diff --git a/lbrynet/dht/protocol.py b/lbrynet/dht/protocol.py
index 3530f78f6..1939ead2e 100644
--- a/lbrynet/dht/protocol.py
+++ b/lbrynet/dht/protocol.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import time
 
 from twisted.internet import protocol, defer
 from twisted.python import failure
+from twisted.internet import error
 import twisted.internet.reactor
 
 import constants
@@ -36,11 +37,31 @@ class TimeoutError(Exception):
         self.remote_contact_id = remote_contact_id
 
 
+class Delay(object):
+    maxToSendDelay = 10**-3 #0.05
+    minToSendDelay = 10**-5 #0.01
+
+    def __init__(self, start=0):
+        self._next = start
+
+    # TODO: explain why this logic is like it is. And add tests that
+    #       show that it actually does what it needs to do.
+    def __call__(self):
+        ts = time.time()
+        delay = 0
+        if ts >= self._next:
+            delay = self.minToSendDelay
+            self._next = ts + self.minToSendDelay
+        else:
+            delay = (self._next - ts) + self.maxToSendDelay
+            self._next += self.maxToSendDelay
+        return delay
+
+
 class KademliaProtocol(protocol.DatagramProtocol):
     """ Implements all low-level network-related functions of a Kademlia node """
     msgSizeLimit = constants.udpDatagramMaxSize-26
-    maxToSendDelay = 10**-3#0.05
-    minToSendDelay = 10**-5#0.01
+
 
     def __init__(self, node, msgEncoder=encoding.Bencode(),
                  msgTranslator=msgformat.DefaultFormat()):
@@ -50,8 +71,10 @@ class KademliaProtocol(protocol.DatagramProtocol):
         self._sentMessages = {}
         self._partialMessages = {}
         self._partialMessagesProgress = {}
-        self._next = 0
-        self._callLaterList = {}
+        self._delay = Delay()
+        # keep track of outstanding writes so that they
+        # can be cancelled on shutdown
+        self._call_later_list = {}
 
     def sendRPC(self, contact, method, args, rawResponse=False):
         """ Sends an RPC to the specified contact
@@ -211,29 +234,24 @@ class KademliaProtocol(protocol.DatagramProtocol):
                 packetData = data[startPos:startPos+self.msgSizeLimit]
                 encSeqNumber = chr(seqNumber >> 8) + chr(seqNumber & 0xff)
                 txData = '\x00%s%s%s\x00%s' % (encTotalPackets, encSeqNumber, rpcID, packetData)
-                self._sendNext(txData, address)
+                self._scheduleSendNext(txData, address)
 
                 startPos += self.msgSizeLimit
                 seqNumber += 1
         else:
-            self._sendNext(data, address)
+            self._scheduleSendNext(data, address)
 
-    def _sendNext(self, txData, address):
-        """ Send the next UDP packet """
-        ts = time.time()
-        delay = 0
-        if ts >= self._next:
-            delay = self.minToSendDelay
-            self._next = ts + self.minToSendDelay
-        else:
-            delay = (self._next-ts) + self.maxToSendDelay
-            self._next += self.maxToSendDelay
+    def _scheduleSendNext(self, txData, address):
+        """Schedule the sending of the next UDP packet """
+        delay = self._delay()
+        key = object()
+        delayed_call = reactor.callLater(delay, self._write_and_remove, key, txData, address)
+        self._call_later_list[key] = delayed_call
+
+    def _write_and_remove(self, key, txData, address):
+        del self._call_later_list[key]
         if self.transport:
-            laterCall = reactor.callLater(delay, self.transport.write, txData, address)
-            for key in self._callLaterList.keys():
-                if key <= ts:
-                    del self._callLaterList[key]
-            self._callLaterList[self._next] = laterCall
+            self.transport.write(txData, address)
 
     def _sendResponse(self, contact, rpcID, response):
         """ Send a RPC response to the specified contact
@@ -324,16 +342,14 @@ class KademliaProtocol(protocol.DatagramProtocol):
         Will only be called once, after all ports are disconnected.
         """
         log.info('Stopping dht')
-        for key in self._callLaterList.keys():
+        for delayed_call in self._call_later_list.values():
             try:
-                if key > time.time():
-                    log.info('Cancelling %s', self._callLaterList[key])
-                    self._callLaterList[key].cancel()
-            except Exception, e:
-                log.exception('Failed to cancel %s', self._callLaterList[key])
-            del self._callLaterList[key]
-
+                delayed_call.cancel()
+            except (error.AlreadyCalled, error.AlreadyCancelled):
+                log.debug('Attempted to cancel a DelayedCall that was not active')
+            except Exception:
+                log.exception('Failed to cancel a DelayedCall')
             # not sure why this is needed, but taking this out sometimes causes
             # exceptions.AttributeError: 'Port' object has no attribute 'socket'
             # to happen on shutdown
-            reactor.iterate()
+            # reactor.iterate()