diff --git a/llarp/iwp/linklayer.cpp b/llarp/iwp/linklayer.cpp
index 527510d8e..6eae44bcc 100644
--- a/llarp/iwp/linklayer.cpp
+++ b/llarp/iwp/linklayer.cpp
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ namespace llarp::iwp
           keyManager, getrc, h, sign, before, est, reneg, timeout, closed, pumpDone, worker)
       , m_Wakeup{ev->make_waker([this]() { HandleWakeupPlaintext(); })}
       , m_PlaintextRecv{1024}
-      , permitInbound{allowInbound}
+      , m_Inbound{allowInbound}
 
   {}
 
@@ -48,10 +48,10 @@ namespace llarp::iwp
     bool isNewSession = false;
     if (itr == m_AuthedAddrs.end())
     {
-      Lock_t lock(m_PendingMutex);
+      Lock_t lock{m_PendingMutex};
       if (m_Pending.count(from) == 0)
       {
-        if (not permitInbound)
+        if (not m_Inbound)
           return;
         isNewSession = true;
         m_Pending.insert({from, std::make_shared<Session>(this, from)});
@@ -60,14 +60,13 @@ namespace llarp::iwp
     }
     else
     {
-      Lock_t lock(m_AuthedLinksMutex);
-      auto range = m_AuthedLinks.equal_range(itr->second);
-      session = range.first->second;
+      if(auto s_itr = m_AuthedLinks.find(itr->second); s_itr != m_AuthedLinks.end())
+        session = s_itr->second;
     }
     if (session)
     {
       bool success = session->Recv_LL(std::move(pkt));
-      if (!success and isNewSession)
+      if (not success and isNewSession)
       {
         LogWarn("Brand new session failed; removing from pending sessions list");
         m_Pending.erase(m_Pending.find(from));
@@ -78,7 +77,7 @@ namespace llarp::iwp
   bool
   LinkLayer::MapAddr(const RouterID& r, ILinkSession* s)
   {
-    if (!ILinkLayer::MapAddr(r, s))
+    if (not ILinkLayer::MapAddr(r, s))
       return false;
     m_AuthedAddrs.emplace(s->GetRemoteEndpoint(), r);
     return true;
@@ -93,6 +92,8 @@ namespace llarp::iwp
   std::shared_ptr<ILinkSession>
   LinkLayer::NewOutboundSession(const RouterContact& rc, const AddressInfo& ai)
   {
+    if(m_Inbound)
+      throw std::logic_error{"inbound link cannot make outbound sessions"};
     return std::make_shared<Session>(this, rc, ai);
   }
 
diff --git a/llarp/iwp/linklayer.hpp b/llarp/iwp/linklayer.hpp
index 52d81ee2e..12fa07ab5 100644
--- a/llarp/iwp/linklayer.hpp
+++ b/llarp/iwp/linklayer.hpp
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ namespace llarp::iwp
     const std::shared_ptr<EventLoopWakeup> m_Wakeup;
     std::unordered_map<SockAddr, std::weak_ptr<Session>> m_PlaintextRecv;
     std::unordered_map<SockAddr, RouterID> m_AuthedAddrs;
-    const bool permitInbound;
+    const bool m_Inbound;
   };
 
   using LinkLayer_ptr = std::shared_ptr<LinkLayer>;
diff --git a/llarp/link/server.cpp b/llarp/link/server.cpp
index b8c9f748f..23658dfe1 100644
--- a/llarp/link/server.cpp
+++ b/llarp/link/server.cpp
@@ -12,8 +12,6 @@ static constexpr auto LINK_LAYER_TICK_INTERVAL = 100ms;
 
 namespace llarp
 {
-  static constexpr size_t MaxSessionsPerKey = 16;
-
   ILinkLayer::ILinkLayer(
       std::shared_ptr<KeyManager> keyManager,
       GetRCFunc getrc,
@@ -241,7 +239,7 @@ namespace llarp
     auto itr = m_Pending.find(addr);
     if (itr != m_Pending.end())
     {
-      if (m_AuthedLinks.count(pk) > MaxSessionsPerKey)
+      if (m_AuthedLinks.count(pk))
       {
         LogWarn("too many session for ", pk);
         s->Close();
@@ -303,21 +301,24 @@ namespace llarp
   {
     {
       Lock_t l(m_AuthedLinksMutex);
-      if (m_AuthedLinks.count(rc.pubkey) >= MaxSessionsPerKey)
+      if (m_AuthedLinks.count(rc.pubkey))
       {
-        LogDebug("Too many links to ", RouterID{rc.pubkey}, ", not establishing another one");
+        LogWarn("Too many links to ", RouterID{rc.pubkey}, ", not establishing another one");
         return false;
       }
     }
     llarp::AddressInfo to;
-    if (!PickAddress(rc, to))
+    if (not PickAddress(rc, to))
+    {
+      LogWarn("router ", RouterID{rc.pubkey}, " has no acceptable inbound addresses");
       return false;
+    }
     const SockAddr address{to};
     {
       Lock_t l(m_PendingMutex);
-      if (m_Pending.count(address) >= MaxSessionsPerKey)
+      if (m_Pending.count(address))
       {
-        LogDebug(
+        LogWarn(
             "Too many pending connections to ",
             address,
             " while establishing to ",
@@ -331,12 +332,12 @@ namespace llarp
     {
       BeforeConnect(std::move(rc));
     }
-    if (PutSession(s))
+    if (not PutSession(s))
     {
-      s->Start();
-      return true;
+      return false;
     }
-    return false;
+    s->Start();
+    return true;
   }
 
   bool