diff --git a/p2p/discover/lookup.go b/p2p/discover/lookup.go
index 79b4d86144..ab825fb05d 100644
--- a/p2p/discover/lookup.go
+++ b/p2p/discover/lookup.go
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ func (it *lookup) startQueries() bool {
 		// for the table to fill in this case, but there is no good mechanism for that
 		// yet.
 		if len(closest.entries) == 0 {
-			time.Sleep(1 * time.Second)
+			it.slowdown()
 		}
 		it.queries = 1
 		it.replyCh <- closest.entries
@@ -131,6 +131,15 @@ func (it *lookup) startQueries() bool {
 	return it.queries > 0
 }
 
+func (it *lookup) slowdown() {
+	sleep := time.NewTimer(1 * time.Second)
+	defer sleep.Stop()
+	select {
+	case <-sleep.C:
+	case <-it.tab.closeReq:
+	}
+}
+
 func (it *lookup) query(n *node, reply chan<- []*node) {
 	fails := it.tab.db.FindFails(n.ID(), n.IP())
 	r, err := it.queryfunc(n)