diff --git a/src/gossip/client/dandelionstem/__init__.py b/src/gossip/client/dandelionstem/__init__.py
index fe5c23d7..6b185caa 100644
--- a/src/gossip/client/dandelionstem/__init__.py
+++ b/src/gossip/client/dandelionstem/__init__.py
@@ -55,10 +55,14 @@ async def _setup_edge(
         s.settimeout(10)
         if s.recv(1) == dandelion.StemAcceptResult.DENY:
             raise StemConnectionDenied
+    except TimeoutError:
+        logger.debug("Peer timed out when establishing stem connection", terminal=True)
+        logger.debug(traceback.format_exc())
     except StemConnectionDenied:
         logger.debug(
             "Stem connection denied (peer has too many) " +
             f"{peer.transport_address}")
+        logger.debug(traceback.format_exc())
     except Exception:
         logger.warn(
             "Error asking peer to establish stem connection" +
diff --git a/src/gossip/client/peerexchange.py b/src/gossip/client/peerexchange.py
index 2cfde784..690ec630 100644
--- a/src/gossip/client/peerexchange.py
+++ b/src/gossip/client/peerexchange.py
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 from threading import Thread
 from time import sleep
+from traceback import format_exc
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from socket import socket
 
 from onionrplugins import onionrevents
+import logger
 
 from ..peer import Peer
 from ..commands import GossipCommands, command_to_byte
@@ -15,6 +17,14 @@ from ..peerset import gossip_peer_set
 MAX_PEERS = 10
 
 
+def _do_ask_peer(peer):
+    try:
+        _ask_peer(peer)
+    except TimeoutError:
+        logger.debug("Timed out when asking for new peers")
+    except Exception:
+        logger.error(format_exc(), terminal=True)
+
 def _ask_peer(peer):
     s: 'socket' = peer.get_socket(12)
     s.sendall(command_to_byte(GossipCommands.PEER_EXCHANGE))
@@ -60,7 +70,7 @@ def get_new_peers():
     # Start threads to ask the peers for more peers
     threads = []
     for peer in peers_we_ask:
-        t = Thread(target=_ask_peer, args=[peer], daemon=True)
+        t = Thread(target=_do_ask_peer, args=[peer], daemon=True)
         t.start()
         threads.append(t)
     peers_we_ask.clear()
diff --git a/src/gossip/connectpeer.py b/src/gossip/connectpeer.py
index 8bf555fd..903926e5 100644
--- a/src/gossip/connectpeer.py
+++ b/src/gossip/connectpeer.py
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ def connect_peer(peer):
     except Exception:
         logger.warn(f"Could not connect to {peer.transport_address}")
     else:
-        s.sendall(command_to_byte(GossipCommands.CLOSE))
+        s.sendall(command_to_byte(GossipCommands.PING))
+        if s.recv(5).decode('utf-8') == 'PONG':
+            gossip_peer_set.add(peer)
+            logger.info(f"connected to {peer.transport_address}")
         s.close()
-        gossip_peer_set.add(peer)
-        logger.info(f"connected to {peer.transport_address}")