diff --git a/swarm/network/discovery_test.go b/swarm/network/discovery_test.go
index 17324f3972..a5078b2443 100644
--- a/swarm/network/discovery_test.go
+++ b/swarm/network/discovery_test.go
@@ -160,9 +160,7 @@ func testInitialPeersMsg(t *testing.T, peerPO, peerDepth int) {
 	// block until control peer is found among hive peers
 	found := false
 	for attempts := 0; attempts < 20; attempts++ {
-		hive.lock.Lock()
-		_, found = hive.peers[peerID]
-		hive.lock.Unlock()
+		found = hive.Peer(peerID) != nil
 		if found {
 			break
 		}
diff --git a/swarm/network/hive.go b/swarm/network/hive.go
index a0b6b988ab..130a755115 100644
--- a/swarm/network/hive.go
+++ b/swarm/network/hive.go
@@ -209,6 +209,15 @@ func (h *Hive) PeerInfo(id enode.ID) interface{} {
 	}
 }
 
+// Peer returns a bzz peer from the Hive. If there is no peer
+// with the provided enode id, a nil value is returned.
+func (h *Hive) Peer(id enode.ID) *BzzPeer {
+	h.lock.Lock()
+	defer h.lock.Unlock()
+
+	return h.peers[id]
+}
+
 // loadPeers, savePeer implement persistence callback/
 func (h *Hive) loadPeers() error {
 	var as []*BzzAddr