11 @@ class ConnectionAcceptorTest {
 			new Endpoint(destinations.dest1, is, os, null)
 		}
 		i2pAcceptorMock.demand.accept { Thread.sleep(Integer.MAX_VALUE) }
-		connectionManagerMock.demand.hasPeerSlots() { false }
+        connectionManagerMock.demand.isConnected { dest ->
+            assert dest == destinations.dest1
+            false
+        }
+        connectionManagerMock.demand.hasPeerSlots() { false }
 		trustServiceMock.demand.getLevel { dest ->
 			assert dest == destinations.dest1
 			TrustLevel.TRUSTED