diff --git a/llarp/exit/session.cpp b/llarp/exit/session.cpp
index f6c2d5136..485ca768f 100644
--- a/llarp/exit/session.cpp
+++ b/llarp/exit/session.cpp
@@ -288,9 +288,8 @@ namespace llarp
       auto path = PickEstablishedPath(llarp::path::ePathRoleExit);
       if (path)
       {
-        for (auto& item : m_Upstream)
+        for (auto& [i, queue] : m_Upstream)
         {
-          auto& queue = item.second;
           while (queue.size())
           {
             auto& msg = queue.front();
@@ -305,8 +304,8 @@ namespace llarp
         if (m_Upstream.size())
           llarp::LogWarn("no path for exit session");
         // discard upstream
-        for (auto& item : m_Upstream)
-          item.second.clear();
+        for (auto& [i, queue] : m_Upstream)
+          queue.clear();
         m_Upstream.clear();
         if (numHops == 1)
         {
diff --git a/llarp/iwp/session.cpp b/llarp/iwp/session.cpp
index 0b5b3bec5..ae0af1444 100644
--- a/llarp/iwp/session.cpp
+++ b/llarp/iwp/session.cpp
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include <llarp/messages/link_intro.hpp>
 #include <llarp/messages/discard.hpp>
 #include <llarp/util/meta/memfn.hpp>
+#include <llarp/router/abstractrouter.hpp>
 
 namespace llarp
 {
@@ -136,6 +137,7 @@ namespace llarp
     Session::EncryptAndSend(ILinkSession::Packet_t data)
     {
       m_EncryptNext.emplace_back(std::move(data));
+      TriggerPump();
       if (!IsEstablished())
       {
         EncryptWorker(std::move(m_EncryptNext));
@@ -190,6 +192,7 @@ namespace llarp
       const auto bufsz = buf.size();
       auto& msg = m_TXMsgs.emplace(msgid, OutboundMessage{msgid, std::move(buf), now, completed})
                       .first->second;
+      TriggerPump();
       EncryptAndSend(msg.XMIT());
       if (bufsz > FragmentSize)
       {
@@ -225,6 +228,12 @@ namespace llarp
       }
     }
 
+    void
+    Session::TriggerPump()
+    {
+      m_Parent->Router()->PumpLL();
+    }
+
     void
     Session::Pump()
     {
@@ -233,18 +242,18 @@ namespace llarp
       {
         if (ShouldPing())
           SendKeepAlive();
-        for (auto& item : m_RXMsgs)
+        for (auto& [id, msg] : m_RXMsgs)
         {
-          if (item.second.ShouldSendACKS(now))
+          if (msg.ShouldSendACKS(now))
           {
-            item.second.SendACKS(util::memFn(&Session::EncryptAndSend, this), now);
+            msg.SendACKS(util::memFn(&Session::EncryptAndSend, this), now);
           }
         }
-        for (auto& item : m_TXMsgs)
+        for (auto& [id, msg] : m_TXMsgs)
         {
-          if (item.second.ShouldFlush(now))
+          if (msg.ShouldFlush(now))
           {
-            item.second.FlushUnAcked(util::memFn(&Session::EncryptAndSend, this), now);
+            msg.FlushUnAcked(util::memFn(&Session::EncryptAndSend, this), now);
           }
         }
       }
@@ -613,6 +622,7 @@ namespace llarp
     Session::HandleSessionData(Packet_t pkt)
     {
       m_DecryptNext.emplace_back(std::move(pkt));
+      TriggerPump();
     }
 
     void
@@ -679,7 +689,7 @@ namespace llarp
         }
       }
       SendMACK();
-      Pump();
+      TriggerPump();
     }
 
     void
@@ -774,6 +784,8 @@ namespace llarp
         {
           itr = m_RXMsgs.emplace(rxid, InboundMessage{rxid, sz, ShortHash{pos}, m_Parent->Now()})
                     .first;
+          TriggerPump();
+
           sz = std::min(sz, uint16_t{FragmentSize});
           if ((data.size() - XMITOverhead) == sz)
           {
diff --git a/llarp/iwp/session.hpp b/llarp/iwp/session.hpp
index 7a96c4389..d37a5464a 100644
--- a/llarp/iwp/session.hpp
+++ b/llarp/iwp/session.hpp
@@ -48,8 +48,11 @@ namespace llarp
       /// inbound session
       Session(LinkLayer* parent, const SockAddr& from);
 
-      ~Session() = default;
+      // Signal the event loop that a pump is needed (idempotent)
+      void
+      TriggerPump();
 
+      // Does the actual pump
       void
       Pump() override;
 
@@ -191,7 +194,7 @@ namespace llarp
       /// maps rxid to time recieved
       std::unordered_map<uint64_t, llarp_time_t> m_ReplayFilter;
       /// rx messages to send in next round of multiacks
-      std::priority_queue<uint64_t, std::vector<uint64_t>, std::greater<uint64_t>> m_SendMACKs;
+      std::priority_queue<uint64_t, std::vector<uint64_t>, std::greater<>> m_SendMACKs;
 
       using CryptoQueue_t = std::vector<Packet_t>;
 
diff --git a/llarp/link/server.cpp b/llarp/link/server.cpp
index 23658dfe1..7166ab59f 100644
--- a/llarp/link/server.cpp
+++ b/llarp/link/server.cpp
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include <llarp/util/fs.hpp>
 #include <utility>
 #include <unordered_set>
+#include <llarp/router/abstractrouter.hpp>
 
 static constexpr auto LINK_LAYER_TICK_INTERVAL = 100ms;
 
@@ -38,7 +39,11 @@ namespace llarp
       , m_SecretKey(keyManager->transportKey)
   {}
 
-  ILinkLayer::~ILinkLayer() = default;
+  llarp_time_t
+  ILinkLayer::Now() const
+  {
+    return m_Router->loop()->time_now();
+  }
 
   bool
   ILinkLayer::HasSessionTo(const RouterID& id)
@@ -124,10 +129,10 @@ namespace llarp
   }
 
   bool
-  ILinkLayer::Configure(EventLoop_ptr loop, const std::string& ifname, int af, uint16_t port)
+  ILinkLayer::Configure(AbstractRouter* router, const std::string& ifname, int af, uint16_t port)
   {
-    m_Loop = std::move(loop);
-    m_udp = m_Loop->make_udp(
+    m_Router = router;
+    m_udp = m_Router->loop()->make_udp(
         [this]([[maybe_unused]] UDPHandle& udp, const SockAddr& from, llarp_buffer_t buf) {
           ILinkSession::Packet_t pkt;
           pkt.resize(buf.sz);
@@ -163,7 +168,6 @@ namespace llarp
     if (not m_udp->listen(m_ourAddr))
       return false;
 
-    m_Loop->add_ticker([this] { Pump(); });
     return true;
   }
 
@@ -247,6 +251,7 @@ namespace llarp
       }
       m_AuthedLinks.emplace(pk, itr->second);
       itr = m_Pending.erase(itr);
+      m_Router->PumpLL();
       return true;
     }
     return false;
@@ -345,7 +350,8 @@ namespace llarp
   {
     // Tie the lifetime of this repeater to this arbitrary shared_ptr:
     m_repeater_keepalive = std::make_shared<int>(0);
-    m_Loop->call_every(LINK_LAYER_TICK_INTERVAL, m_repeater_keepalive, [this] { Tick(Now()); });
+    m_Router->loop()->call_every(
+        LINK_LAYER_TICK_INTERVAL, m_repeater_keepalive, [this] { Tick(Now()); });
     return true;
   }
 
@@ -487,6 +493,7 @@ namespace llarp
     if (m_Pending.count(address))
       return false;
     m_Pending.emplace(address, s);
+    m_Router->PumpLL();
     return true;
   }
 
diff --git a/llarp/link/server.hpp b/llarp/link/server.hpp
index e58e4da56..803120454 100644
--- a/llarp/link/server.hpp
+++ b/llarp/link/server.hpp
@@ -85,14 +85,11 @@ namespace llarp
         SessionClosedHandler closed,
         PumpDoneHandler pumpDone,
         WorkerFunc_t doWork);
-    virtual ~ILinkLayer();
+    virtual ~ILinkLayer() = default;
 
     /// get current time via event loop
     llarp_time_t
-    Now() const
-    {
-      return m_Loop->time_now();
-    }
+    Now() const;
 
     bool
     HasSessionTo(const RouterID& pk);
@@ -108,7 +105,7 @@ namespace llarp
     SendTo_LL(const SockAddr& to, const llarp_buffer_t& pkt);
 
     virtual bool
-    Configure(EventLoop_ptr loop, const std::string& ifname, int af, uint16_t port);
+    Configure(AbstractRouter* loop, const std::string& ifname, int af, uint16_t port);
 
     virtual std::shared_ptr<ILinkSession>
     NewOutboundSession(const RouterContact& rc, const AddressInfo& ai) = 0;
@@ -225,6 +222,13 @@ namespace llarp
     std::optional<int>
     GetUDPFD() const;
 
+    // Gets a pointer to the router owning us.
+    AbstractRouter*
+    Router() const
+    {
+      return m_Router;
+    }
+
    private:
     const SecretKey& m_RouterEncSecret;
 
@@ -239,7 +243,7 @@ namespace llarp
     bool
     PutSession(const std::shared_ptr<ILinkSession>& s);
 
-    EventLoop_ptr m_Loop;
+    AbstractRouter* m_Router;
     SockAddr m_ourAddr;
     std::shared_ptr<llarp::UDPHandle> m_udp;
     SecretKey m_SecretKey;
diff --git a/llarp/link/session.hpp b/llarp/link/session.hpp
index 60430458f..11f326b52 100644
--- a/llarp/link/session.hpp
+++ b/llarp/link/session.hpp
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ namespace llarp
     virtual void
     OnLinkEstablished(ILinkLayer*){};
 
-    /// called every event loop tick
+    /// called during pumping
     virtual void
     Pump() = 0;
 
diff --git a/llarp/router/i_outbound_message_handler.hpp b/llarp/router/i_outbound_message_handler.hpp
index 0ab96c434..ed9e542a5 100644
--- a/llarp/router/i_outbound_message_handler.hpp
+++ b/llarp/router/i_outbound_message_handler.hpp
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ namespace llarp
     QueueMessage(const RouterID& remote, const ILinkMessage& msg, SendStatusHandler callback) = 0;
 
     virtual void
-    Tick() = 0;
+    Pump() = 0;
 
     virtual void
     RemovePath(const PathID_t& pathid) = 0;
diff --git a/llarp/router/outbound_message_handler.cpp b/llarp/router/outbound_message_handler.cpp
index 2aaa6a30e..7e5a0cab4 100644
--- a/llarp/router/outbound_message_handler.cpp
+++ b/llarp/router/outbound_message_handler.cpp
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ namespace llarp
   }
 
   void
-  OutboundMessageHandler::Tick()
+  OutboundMessageHandler::Pump()
   {
     m_Killer.TryAccess([this]() {
       recentlyRemovedPaths.Decay();
diff --git a/llarp/router/outbound_message_handler.hpp b/llarp/router/outbound_message_handler.hpp
index e0402d633..e648ad1fa 100644
--- a/llarp/router/outbound_message_handler.hpp
+++ b/llarp/router/outbound_message_handler.hpp
@@ -34,9 +34,9 @@ namespace llarp
      * router, one is created.
      *
      * If there is a session to the destination router, the message is placed on the shared
-     * outbound message queue to be processed on Tick().
+     * outbound message queue to be processed on Pump().
      *
-     * When this class' Tick() is called, that queue is emptied and the messages there
+     * When this class' Pump() is called, that queue is emptied and the messages there
      * are placed in their paths' respective individual queues.
      *
      * Returns false if encoding the message into a buffer fails, true otherwise.
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ namespace llarp
     QueueMessage(const RouterID& remote, const ILinkMessage& msg, SendStatusHandler callback)
         override EXCLUDES(_mutex);
 
-    /* Called once per event loop tick.
+    /* Called when pumping output queues, typically scheduled via a call to Router::PumpLL().
      *
      * Processes messages on the shared message queue into their paths' respective
      * individual queues.
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ namespace llarp
      * Sends messages from path queues until all are empty or a set cap has been reached.
      */
     void
-    Tick() override;
+    Pump() override;
 
     /* Called from outside this class to inform it that a path has died / expired
      * and its queue should be discarded.
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ namespace llarp
      * If the queue is full, the message is dropped and the message's status
      * callback is invoked with a congestion status.
      *
-     * When this class' Tick() is called, that queue is emptied and the messages there
+     * When this class' Pump() is called, that queue is emptied and the messages there
      * are placed in their paths' respective individual queues.
      */
     bool
diff --git a/llarp/router/router.cpp b/llarp/router/router.cpp
index 2739c85d4..51283428b 100644
--- a/llarp/router/router.cpp
+++ b/llarp/router/router.cpp
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ namespace llarp
     llarp::LogTrace("Router::PumpLL() start");
     if (_stopping.load())
       return;
-    _outboundMessageHandler.Tick();
+    _outboundMessageHandler.Pump();
     _linkManager.PumpLinks();
     llarp::LogTrace("Router::PumpLL() end");
   }
@@ -106,10 +106,7 @@ namespace llarp
           {"links", _linkManager.ExtractStatus()},
           {"outboundMessages", _outboundMessageHandler.ExtractStatus()}};
     }
-    else
-    {
-      return util::StatusObject{{"running", false}};
-    }
+    return util::StatusObject{{"running", false}};
   }
 
   util::StatusObject
@@ -716,7 +713,7 @@ namespace llarp
       const std::string& key = serverConfig.interface;
       int af = serverConfig.addressFamily;
       uint16_t port = serverConfig.port;
-      if (!server->Configure(loop(), key, af, port))
+      if (!server->Configure(this, key, af, port))
       {
         throw std::runtime_error(stringify("failed to bind inbound link on ", key, " port ", port));
       }
@@ -1521,7 +1518,7 @@ namespace llarp
 
     for (const auto af : {AF_INET, AF_INET6})
     {
-      if (not link->Configure(loop(), "*", af, m_OutboundPort))
+      if (not link->Configure(this, "*", af, m_OutboundPort))
         continue;
 
 #if defined(ANDROID)