diff --git a/onionr/core.py b/onionr/core.py
index 57c1d53f..cf0f9690 100644
--- a/onionr/core.py
+++ b/onionr/core.py
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ class Core:
         except Exception as error:
             logger.error('Failed to initialize core Onionr library.', error=error)
             logger.fatal('Cannot recover from error.')
-            exit(1)
+            sys.exit(1)
         return
 
     def addPeer(self, peerID, powID, name=''):
@@ -83,6 +83,9 @@ class Core:
         # This function simply adds a peer to the DB
         if not self._utils.validatePubKey(peerID):
             return False
+        if sys.getsizeof(powID) > 60:
+            logger.warn("POW token for pubkey base64 representation exceeded 60 bytes")
+            return False
 
         conn = sqlite3.connect(self.peerDB)
         hashID = self._crypto.pubKeyHashID(peerID)
diff --git a/onionr/onionrutils.py b/onionr/onionrutils.py
index 317ff8c5..457960e0 100644
--- a/onionr/onionrutils.py
+++ b/onionr/onionrutils.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
     along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 '''
 # Misc functions that do not fit in the main api, but are useful
-import getpass, sys, requests, os, socket, hashlib, logger, sqlite3, config, binascii, time, base64, json, glob, shutil
+import getpass, sys, requests, os, socket, hashlib, logger, sqlite3, config, binascii, time, base64, json, glob, shutil, math
 import nacl.signing, nacl.encoding
 
 if sys.version_info < (3, 6):
@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ class OnionrUtils:
         sys.stdout.write("\r┣{0}┫ {1}%".format(arrow + spaces, int(round(percent * 100))))
         sys.stdout.flush()
     
-    def getEpoch():
+    def getEpoch(self):
         '''returns epoch'''
         return math.floor(time.time())