diff --git a/src/conn.go b/src/conn.go
index 6d292d3..ddb7ed1 100644
--- a/src/conn.go
+++ b/src/conn.go
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ func updateBind(device *Device) error {
 
 	// open new sockets
 
-	if device.tun.isUp.Get() {
+	if device.isUp.Get() {
 
 		device.log.Debug.Println("UDP bind updating")
 
diff --git a/src/device.go b/src/device.go
index a3461ad..f4a087c 100644
--- a/src/device.go
+++ b/src/device.go
@@ -8,13 +8,13 @@ import (
 )
 
 type Device struct {
-	closed    AtomicBool // device is closed? (acting as guard)
+	isUp      AtomicBool // device is up (TUN interface up)?
+	isClosed  AtomicBool // device is closed? (acting as guard)
 	log       *Logger    // collection of loggers for levels
 	idCounter uint       // for assigning debug ids to peers
 	fwMark    uint32
 	tun       struct {
 		device TUNDevice
-		isUp   AtomicBool
 		mtu    int32
 	}
 	pool struct {
@@ -45,6 +45,28 @@ type Device struct {
 	mac            CookieChecker
 }
 
+func (device *Device) Up() {
+	device.mutex.Lock()
+	defer device.mutex.Unlock()
+
+	device.isUp.Set(true)
+	updateBind(device)
+	for _, peer := range device.peers {
+		peer.Start()
+	}
+}
+
+func (device *Device) Down() {
+	device.mutex.Lock()
+	defer device.mutex.Unlock()
+
+	device.isUp.Set(false)
+	closeBind(device)
+	for _, peer := range device.peers {
+		peer.Stop()
+	}
+}
+
 /* Warning:
  * The caller must hold the device mutex (write lock)
  */
@@ -54,9 +76,9 @@ func removePeerUnsafe(device *Device, key NoisePublicKey) {
 		return
 	}
 	peer.mutex.Lock()
+	peer.Stop()
 	device.routingTable.RemovePeer(peer)
 	delete(device.peers, key)
-	peer.Close()
 }
 
 func (device *Device) IsUnderLoad() bool {
@@ -98,7 +120,7 @@ func (device *Device) SetPrivateKey(sk NoisePrivateKey) error {
 	device.publicKey = publicKey
 	device.mac.Init(publicKey)
 
-	// do DH precomputations
+	// do DH pre-computations
 
 	rmKey := device.privateKey.IsZero()
 
@@ -132,10 +154,12 @@ func NewDevice(tun TUNDevice, logger *Logger) *Device {
 	device.mutex.Lock()
 	defer device.mutex.Unlock()
 
+	device.isUp.Set(false)
+	device.isClosed.Set(false)
+
 	device.log = logger
 	device.peers = make(map[NoisePublicKey]*Peer)
 	device.tun.device = tun
-	device.tun.isUp.Set(false)
 
 	device.indices.Init()
 	device.ratelimiter.Init()
@@ -196,17 +220,13 @@ func (device *Device) RemovePeer(key NoisePublicKey) {
 func (device *Device) RemoveAllPeers() {
 	device.mutex.Lock()
 	defer device.mutex.Unlock()
-
-	for key, peer := range device.peers {
-		peer.mutex.Lock()
-		delete(device.peers, key)
-		peer.Close()
-		peer.mutex.Unlock()
+	for key := range device.peers {
+		removePeerUnsafe(device, key)
 	}
 }
 
 func (device *Device) Close() {
-	if device.closed.Swap(true) {
+	if device.isClosed.Swap(true) {
 		return
 	}
 	device.log.Info.Println("Closing device")
diff --git a/src/peer.go b/src/peer.go
index f582556..7c6ad47 100644
--- a/src/peer.go
+++ b/src/peer.go
@@ -34,15 +34,15 @@ type Peer struct {
 		flushNonceQueue    Signal // size 1, empty queued packets
 		messageSend        Signal // size 1, message was send to peer
 		messageReceived    Signal // size 1, authenticated message recv
-		stop               Signal // size 0, stop all goroutines
+		stop               Signal // size 0, stop all goroutines in peer
 	}
 	timer struct {
 		// state related to WireGuard timers
 
 		keepalivePersistent Timer // set for persistent keepalives
 		keepalivePassive    Timer // set upon recieving messages
-		newHandshake        Timer // begin a new handshake (stale)
 		zeroAllKeys         Timer // zero all key material
+		handshakeNew        Timer // begin a new handshake (stale)
 		handshakeDeadline   Timer // complete handshake timeout
 		handshakeTimeout    Timer // current handshake message timeout
 
@@ -69,8 +69,8 @@ func (device *Device) NewPeer(pk NoisePublicKey) (*Peer, error) {
 
 	peer.timer.keepalivePersistent = NewTimer()
 	peer.timer.keepalivePassive = NewTimer()
-	peer.timer.newHandshake = NewTimer()
 	peer.timer.zeroAllKeys = NewTimer()
+	peer.timer.handshakeNew = NewTimer()
 	peer.timer.handshakeDeadline = NewTimer()
 	peer.timer.handshakeTimeout = NewTimer()
 
@@ -116,32 +116,29 @@ func (device *Device) NewPeer(pk NoisePublicKey) (*Peer, error) {
 
 	// prepare signaling & routines
 
-	peer.signal.stop = NewSignal()
 	peer.signal.newKeyPair = NewSignal()
 	peer.signal.handshakeBegin = NewSignal()
 	peer.signal.handshakeCompleted = NewSignal()
 	peer.signal.flushNonceQueue = NewSignal()
 
-	go peer.RoutineNonce()
-	go peer.RoutineTimerHandler()
-	go peer.RoutineSequentialSender()
-	go peer.RoutineSequentialReceiver()
-
 	return peer, nil
 }
 
 func (peer *Peer) SendBuffer(buffer []byte) error {
 	peer.device.net.mutex.RLock()
 	defer peer.device.net.mutex.RUnlock()
+
 	peer.mutex.RLock()
 	defer peer.mutex.RUnlock()
+
 	if peer.endpoint == nil {
 		return errors.New("No known endpoint for peer")
 	}
+
 	return peer.device.net.bind.Send(buffer, peer.endpoint)
 }
 
-/* Returns a short string identification for logging
+/* Returns a short string identifier for logging
  */
 func (peer *Peer) String() string {
 	if peer.endpoint == nil {
@@ -159,6 +156,32 @@ func (peer *Peer) String() string {
 	)
 }
 
-func (peer *Peer) Close() {
+/* Starts all routines for a given peer
+ *
+ * Requires that the caller holds the exclusive peer lock!
+ */
+func unsafePeerStart(peer *Peer) {
+	peer.signal.stop.Broadcast()
+	peer.signal.stop = NewSignal()
+
+	var wait sync.WaitGroup
+
+	wait.Add(1)
+
+	go peer.RoutineNonce()
+	go peer.RoutineTimerHandler(&wait)
+	go peer.RoutineSequentialSender()
+	go peer.RoutineSequentialReceiver()
+
+	wait.Wait()
+}
+
+func (peer *Peer) Start() {
+	peer.mutex.Lock()
+	unsafePeerStart(peer)
+	peer.mutex.Unlock()
+}
+
+func (peer *Peer) Stop() {
 	peer.signal.stop.Broadcast()
 }
diff --git a/src/timer.go b/src/timer.go
index 3def253..f00ca49 100644
--- a/src/timer.go
+++ b/src/timer.go
@@ -43,12 +43,6 @@ func (t *Timer) Reset(dur time.Duration) {
 	t.Start(dur)
 }
 
-func (t *Timer) Push(dur time.Duration) {
-	if t.pending.Get() {
-		t.Reset(dur)
-	}
-}
-
 func (t *Timer) Wait() <-chan time.Time {
 	return t.timer.C
 }
diff --git a/src/timers.go b/src/timers.go
index ee47393..f2fed30 100644
--- a/src/timers.go
+++ b/src/timers.go
@@ -4,10 +4,17 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"encoding/binary"
 	"math/rand"
+	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 )
 
+/* NOTE:
+ * Notion of validity
+ *
+ *
+ */
+
 /* Called when a new authenticated message has been send
  *
  */
@@ -44,25 +51,25 @@ func (peer *Peer) KeepKeyFreshReceiving() {
 	send := nonce > RekeyAfterMessages || time.Now().Sub(kp.created) > RekeyAfterTimeReceiving
 	if send {
 		// do a last minute attempt at initiating a new handshake
-		peer.signal.handshakeBegin.Send()
 		peer.timer.sendLastMinuteHandshake = true
+		peer.signal.handshakeBegin.Send()
 	}
 }
 
 /* Queues a keep-alive if no packets are queued for peer
  */
 func (peer *Peer) SendKeepAlive() bool {
+	if len(peer.queue.nonce) != 0 {
+		return false
+	}
 	elem := peer.device.NewOutboundElement()
 	elem.packet = nil
-	if len(peer.queue.nonce) == 0 {
-		select {
-		case peer.queue.nonce <- elem:
-			return true
-		default:
-			return false
-		}
+	select {
+	case peer.queue.nonce <- elem:
+		return true
+	default:
+		return false
 	}
-	return true
 }
 
 /* Event:
@@ -70,9 +77,7 @@ func (peer *Peer) SendKeepAlive() bool {
  */
 func (peer *Peer) TimerDataSent() {
 	peer.timer.keepalivePassive.Stop()
-	if peer.timer.newHandshake.Pending() {
-		peer.timer.newHandshake.Reset(NewHandshakeTime)
-	}
+	peer.timer.handshakeNew.Start(NewHandshakeTime)
 }
 
 /* Event:
@@ -91,7 +96,7 @@ func (peer *Peer) TimerDataReceived() {
  * Any (authenticated) packet received
  */
 func (peer *Peer) TimerAnyAuthenticatedPacketReceived() {
-	peer.timer.newHandshake.Stop()
+	peer.timer.handshakeNew.Stop()
 }
 
 /* Event:
@@ -115,10 +120,6 @@ func (peer *Peer) TimerAnyAuthenticatedPacketTraversal() {
  * - First transport message under the "next" key
  */
 func (peer *Peer) TimerHandshakeComplete() {
-	atomic.StoreInt64(
-		&peer.stats.lastHandshakeNano,
-		time.Now().UnixNano(),
-	)
 	peer.signal.handshakeCompleted.Send()
 	peer.device.log.Info.Println("Negotiated new handshake for", peer.String())
 }
@@ -139,13 +140,75 @@ func (peer *Peer) TimerEphemeralKeyCreated() {
 	peer.timer.zeroAllKeys.Reset(RejectAfterTime * 3)
 }
 
-func (peer *Peer) RoutineTimerHandler() {
+/* Sends a new handshake initiation message to the peer (endpoint)
+ */
+func (peer *Peer) sendNewHandshake() error {
+
+	// temporarily disable the handshake complete signal
+
+	peer.signal.handshakeCompleted.Disable()
+
+	// create initiation message
+
+	msg, err := peer.device.CreateMessageInitiation(peer)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// marshal handshake message
+
+	var buff [MessageInitiationSize]byte
+	writer := bytes.NewBuffer(buff[:0])
+	binary.Write(writer, binary.LittleEndian, msg)
+	packet := writer.Bytes()
+	peer.mac.AddMacs(packet)
+
+	// send to endpoint
+
+	peer.TimerAnyAuthenticatedPacketTraversal()
+
+	err = peer.SendBuffer(packet)
+	if err == nil {
+		peer.signal.handshakeCompleted.Enable()
+	}
+
+	// set timeout
+
+	jitter := time.Millisecond * time.Duration(rand.Uint32()%334)
+
+	peer.timer.keepalivePassive.Stop()
+	peer.timer.handshakeTimeout.Reset(RekeyTimeout + jitter)
+
+	return err
+}
+
+func (peer *Peer) RoutineTimerHandler(ready *sync.WaitGroup) {
 	device := peer.device
 
 	logInfo := device.log.Info
 	logDebug := device.log.Debug
 	logDebug.Println("Routine, timer handler, started for peer", peer.String())
 
+	// reset all timers
+
+	peer.timer.keepalivePassive.Stop()
+	peer.timer.handshakeDeadline.Stop()
+	peer.timer.handshakeTimeout.Stop()
+	peer.timer.handshakeNew.Stop()
+	peer.timer.zeroAllKeys.Stop()
+
+	interval := atomic.LoadUint64(&peer.persistentKeepaliveInterval)
+	if interval > 0 {
+		duration := time.Duration(interval) * time.Second
+		peer.timer.keepalivePersistent.Reset(duration)
+	}
+
+	// signal that timers are reset
+
+	ready.Done()
+
+	// handle timer events
+
 	for {
 		select {
 
@@ -158,6 +221,7 @@ func (peer *Peer) RoutineTimerHandler() {
 			interval := atomic.LoadUint64(&peer.persistentKeepaliveInterval)
 			if interval > 0 {
 				logDebug.Println("Sending keep-alive to", peer.String())
+				peer.timer.keepalivePassive.Stop()
 				peer.SendKeepAlive()
 			}
 
@@ -168,8 +232,8 @@ func (peer *Peer) RoutineTimerHandler() {
 			peer.SendKeepAlive()
 
 			if peer.timer.needAnotherKeepalive {
-				peer.timer.keepalivePassive.Reset(KeepaliveTimeout)
 				peer.timer.needAnotherKeepalive = false
+				peer.timer.keepalivePassive.Reset(KeepaliveTimeout)
 			}
 
 		// clear key material timer
@@ -213,7 +277,7 @@ func (peer *Peer) RoutineTimerHandler() {
 
 		// handshake timers
 
-		case <-peer.timer.newHandshake.Wait():
+		case <-peer.timer.handshakeNew.Wait():
 			logInfo.Println("Retrying handshake with", peer.String())
 			peer.signal.handshakeBegin.Send()
 
@@ -268,48 +332,16 @@ func (peer *Peer) RoutineTimerHandler() {
 			logInfo.Println(
 				"Handshake completed for:", peer.String())
 
+			atomic.StoreInt64(
+				&peer.stats.lastHandshakeNano,
+				time.Now().UnixNano(),
+			)
+
 			peer.timer.handshakeTimeout.Stop()
 			peer.timer.handshakeDeadline.Stop()
 			peer.signal.handshakeBegin.Enable()
+
+			peer.timer.sendLastMinuteHandshake = false
 		}
 	}
 }
-
-/* Sends a new handshake initiation message to the peer (endpoint)
- */
-func (peer *Peer) sendNewHandshake() error {
-
-	// temporarily disable the handshake complete signal
-
-	peer.signal.handshakeCompleted.Disable()
-
-	// create initiation message
-
-	msg, err := peer.device.CreateMessageInitiation(peer)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	// marshal handshake message
-
-	var buff [MessageInitiationSize]byte
-	writer := bytes.NewBuffer(buff[:0])
-	binary.Write(writer, binary.LittleEndian, msg)
-	packet := writer.Bytes()
-	peer.mac.AddMacs(packet)
-
-	// send to endpoint
-
-	err = peer.SendBuffer(packet)
-	if err == nil {
-		peer.TimerAnyAuthenticatedPacketTraversal()
-		peer.signal.handshakeCompleted.Enable()
-	}
-
-	// set timeout
-
-	jitter := time.Millisecond * time.Duration(rand.Uint32()%334)
-	peer.timer.handshakeTimeout.Reset(RekeyTimeout + jitter)
-
-	return err
-}
diff --git a/src/tun.go b/src/tun.go
index 54253b4..024f0f0 100644
--- a/src/tun.go
+++ b/src/tun.go
@@ -46,21 +46,13 @@ func (device *Device) RoutineTUNEventReader() {
 		}
 
 		if event&TUNEventUp != 0 {
-			if !device.tun.isUp.Get() {
-				// begin listening for incomming datagrams
-				logInfo.Println("Interface set up")
-				device.tun.isUp.Set(true)
-				updateBind(device)
-			}
+			logInfo.Println("Interface set up")
+			device.Up()
 		}
 
 		if event&TUNEventDown != 0 {
-			if device.tun.isUp.Get() {
-				// stop listening for incomming datagrams
-				logInfo.Println("Interface set down")
-				device.tun.isUp.Set(false)
-				closeBind(device)
-			}
+			logInfo.Println("Interface set down")
+			device.Up()
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/uapi.go b/src/uapi.go
index 155f483..a67bff1 100644
--- a/src/uapi.go
+++ b/src/uapi.go
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ func ipcSetOperation(device *Device, socket *bufio.ReadWriter) *IPCError {
 						logError.Println("Failed to get tun device status:", err)
 						return &IPCError{Code: ipcErrorIO}
 					}
-					if device.tun.isUp.Get() && !dummy {
+					if device.isUp.Get() && !dummy {
 						peer.SendKeepAlive()
 					}
 				}