diff --git a/p2p/peer.go b/p2p/peer.go
index facdaacb1c..a14a7f589e 100644
--- a/p2p/peer.go
+++ b/p2p/peer.go
@@ -116,22 +116,6 @@ func (self *Peer) init(conn net.Conn) {
 	self.closed = make(chan struct{})
 }
 
-func (p *Peer) connect(server *Server, conn net.Conn) {
-	p.init(conn)
-	p.ourID = server.Identity
-	p.addPeer = server.AddPeer
-	p.getPeers = server.GetPeers
-	p.pubkeyHook = server.verifyPeer
-	p.runBaseProtocol = true
-	p.protocols = server.Protocols
-
-	// laddr can be updated concurrently by NAT traversal.
-	// newServerPeer must be called with the server lock held.
-	if server.laddr != nil {
-		p.ourListenAddr = newPeerAddr(server.laddr, server.Identity.Pubkey())
-	}
-}
-
 // ActiveAddresses returns addresses of all connected peers.
 // Actually if the peer selector keeps historical info , then once active peers
 // will be included too.
diff --git a/p2p/peer_test.go b/p2p/peer_test.go
index 4ee88f112b..8c04c137d7 100644
--- a/p2p/peer_test.go
+++ b/p2p/peer_test.go
@@ -30,7 +30,9 @@ var discard = Protocol{
 
 func testPeer(protos []Protocol) (net.Conn, *Peer, <-chan error) {
 	conn1, conn2 := net.Pipe()
-	peer := newPeer(conn1, protos, nil)
+	peer := &Peer{}
+	peer.init(conn1)
+	peer.protocols = protos
 	peer.ourID = &peerId{}
 	peer.pubkeyHook = func(*peerAddr) error { return nil }
 	errc := make(chan error, 1)
diff --git a/p2p/server.go b/p2p/server.go
index ec09647011..a9d1d3989b 100644
--- a/p2p/server.go
+++ b/p2p/server.go
@@ -77,6 +77,8 @@ type Server struct {
 	peerSlots chan int
 	peerCount int
 
+	connectFunc func(*Peer, net.Conn)
+
 	quit           chan struct{}
 	wg             sync.WaitGroup
 	peerDisconnect chan *Peer
@@ -92,8 +94,6 @@ type NAT interface {
 	String() string
 }
 
-type peerFunc func(srv *Server, c net.Conn, dialAddr *peerAddr) *Peer
-
 // Peers returns all currently connected peers.
 func (srv *Server) Peers() (peers []*Peer) {
 	srv.lock.RLock()
@@ -145,6 +145,8 @@ func (srv *Server) SuggestPeer(addr string, pubkey []byte) error {
 // to decide if it is a worthwhile connection
 func (srv *Server) AddPeer(addr *peerAddr) (err error) {
 	// need to look up nodeID first
+	srvlog.Infof("checking peer %v", addr)
+
 	peer := &Peer{
 		dialAddr:    addr,
 		lastActiveC: make(chan time.Time),
@@ -173,15 +175,30 @@ func (srv *Server) dialPeer(peer *Peer) (err error) {
 			srv.peerSlots <- slot
 			return
 		}
+		srvlog.Debugf("Connected to %v (slot %d)\n", peer.dialAddr, slot)
 		peer.slot = slot
-		peer.connect(srv, conn)
-		srv.wg.Add(1)
+		srv.connectFunc(peer, conn)
 		go srv.addPeer(peer)
 	}
 	return
 
 }
 
+func (srv *Server) connect(p *Peer, conn net.Conn) {
+	p.init(conn)
+	p.ourID = srv.Identity
+	p.addPeer = srv.AddPeer
+	p.getPeers = srv.GetPeers
+	p.pubkeyHook = srv.verifyPeer
+	p.runBaseProtocol = true
+	p.protocols = srv.Protocols
+
+	// laddr can be updated concurrently by NAT traversal.
+	if srv.laddr != nil {
+		p.ourListenAddr = newPeerAddr(srv.laddr, srv.Identity.Pubkey())
+	}
+}
+
 // Broadcast sends an RLP-encoded message to all connected peers.
 // This method is deprecated and will be removed later.
 func (srv *Server) Broadcast(protocol string, code uint64, data ...interface{}) {
@@ -251,6 +268,10 @@ func (srv *Server) Start() (err error) {
 		srv.PeerSelector = &BaseSelector{}
 	}
 
+	if srv.connectFunc == nil {
+		srv.connectFunc = srv.connect
+	}
+
 	// make all slots available
 	for i := range srv.peers {
 		srv.peerSlots <- i
@@ -332,7 +353,7 @@ func (srv *Server) listenLoop() {
 			}
 			srvlog.Debugf("Accepted conn %v (slot %d) - peer selector check after handshake", conn.RemoteAddr(), slot)
 			peer := &Peer{slot: slot}
-			peer.connect(srv, conn)
+			srv.connectFunc(peer, conn)
 			srv.addPeer(peer)
 		case <-srv.quit:
 			return
diff --git a/p2p/server_test.go b/p2p/server_test.go
index ceb89e3f7f..2545aecfc8 100644
--- a/p2p/server_test.go
+++ b/p2p/server_test.go
@@ -9,12 +9,12 @@ import (
 	"time"
 )
 
-func startTestServer(t *testing.T, pf peerFunc) *Server {
+func startTestServer(t *testing.T, cb func(*Peer, net.Conn)) *Server {
 	server := &Server{
 		Identity:    &peerId{},
 		MaxPeers:    10,
 		ListenAddr:  "127.0.0.1:0",
-		newPeerFunc: pf,
+		connectFunc: cb,
 	}
 	if err := server.Start(); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Could not start server: %v", err)
@@ -27,16 +27,9 @@ func TestServerListen(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// start the test server
 	connected := make(chan *Peer)
-	srv := startTestServer(t, func(srv *Server, conn net.Conn, dialAddr *peerAddr) *Peer {
-		if conn == nil {
-			t.Error("peer func called with nil conn")
-		}
-		if dialAddr != nil {
-			t.Error("peer func called with non-nil dialAddr")
-		}
-		peer := newPeer(conn, nil, dialAddr)
+	srv := startTestServer(t, func(peer *Peer, conn net.Conn) {
+		peer.init(conn)
 		connected <- peer
-		return peer
 	})
 	defer close(connected)
 	defer srv.Stop()
@@ -50,10 +43,18 @@ func TestServerListen(t *testing.T) {
 
 	select {
 	case peer := <-connected:
-		if peer.conn.LocalAddr().String() != conn.RemoteAddr().String() {
-			t.Errorf("peer started with wrong conn: got %v, want %v",
-				peer.conn.LocalAddr(), conn.RemoteAddr())
+		if peer.conn == nil {
+			t.Error("peer setup with nil conn")
+		} else {
+			if peer.conn.LocalAddr().String() != conn.RemoteAddr().String() {
+				t.Errorf("peer started with wrong conn: got %v, want %v",
+					peer.conn.LocalAddr(), conn.RemoteAddr())
+			}
 		}
+		if peer.dialAddr != nil {
+			t.Error("peer setup with non-nil dialAddr")
+		}
+
 	case <-time.After(1 * time.Second):
 		t.Error("server did not accept within one second")
 	}
@@ -72,7 +73,7 @@ func TestServerDial(t *testing.T) {
 	go func() {
 		conn, err := listener.Accept()
 		if err != nil {
-			t.Error("acccept error:", err)
+			t.Error("accept error:", err)
 		}
 		conn.Close()
 		accepted <- conn
@@ -80,28 +81,28 @@ func TestServerDial(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// start the test server
 	connected := make(chan *Peer)
-	srv := startTestServer(t, func(srv *Server, conn net.Conn, dialAddr *peerAddr) *Peer {
-		if conn == nil {
-			t.Error("peer func called with nil conn")
-		}
-		peer := newPeer(conn, nil, dialAddr)
-		connected <- peer
-		return peer
+	srv := startTestServer(t, func(peer *Peer, conn net.Conn) {
+		peer.init(conn)
+		go func() { connected <- peer }()
 	})
 	defer close(connected)
 	defer srv.Stop()
 
 	// tell the server to connect.
 	connAddr := newPeerAddr(listener.Addr(), nil)
-	srv.peerConnect <- connAddr
+	srv.AddPeer(connAddr)
 
 	select {
 	case conn := <-accepted:
 		select {
 		case peer := <-connected:
-			if peer.conn.RemoteAddr().String() != conn.LocalAddr().String() {
-				t.Errorf("peer started with wrong conn: got %v, want %v",
-					peer.conn.RemoteAddr(), conn.LocalAddr())
+			if conn == nil {
+				t.Error("peer func called with nil conn")
+			} else {
+				if peer.conn.RemoteAddr().String() != conn.LocalAddr().String() {
+					t.Errorf("peer started with wrong conn: got %v, want %v",
+						peer.conn.RemoteAddr(), conn.LocalAddr())
+				}
 			}
 			if peer.dialAddr != connAddr {
 				t.Errorf("peer started with wrong dialAddr: got %v, want %v",
@@ -119,11 +120,11 @@ func TestServerDial(t *testing.T) {
 func TestServerBroadcast(t *testing.T) {
 	defer testlog(t).detach()
 	var connected sync.WaitGroup
-	srv := startTestServer(t, func(srv *Server, c net.Conn, dialAddr *peerAddr) *Peer {
-		peer := newPeer(c, []Protocol{discard}, dialAddr)
+	srv := startTestServer(t, func(peer *Peer, conn net.Conn) {
+		peer.init(conn)
+		peer.protocols = []Protocol{discard}
 		peer.startSubprotocols([]Cap{discard.cap()})
 		connected.Done()
-		return peer
 	})
 	defer srv.Stop()