diff --git a/protocol/connections/engine.go b/protocol/connections/engine.go
index 30529d5..50036de 100644
--- a/protocol/connections/engine.go
+++ b/protocol/connections/engine.go
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ func (e *engine) eventHandler() {
 		case event.StatusRequest:
 			e.eventManager.Publish(event.Event{EventType: event.ProtocolEngineStatus, EventID: ev.EventID})
 		case event.PeerRequest:
-			e.peerWithOnion(ev.Data[event.RemotePeer])
+			go e.peerWithOnion(ev.Data[event.RemotePeer])
 		case event.InvitePeerToGroup:
 			e.sendMessageToPeer(ev.EventID, ev.Data[event.RemotePeer], event.ContextInvite, []byte(ev.Data[event.GroupInvite]))
 		case event.JoinServer:
@@ -160,8 +160,13 @@ func (e *engine) Shutdown() {
 }
 
 // peerWithOnion is the entry point for cwtchPeer relationships
+// needs to be run in a goroutine as will block on Open.
 func (e *engine) peerWithOnion(onion string) {
-	e.service.Connect(onion, e.createPeerTemplate())
+	e.ignoreOnShutdown(e.peerConnecting)(onion)
+	_,err := e.service.Connect(onion, e.createPeerTemplate())
+	if err != nil {
+		e.ignoreOnShutdown(e.peerDisconnected)(onion)
+	}
 }
 
 func (e * engine) ignoreOnShutdown(f func(string)) func(string){
diff --git a/protocol/connections/peerapp.go b/protocol/connections/peerapp.go
index 323bcf9..6c6e063 100644
--- a/protocol/connections/peerapp.go
+++ b/protocol/connections/peerapp.go
@@ -40,11 +40,6 @@ func (pa PeerApp) NewInstance() tapir.Application {
 // Init is run when the connection is first started.
 func (pa *PeerApp) Init(connection *tapir.Connection) {
 
-	// We don't want to issue an event for unknown peers (we only know inbound peer hostnames once we have authenticated)
-	if connection.Outbound {
-		pa.OnConnecting(connection.Hostname)
-	}
-
 	// First run the Authentication App
 	pa.AuthApp.Init(connection)