diff --git a/protocol/connections/engine.go b/protocol/connections/engine.go
index 8e66e68..0fdd219 100644
--- a/protocol/connections/engine.go
+++ b/protocol/connections/engine.go
@@ -24,6 +24,11 @@ import (
 	"golang.org/x/crypto/ed25519"
 )
 
+type connectionLockedService struct {
+	service        tapir.Service
+	connectingLock sync.Mutex
+}
+
 type engine struct {
 	queue event.Queue
 
@@ -46,7 +51,7 @@ type engine struct {
 	getValRequests sync.Map // [string]string eventID:Data
 
 	// Nextgen Tapir Service
-	ephemeralServices     map[string]tapir.Service //sync.Map // string(onion) => tapir.Service
+	ephemeralServices     map[string]*connectionLockedService //sync.Map // string(onion) => tapir.Service
 	ephemeralServicesLock sync.Mutex
 
 	// Required for listen(), inaccessible from identity
@@ -73,7 +78,7 @@ func NewProtocolEngine(identity primitives.Identity, privateKey ed25519.PrivateK
 	engine := new(engine)
 	engine.identity = identity
 	engine.privateKey = privateKey
-	engine.ephemeralServices = make(map[string]tapir.Service)
+	engine.ephemeralServices = make(map[string]*connectionLockedService)
 	engine.queue = event.NewQueue()
 	go engine.eventHandler()
 
@@ -283,7 +288,7 @@ func (e *engine) Shutdown() {
 	defer e.ephemeralServicesLock.Unlock()
 	for _, connection := range e.ephemeralServices {
 		log.Infof("shutting down ephemeral service")
-		connection.Shutdown()
+		connection.service.Shutdown()
 	}
 	e.queue.Shutdown()
 }
@@ -319,14 +324,15 @@ func (e *engine) peerWithOnion(onion string) {
 // needs to be run in a goroutine as will block on Open.
 func (e *engine) peerWithTokenServer(onion string, tokenServerOnion string, tokenServerY string, lastKnownSignature []byte) {
 	e.ephemeralServicesLock.Lock()
-	defer e.ephemeralServicesLock.Unlock()
-	connection, exists := e.ephemeralServices[onion]
-	if exists {
-		if conn, err := connection.GetConnection(onion); err == nil {
+	connectionService, exists := e.ephemeralServices[onion]
+
+	if exists && connectionService.service != nil {
+		if conn, err := connectionService.service.GetConnection(onion); err == nil {
 			// We are already peered and synced so return...
-			// This will only not-trigger it lastKnownSignature has been wiped, which only happens when ResyncServer is called
+			// This will only not-trigger if lastKnownSignature has been wiped, which only happens when ResyncServer is called
 			// in CwtchPeer.
 			if !conn.IsClosed() && len(lastKnownSignature) != 0 {
+				e.ephemeralServicesLock.Unlock()
 				return
 			}
 			// Otherwise...we are going to rebuild the connection(which will result in a bandwidth heavy resync)...
@@ -335,6 +341,13 @@ func (e *engine) peerWithTokenServer(onion string, tokenServerOnion string, toke
 		// Otherwise...let's reconnect
 	}
 
+	connectionService = &connectionLockedService{}
+	e.ephemeralServices[onion] = connectionService
+
+	connectionService.connectingLock.Lock()
+	defer connectionService.connectingLock.Unlock()
+	e.ephemeralServicesLock.Unlock()
+
 	log.Debugf("Peering with Token Server %v %v", onion, tokenServerOnion)
 	e.ignoreOnShutdown(e.serverConnecting)(onion)
 	// Create a new ephemeral service for this connection
@@ -345,7 +358,9 @@ func (e *engine) peerWithTokenServer(onion string, tokenServerOnion string, toke
 	Y := ristretto255.NewElement()
 	Y.UnmarshalText([]byte(tokenServerY))
 	connected, err := ephemeralService.Connect(onion, NewTokenBoardClient(e.acn, Y, tokenServerOnion, lastKnownSignature, e.receiveGroupMessage, e.serverAuthed, e.serverSynced, e.ignoreOnShutdown(e.serverDisconnected)))
-	e.ephemeralServices[onion] = ephemeralService
+	e.ephemeralServicesLock.Lock()
+	e.ephemeralServices[onion].service = ephemeralService
+	e.ephemeralServicesLock.Unlock()
 	// If we are already connected...check if we are authed and issue an auth event
 	// (This allows the ui to be stateless)
 	if connected && err != nil {
@@ -508,7 +523,7 @@ func (e *engine) sendMessageToGroup(groupID string, server string, ct []byte, si
 		return
 	}
 
-	conn, err := ephemeralService.WaitForCapabilityOrClose(server, groups.CwtchServerSyncedCapability)
+	conn, err := ephemeralService.service.WaitForCapabilityOrClose(server, groups.CwtchServerSyncedCapability)
 	if err == nil {
 		tokenApp, ok := (conn.App()).(*TokenBoardClient)
 		if ok {
@@ -624,7 +639,7 @@ func (e *engine) handlePeerRetVal(hostname string, getValData, retValData []byte
 func (e *engine) leaveServer(server string) {
 	ephemeralService, ok := e.ephemeralServices[server]
 	if ok {
-		ephemeralService.Shutdown()
+		ephemeralService.service.Shutdown()
 		delete(e.ephemeralServices, server)
 	}
 }