diff --git a/contrib/epee/include/net/abstract_tcp_server2.h b/contrib/epee/include/net/abstract_tcp_server2.h
index ca58d5467..03f143fe4 100644
--- a/contrib/epee/include/net/abstract_tcp_server2.h
+++ b/contrib/epee/include/net/abstract_tcp_server2.h
@@ -281,8 +281,6 @@ namespace net_utils
 
     bool is_thread_worker();
 
-    bool cleanup_connections();
-
     /// The io_service used to perform asynchronous operations.
     std::unique_ptr<boost::asio::io_service> m_io_service_local_instance;
     boost::asio::io_service& io_service_;    
@@ -309,7 +307,7 @@ namespace net_utils
     connection_ptr new_connection_;
 
     boost::mutex connections_mutex;
-    std::deque<std::pair<boost::system_time, connection_ptr>> connections_;
+    std::set<connection_ptr> connections_;
 
   }; // class <>boosted_tcp_server
 
diff --git a/contrib/epee/include/net/abstract_tcp_server2.inl b/contrib/epee/include/net/abstract_tcp_server2.inl
index 61276e761..76988a26e 100644
--- a/contrib/epee/include/net/abstract_tcp_server2.inl
+++ b/contrib/epee/include/net/abstract_tcp_server2.inl
@@ -54,8 +54,6 @@
 #undef MONERO_DEFAULT_LOG_CATEGORY
 #define MONERO_DEFAULT_LOG_CATEGORY "net"
 
-#define CONNECTION_CLEANUP_TIME 30 // seconds
-
 PRAGMA_WARNING_PUSH
 namespace epee
 {
@@ -808,7 +806,6 @@ POP_WARNINGS
     m_threads_count = threads_count;
     m_main_thread_id = boost::this_thread::get_id();
     MLOG_SET_THREAD_NAME("[SRV_MAIN]");
-    add_idle_handler(boost::bind(&boosted_tcp_server::cleanup_connections, this), 5000);
     while(!m_stop_signal_sent)
     {
 
@@ -898,7 +895,7 @@ POP_WARNINGS
     connections_mutex.lock();
     for (auto &c: connections_)
     {
-      c.second->cancel();
+      c->cancel();
     }
     connections_.clear();
     connections_mutex.unlock();
@@ -907,19 +904,6 @@ POP_WARNINGS
   }
   //---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   template<class t_protocol_handler>
-  bool boosted_tcp_server<t_protocol_handler>::cleanup_connections()
-  {
-    connections_mutex.lock();
-    boost::system_time cutoff = boost::get_system_time() - boost::posix_time::seconds(CONNECTION_CLEANUP_TIME);
-    while (!connections_.empty() && connections_.front().first < cutoff)
-    {
-      connections_.pop_front();
-    }
-    connections_mutex.unlock();
-    return true;
-  }
-  //---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-  template<class t_protocol_handler>
   bool boosted_tcp_server<t_protocol_handler>::is_stop_signal_sent()
   {
     return m_stop_signal_sent;
@@ -958,9 +942,10 @@ POP_WARNINGS
 
     connection_ptr new_connection_l(new connection<t_protocol_handler>(io_service_, m_config, m_sock_count, m_sock_number, m_pfilter, m_connection_type) );
     connections_mutex.lock();
-    connections_.push_back(std::make_pair(boost::get_system_time(), new_connection_l));
+    connections_.insert(new_connection_l);
     MDEBUG("connections_ size now " << connections_.size());
     connections_mutex.unlock();
+    epee::misc_utils::auto_scope_leave_caller scope_exit_handler = epee::misc_utils::create_scope_leave_handler([&](){ CRITICAL_REGION_LOCAL(connections_mutex); connections_.erase(new_connection_l); });
     boost::asio::ip::tcp::socket&  sock_ = new_connection_l->socket();
     
     //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -1038,6 +1023,10 @@ POP_WARNINGS
 
     _dbg3("Connected success to " << adr << ':' << port);
 
+    // start adds the connection to the config object's list, so we don't need to have it locally anymore
+    connections_mutex.lock();
+    connections_.erase(new_connection_l);
+    connections_mutex.unlock();
     bool r = new_connection_l->start(false, 1 < m_threads_count);
     if (r)
     {
@@ -1062,9 +1051,10 @@ POP_WARNINGS
     TRY_ENTRY();    
     connection_ptr new_connection_l(new connection<t_protocol_handler>(io_service_, m_config, m_sock_count, m_sock_number, m_pfilter, m_connection_type) );
     connections_mutex.lock();
-    connections_.push_back(std::make_pair(boost::get_system_time(), new_connection_l));
+    connections_.insert(new_connection_l);
     MDEBUG("connections_ size now " << connections_.size());
     connections_mutex.unlock();
+    epee::misc_utils::auto_scope_leave_caller scope_exit_handler = epee::misc_utils::create_scope_leave_handler([&](){ CRITICAL_REGION_LOCAL(connections_mutex); connections_.erase(new_connection_l); });
     boost::asio::ip::tcp::socket&  sock_ = new_connection_l->socket();
     
     //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -1113,6 +1103,11 @@ POP_WARNINGS
           {
             _dbg3("[sock " << new_connection_l->socket().native_handle() << "] Connected success to " << adr << ':' << port <<
               " from " << lep.address().to_string() << ':' << lep.port());
+
+            // start adds the connection to the config object's list, so we don't need to have it locally anymore
+            connections_mutex.lock();
+            connections_.erase(new_connection_l);
+            connections_mutex.unlock();
             bool r = new_connection_l->start(false, 1 < m_threads_count);
             if (r)
             {
diff --git a/src/p2p/net_node.inl b/src/p2p/net_node.inl
index 13352c24a..7da123633 100644
--- a/src/p2p/net_node.inl
+++ b/src/p2p/net_node.inl
@@ -1090,6 +1090,8 @@ namespace nodetool
 
       if (use_white_list) {
         local_peers_count = m_peerlist.get_white_peers_count();
+        if (!local_peers_count)
+          return false;
         max_random_index = std::min<uint64_t>(local_peers_count -1, 20);
         random_index = get_random_index_with_fixed_probability(max_random_index);
       } else {
@@ -1916,6 +1918,9 @@ namespace nodetool
   {
     peerlist_entry pe = AUTO_VAL_INIT(pe);
 
+    if (m_net_server.is_stop_signal_sent())
+      return false;
+
     if (!m_peerlist.get_random_gray_peer(pe)) {
         return false;
     }