diff --git a/lbrynet/blob_exchange/downloader.py b/lbrynet/blob_exchange/downloader.py
index 3bcdc97f0..5b9467742 100644
--- a/lbrynet/blob_exchange/downloader.py
+++ b/lbrynet/blob_exchange/downloader.py
@@ -13,11 +13,6 @@ if typing.TYPE_CHECKING:
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
-def drain_into(a: list, b: list):
-    while a:
-        b.append(a.pop())
-
-
 class BlobDownloader:
     def __init__(self, loop: asyncio.BaseEventLoop, config: 'Config', blob_manager: 'BlobFileManager',
                  peer_queue: asyncio.Queue):
@@ -52,11 +47,17 @@ class BlobDownloader:
             self.peer_queue.put_nowait(new_peers)
         tasks = [self.loop.create_task(get_and_re_add_peers()), self.loop.create_task(blob.verified.wait())]
         try:
-            await asyncio.wait(tasks, loop=self.loop, return_when='FIRST_COMPLETED')
+            done, pending = await asyncio.wait(tasks, loop=self.loop, return_when='FIRST_COMPLETED')
+            drain_tasks(pending)
         except asyncio.CancelledError:
             drain_tasks(tasks)
             raise
 
+    def cleanup_active(self):
+        to_remove = [peer for (peer, task) in self.active_connections.items() if task.done()]
+        for peer in to_remove:
+            del self.active_connections[peer]
+
     async def download_blob(self, blob_hash: str, length: typing.Optional[int] = None) -> 'BlobFile':
         blob = self.blob_manager.get_blob(blob_hash, length)
         if blob.get_is_verified():
@@ -65,7 +66,11 @@ class BlobDownloader:
             while not blob.get_is_verified():
                 batch: typing.List['KademliaPeer'] = []
                 while not self.peer_queue.empty():
-                    batch.extend(await self.peer_queue.get())
+                    batch.extend(self.peer_queue.get_nowait())
+                log.debug(
+                    "running, %d peers, %d ignored, %d active",
+                    len(batch), len(self.ignored), len(self.active_connections)
+                )
                 for peer in batch:
                     if len(self.active_connections) >= self.config.max_connections_per_download:
                         break
@@ -73,11 +78,11 @@ class BlobDownloader:
                         log.debug("request %s from %s:%i", blob_hash[:8], peer.address, peer.tcp_port)
                         t = self.loop.create_task(self.request_blob_from_peer(blob, peer))
                         self.active_connections[peer] = t
-                        t.add_done_callback(
-                            lambda _:
-                            None if peer not in self.active_connections else self.active_connections.pop(peer)
-                        )
-                await self.new_peer_or_finished(blob)
+                if self.active_connections:
+                    await asyncio.wait(self.active_connections.values(), return_when='FIRST_COMPLETED')
+                    self.cleanup_active()
+                else:
+                    await self.new_peer_or_finished(blob)
                 to_re_add = list(set(filter(lambda peer: peer not in self.ignored, batch)))
                 to_re_add.sort(key=lambda peer: self.scores.get(peer, 0), reverse=True)
                 if to_re_add:
@@ -95,6 +100,9 @@ class BlobDownloader:
                 if task and not task.done():
                     task.cancel()
             raise
+        except (OSError, Exception) as e:
+            log.exception(e)
+            raise e
 
 
 async def download_blob(loop, config: 'Config', blob_manager: 'BlobFileManager', node: 'Node',