diff --git a/llarp/link/utp.cpp b/llarp/link/utp.cpp
index 3ff337c63..60f4bf8af 100644
--- a/llarp/link/utp.cpp
+++ b/llarp/link/utp.cpp
@@ -611,9 +611,7 @@ namespace llarp
             return false;
           buf.sz  = buf.cur - buf.base;
           buf.cur = buf.base;
-          if(!this->QueueWriteBuffers(buf))
-            return false;
-          PumpWrite();
+          return this->QueueWriteBuffers(buf);
         }
         return true;
       };
@@ -765,6 +763,9 @@ namespace llarp
     {
       if(sendq.size() >= MaxSendQueueSize)
         return false;
+      // premptive pump
+      if(sendq.size() >= MaxSendQueueSize / 2)
+        PumpWrite();
       size_t sz      = buf.sz;
       byte_t* ptr    = buf.base;
       uint32_t msgid = m_NextTXMsgID++;
diff --git a/llarp/path/path.cpp b/llarp/path/path.cpp
index 2c9f62ea1..674686038 100644
--- a/llarp/path/path.cpp
+++ b/llarp/path/path.cpp
@@ -575,18 +575,10 @@ namespace llarp
             return;
           }
         }
-        if(m_LastRecvMessage && now > m_LastRecvMessage
-           && now - m_LastRecvMessage > PATH_ALIVE_TIMEOUT)
+        if(m_LastRecvMessage && now > m_LastRecvMessage)
         {
-          if(m_CheckForDead)
-          {
-            if(m_CheckForDead(this, dlt))
-            {
-              r->routerProfiling().MarkPathFail(this);
-              EnterState(ePathTimeout, now);
-            }
-          }
-          else
+          auto dlt = now - m_LastRecvMessage;
+          if(m_CheckForDead && m_CheckForDead(this, dlt))
           {
             r->routerProfiling().MarkPathFail(this);
             EnterState(ePathTimeout, now);
diff --git a/llarp/service/endpoint.cpp b/llarp/service/endpoint.cpp
index a6ff3c71a..09da10cd5 100644
--- a/llarp/service/endpoint.cpp
+++ b/llarp/service/endpoint.cpp
@@ -1057,8 +1057,11 @@ namespace llarp
     }
 
     bool
-    Endpoint::CheckPathIsDead(path::Path*, llarp_time_t)
+    Endpoint::CheckPathIsDead(path::Path*, llarp_time_t dlt)
     {
+      if(dlt <= 30000)
+        return false;
+
       RouterLogic()->call_later(
           {100, this, [](void* u, uint64_t, uint64_t left) {
              if(left)