diff --git a/les/freeclient.go b/les/freeclient.go
index 8f3c7bb61a..4d1c83dd62 100644
--- a/les/freeclient.go
+++ b/les/freeclient.go
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@ func newFreeClientPool(db ethdb.Database, connectedLimit, totalLimit int, quit c
 
 // connect should be called after a successful handshake. If the connection was
 // rejected, there is no need to call disconnect.
+//
+// Note: the disconnectFn callback should not block.
 func (f *freeClientPool) connect(address string, disconnectFn func()) bool {
 	f.lock.Lock()
 	defer f.lock.Unlock()
@@ -121,7 +123,7 @@ func (f *freeClientPool) connect(address string, disconnectFn func()) bool {
 			i.connected = false
 			f.disconnPool.Push(i, -i.logUsage)
 			log.Debug("Client kicked out", "address", i.address)
-			go i.disconnectFn()
+			i.disconnectFn()
 		} else {
 			// keep the old client and reject the new one
 			f.connPool.Push(i, i.linUsage)
diff --git a/les/freeclient_test.go b/les/freeclient_test.go
index eb7eee78b5..f78a3dda8c 100644
--- a/les/freeclient_test.go
+++ b/les/freeclient_test.go
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ func testFreeClientPool(t *testing.T, connLimit, clientCount int) {
 		pool      = newFreeClientPool(db, connLimit, 10000, quit, &wg, &clock)
 		connected = make([]bool, clientCount)
 		connTicks = make([]int, clientCount)
-		disconnCh = make(chan int)
+		disconnCh = make(chan int, clientCount)
 	)
 	peerId := func(i int) string {
 		return fmt.Sprintf("test peer #%d", i)
@@ -78,8 +78,7 @@ func testFreeClientPool(t *testing.T, connLimit, clientCount int) {
 	}
 
 	// randomly connect and disconnect peers, expect to have a similar total connection time at the end
-	tickCounter := 0
-	for ; tickCounter < testFreeClientPoolTicks; tickCounter++ {
+	for tickCounter := 0; tickCounter < testFreeClientPoolTicks; tickCounter++ {
 		clock.Run(1 * time.Second)
 
 		i := rand.Intn(clientCount)
@@ -115,7 +114,7 @@ func testFreeClientPool(t *testing.T, connLimit, clientCount int) {
 	// check if the total connected time of peers are all in the expected range
 	for i, c := range connected {
 		if c {
-			connTicks[i] += tickCounter
+			connTicks[i] += testFreeClientPoolTicks
 		}
 		if connTicks[i] < expMin || connTicks[i] > expMax {
 			t.Errorf("Total connected time of test node #%d (%d) outside expected range (%d to %d)", i, connTicks[i], expMin, expMax)
@@ -124,7 +123,7 @@ func testFreeClientPool(t *testing.T, connLimit, clientCount int) {
 
 	// a previously unknown peer should be accepted now
 	if !pool.connect("newPeer", func() {}) {
-		t.Errorf("Previously unknown peer rejected")
+		t.Fatalf("Previously unknown peer rejected")
 	}
 
 	// close and restart pool
diff --git a/les/handler.go b/les/handler.go
index e478a2c3c9..babc1d62fe 100644
--- a/les/handler.go
+++ b/les/handler.go
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ func (pm *ProtocolManager) handle(p *peer) error {
 		// test peer address is not a tcp address, don't use client pool if can not typecast
 		if ok {
 			id := addr.IP.String()
-			if !pm.clientPool.connect(id, func() { pm.removePeer(p.id) }) {
+			if !pm.clientPool.connect(id, func() { go pm.removePeer(p.id) }) {
 				return p2p.DiscTooManyPeers
 			}
 			defer pm.clientPool.disconnect(id)