diff --git a/onionr/api.py b/onionr/api.py
index c6047dee..3a340dc3 100755
--- a/onionr/api.py
+++ b/onionr/api.py
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ class API:
 
         self.debug = debug
         self._privateDelayTime = 3
-        self._core = core.Core()
+        self._core = onionrInst.onionrCore
         self.startTime = self._core._utils.getEpoch()
         self._crypto = onionrcrypto.OnionrCrypto(self._core)
         self._utils = onionrutils.OnionrUtils(self._core)
diff --git a/onionr/communicator2.py b/onionr/communicator2.py
index 873e40c7..d131e332 100755
--- a/onionr/communicator2.py
+++ b/onionr/communicator2.py
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ class OnionrCommunicatorDaemon:
 
         # initalize core with Tor socks port being 3rd argument
         self.proxyPort = proxyPort
-        self._core = core.Core(torPort=self.proxyPort)
+        self._core = onionrInst.onionrCore
 
         # intalize NIST beacon salt and time
         self.nistSaltTimestamp = 0
@@ -93,7 +93,6 @@ class OnionrCommunicatorDaemon:
         self.startTime = self._core._utils.getEpoch()
 
         if developmentMode:
-            print('enabling heartbeat')
             OnionrCommunicatorTimers(self, self.heartbeat, 30)
 
         # Set timers, function reference, seconds
@@ -485,10 +484,12 @@ class OnionrCommunicatorDaemon:
             retData = onionrpeers.PeerProfiles(peer, self._core)
         return retData
 
+    def getUptime(self):
+        return self._core._utils.getEpoch() - self.startTime
+
     def heartbeat(self):
         '''Show a heartbeat debug message'''
-        currentTime = self._core._utils.getEpoch() - self.startTime
-        logger.debug('Heartbeat. Node running for %s.' % self.daemonTools.humanReadableTime(currentTime))
+        logger.debug('Heartbeat. Node running for %s.' % self.daemonTools.humanReadableTime(self.getUptime()))
         self.decrementThreadCount('heartbeat')
 
     def daemonCommands(self):
diff --git a/onionr/core.py b/onionr/core.py
index 9c57503f..e7646396 100644
--- a/onionr/core.py
+++ b/onionr/core.py
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ class Core:
             self.dataDir = 'data/'
 
         try:
+            self.onionrInst = None
             self.queueDB = self.dataDir + 'queue.db'
             self.peerDB = self.dataDir + 'peers.db'
             self.blockDB = self.dataDir + 'blocks.db'
diff --git a/onionr/onionr.py b/onionr/onionr.py
index 8523ec77..4f054a3b 100755
--- a/onionr/onionr.py
+++ b/onionr/onionr.py
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ class Onionr:
 
         self.communicatorInst = None
         self.onionrCore = core.Core()
+        self.onionrCore.onionrInst = self
         #self.deleteRunFiles()
         self.onionrUtils = onionrutils.OnionrUtils(self.onionrCore)
 
@@ -751,7 +752,7 @@ class Onionr:
 
         # TODO: make runable on windows
         #communicatorProc = subprocess.Popen([communicatorDaemon, 'run', str(net.socksPort)])
-        
+        self.onionrCore.torPort = net.socksPort
         communicatorThread = Thread(target=communicator2.startCommunicator, args=(self, str(net.socksPort)))
         communicatorThread.start()
         
diff --git a/onionr/serializeddata.py b/onionr/serializeddata.py
index 79143374..c4063909 100644
--- a/onionr/serializeddata.py
+++ b/onionr/serializeddata.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class SerializedData:
     def getStats(self):
         '''Return statistics about our node'''
         stats = {}
-        stats['uptime'] = int(self._core.daemonQueueSimple('localCommand', 'getuptime'))
-        stats['connectedNodes'] = self._core.daemonQueueSimple('connectedPeers')
+        stats['uptime'] = self._core.onionrInst.communicatorInst.getUptime()
+        stats['connectedNodes'] = '\n'.join(self._core.onionrInst.communicatorInst.onlinePeers)
         stats['blockCount'] = len(self._core.getBlockList())
         return json.dumps(stats)
diff --git a/onionr/static-data/www/private/index.html b/onionr/static-data/www/private/index.html
index 12f05b85..d78140a5 100644
--- a/onionr/static-data/www/private/index.html
+++ b/onionr/static-data/www/private/index.html
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
         <img class='logo' src='/shared/onionr-icon.png' alt='onionr logo'>
         <span class='logoText'>Onionr Web Control Panel</span>
         <div class='content'>
-            <button id='shutdownNode'>Shutdown Node</button>
+            <button id='shutdownNode'>Shutdown Node</button> <button id='refreshStats'>Refresh Stats</button>
             <h2>Stats</h2>
             <p>Uptime: <span id='uptime'></span></p>
             <p>Stored Blocks: <span id='storedBlocks'></span></p>
diff --git a/onionr/static-data/www/shared/main/stats.js b/onionr/static-data/www/shared/main/stats.js
index 6796f2b7..bd6dcb18 100644
--- a/onionr/static-data/www/shared/main/stats.js
+++ b/onionr/static-data/www/shared/main/stats.js
@@ -21,7 +21,10 @@ uptimeDisplay = document.getElementById('uptime')
 connectedDisplay = document.getElementById('connectedNodes')
 storedBlockDisplay = document.getElementById('storedBlocks')
 
-stats = JSON.parse(httpGet('getstats', webpass))
-uptimeDisplay.innerText = stats['uptime'] + ' seconds'
-connectedDisplay.innerText = stats['connectedNodes']
-storedBlockDisplay.innerText = stats['blockCount']
\ No newline at end of file
+function getStats(){
+    stats = JSON.parse(httpGet('getstats', webpass))
+    uptimeDisplay.innerText = stats['uptime'] + ' seconds'
+    connectedDisplay.innerText = stats['connectedNodes']
+    storedBlockDisplay.innerText = stats['blockCount']
+}
+getStats()
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/onionr/static-data/www/shared/panel.js b/onionr/static-data/www/shared/panel.js
index ea35696c..665904e8 100644
--- a/onionr/static-data/www/shared/panel.js
+++ b/onionr/static-data/www/shared/panel.js
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
 shutdownBtn = document.getElementById('shutdownNode')
-
+refreshStatsBtn = document.getElementById('refreshStats')
 shutdownBtn.onclick = function(){
     if (! nowebpass){
         httpGet('shutdownclean')
         overlay('shutdownNotice')
     }
 }
+
+refreshStatsBtn.onclick = function(){
+    getStats()
+}
\ No newline at end of file