diff --git a/Gopkg.lock b/Gopkg.lock
index 224395f..52d1dc2 100644
--- a/Gopkg.lock
+++ b/Gopkg.lock
@@ -73,6 +73,12 @@
   packages = ["."]
   revision = "3287d94d4c6a48a63e16fffaabf27ab20203af2a"
 
+[[projects]]
+  name = "github.com/gorilla/websocket"
+  packages = ["."]
+  revision = "ea4d1f681babbce9545c9c5f3d5194a789c89f5b"
+  version = "v1.2.0"
+
 [[projects]]
   branch = "master"
   name = "github.com/hashicorp/errwrap"
@@ -152,7 +158,7 @@
     "stopOnce",
     "util"
   ]
-  revision = "2a6ea528bdd66de4f3c707304e26f69dcf003909"
+  revision = "f0762e9c57d41be10cb83edc4e9b7a7ce0891519"
 
 [[projects]]
   branch = "master"
@@ -166,6 +172,12 @@
   revision = "eac804ceef194db2da6ee80c728d7658c8c805ff"
   version = "v1.0.6"
 
+[[projects]]
+  name = "github.com/nlopes/slack"
+  packages = ["."]
+  revision = "8ab4d0b364ef1e9af5d102531da20d5ec902b6c4"
+  version = "v0.2.0"
+
 [[projects]]
   branch = "master"
   name = "github.com/sean-/seed"
diff --git a/dht/dht.go b/dht/dht.go
index e954e2e..bc069de 100644
--- a/dht/dht.go
+++ b/dht/dht.go
@@ -134,20 +134,12 @@ func (dht *DHT) join() {
 	}
 
 	// now call iterativeFind on yourself
-	nf := newContactFinder(dht.node, dht.node.id, false)
-	// stop if dht is stopped
-	go func() {
-		<-dht.stop.Ch()
-		if nf != nil {
-			nf.Cancel()
-		}
-	}()
-	_, err := nf.Find()
+	_, _, err := FindContacts(dht.node, dht.node.id, false, dht.stop.Ch())
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Errorf("[%s] join: %s", dht.node.id.HexShort(), err.Error())
 	}
 
-	// TODO: after joining, refresh all the buckets all buckets further away than our closest neighbor
+	// TODO: after joining, refresh all buckets further away than our closest neighbor
 	// http://xlattice.sourceforge.net/components/protocol/kademlia/specs.html#join
 }
 
@@ -162,20 +154,12 @@ func (dht *DHT) Start() error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	//Perform join in the background
-	dht.stop.Add(1)
-	go func() {
-		defer dht.stop.Done()
-		dht.join()
-		log.Debugf("[%s] DHT ready on %s (%d nodes found during join)",
-			dht.node.id.HexShort(), dht.contact.Addr().String(), dht.node.rt.Count())
-		//Reannouncer can only be launched after join is complete.
-		dht.stop.Add(1)
-		go func() {
-			defer dht.stop.Done()
-			dht.startReannouncer()
-		}()
-	}()
+
+	dht.join()
+	log.Debugf("[%s] DHT ready on %s (%d nodes found during join)",
+		dht.node.id.HexShort(), dht.contact.Addr().String(), dht.node.rt.Count())
+
+	go dht.startReannouncer()
 
 	return nil
 }
@@ -215,34 +199,32 @@ func (dht *DHT) Ping(addr string) error {
 
 // Get returns the list of nodes that have the blob for the given hash
 func (dht *DHT) Get(hash Bitmap) ([]Contact, error) {
-	nf := newContactFinder(dht.node, hash, true)
-	res, err := nf.Find()
+	contacts, found, err := FindContacts(dht.node, hash, true, dht.stop.Ch())
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	if res.Found {
-		return res.Contacts, nil
+	if found {
+		return contacts, nil
 	}
 	return nil, nil
 }
 
 // Announce announces to the DHT that this node has the blob for the given hash
 func (dht *DHT) Announce(hash Bitmap) error {
-	nf := newContactFinder(dht.node, hash, false)
-	res, err := nf.Find()
+	contacts, _, err := FindContacts(dht.node, hash, false, dht.stop.Ch())
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
 	// if we found less than K contacts, or current node is closer than farthest contact
-	if len(res.Contacts) < bucketSize || dht.node.id.Xor(hash).Less(res.Contacts[bucketSize-1].ID.Xor(hash)) {
+	if len(contacts) < bucketSize || dht.node.id.Xor(hash).Less(contacts[bucketSize-1].ID.Xor(hash)) {
 		// pop last contact, and self-store instead
-		res.Contacts[bucketSize-1] = dht.contact
+		contacts[bucketSize-1] = dht.contact
 	}
 
 	wg := &sync.WaitGroup{}
-	for _, c := range res.Contacts {
+	for _, c := range contacts {
 		wg.Add(1)
 		go func(c Contact) {
 			dht.storeOnNode(hash, c)
@@ -271,7 +253,8 @@ func (dht *DHT) startReannouncer() {
 				dht.stop.Add(1)
 				go func(bm Bitmap) {
 					defer dht.stop.Done()
-					if err := dht.Announce(bm); err != nil {
+					err := dht.Announce(bm)
+					if err != nil {
 						log.Error("error re-announcing bitmap - ", err)
 					}
 				}(h)
@@ -282,9 +265,6 @@ func (dht *DHT) startReannouncer() {
 }
 
 func (dht *DHT) storeOnNode(hash Bitmap, c Contact) {
-	dht.stop.Add(1)
-	defer dht.stop.Done()
-
 	// self-store
 	if dht.contact.Equals(c) {
 		dht.node.Store(hash, c)
diff --git a/dht/dht_test.go b/dht/dht_test.go
index 5b4bb00..15ab99b 100644
--- a/dht/dht_test.go
+++ b/dht/dht_test.go
@@ -16,26 +16,24 @@ func TestNodeFinder_FindNodes(t *testing.T) {
 		bs.Shutdown()
 	}()
 
-	nf := newContactFinder(dhts[2].node, RandomBitmapP(), false)
-	res, err := nf.Find()
+	contacts, found, err := FindContacts(dhts[2].node, RandomBitmapP(), false, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	foundNodes, found := res.Contacts, res.Found
 
 	if found {
 		t.Fatal("something was found, but it should not have been")
 	}
 
-	if len(foundNodes) != 3 {
-		t.Errorf("expected 3 node, found %d", len(foundNodes))
+	if len(contacts) != 3 {
+		t.Errorf("expected 3 node, found %d", len(contacts))
 	}
 
 	foundBootstrap := false
 	foundOne := false
 	foundTwo := false
 
-	for _, n := range foundNodes {
+	for _, n := range contacts {
 		if n.ID.Equals(bs.id) {
 			foundBootstrap = true
 		}
@@ -66,8 +64,7 @@ func TestNodeFinder_FindNodes_NoBootstrap(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}()
 
-	nf := newContactFinder(dhts[2].node, RandomBitmapP(), false)
-	_, err := nf.Find()
+	_, _, err := FindContacts(dhts[2].node, RandomBitmapP(), false, nil)
 	if err == nil {
 		t.Fatal("contact finder should have errored saying that there are no contacts in the routing table")
 	}
@@ -86,23 +83,21 @@ func TestNodeFinder_FindValue(t *testing.T) {
 	nodeToFind := Contact{ID: RandomBitmapP(), IP: net.IPv4(1, 2, 3, 4), Port: 5678}
 	dhts[0].node.store.Upsert(blobHashToFind, nodeToFind)
 
-	nf := newContactFinder(dhts[2].node, blobHashToFind, true)
-	res, err := nf.Find()
+	contacts, found, err := FindContacts(dhts[2].node, blobHashToFind, true, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	foundNodes, found := res.Contacts, res.Found
 
 	if !found {
 		t.Fatal("node was not found")
 	}
 
-	if len(foundNodes) != 1 {
-		t.Fatalf("expected one node, found %d", len(foundNodes))
+	if len(contacts) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("expected one node, found %d", len(contacts))
 	}
 
-	if !foundNodes[0].ID.Equals(nodeToFind.ID) {
-		t.Fatalf("found node id %s, expected %s", foundNodes[0].ID.Hex(), nodeToFind.ID.Hex())
+	if !contacts[0].ID.Equals(nodeToFind.ID) {
+		t.Fatalf("found node id %s, expected %s", contacts[0].ID.Hex(), nodeToFind.ID.Hex())
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/dht/node.go b/dht/node.go
index 556b30a..d2e5ebc 100644
--- a/dht/node.go
+++ b/dht/node.go
@@ -89,12 +89,14 @@ func (n *Node) Connect(conn UDPConn) error {
 		<-n.stop.Ch()
 		n.tokens.Stop()
 		n.connClosed = true
-		if err := n.conn.Close(); err != nil {
+		err := n.conn.Close()
+		if err != nil {
 			log.Error("error closing node connection on shutdown - ", err)
 		}
 	}()
 
 	packets := make(chan packet)
+
 	n.stop.Add(1)
 	go func() {
 		defer n.stop.Done()
@@ -124,6 +126,7 @@ func (n *Node) Connect(conn UDPConn) error {
 			}
 		}
 	}()
+
 	n.stop.Add(1)
 	go func() {
 		defer n.stop.Done()
@@ -140,7 +143,11 @@ func (n *Node) Connect(conn UDPConn) error {
 		}
 	}()
 
-	n.startRoutingTableGrooming()
+	n.stop.Add(1)
+	go func() {
+		defer n.stop.Done()
+		n.startRoutingTableGrooming()
+	}()
 
 	return nil
 }
@@ -427,19 +434,15 @@ func (n *Node) CountActiveTransactions() int {
 }
 
 func (n *Node) startRoutingTableGrooming() {
-	n.stop.Add(1)
-	go func() {
-		defer n.stop.Done()
-		refreshTicker := time.NewTicker(tRefresh / 5) // how often to check for buckets that need to be refreshed
-		for {
-			select {
-			case <-refreshTicker.C:
-				RoutingTableRefresh(n, tRefresh, n.stop.Ch())
-			case <-n.stop.Ch():
-				return
-			}
+	refreshTicker := time.NewTicker(tRefresh / 5) // how often to check for buckets that need to be refreshed
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-refreshTicker.C:
+			RoutingTableRefresh(n, tRefresh, n.stop.Ch())
+		case <-n.stop.Ch():
+			return
 		}
-	}()
+	}
 }
 
 // Store stores a node contact in the node's contact store.
diff --git a/dht/node_finder.go b/dht/node_finder.go
index 6fbd35f..878c4ee 100644
--- a/dht/node_finder.go
+++ b/dht/node_finder.go
@@ -35,13 +35,8 @@ type contactFinder struct {
 	outstandingRequests      uint
 }
 
-type findNodeResponse struct {
-	Found    bool
-	Contacts []Contact
-}
-
-func newContactFinder(node *Node, target Bitmap, findValue bool) *contactFinder {
-	return &contactFinder{
+func FindContacts(node *Node, target Bitmap, findValue bool, upstreamStop stopOnce.Chan) ([]Contact, bool, error) {
+	cf := &contactFinder{
 		node:                node,
 		target:              target,
 		findValue:           findValue,
@@ -52,14 +47,18 @@ func newContactFinder(node *Node, target Bitmap, findValue bool) *contactFinder
 		stop:                stopOnce.New(),
 		outstandingRequestsMutex: &sync.RWMutex{},
 	}
+	if upstreamStop != nil {
+		cf.stop.Link(upstreamStop)
+	}
+	return cf.Find()
 }
 
-func (cf *contactFinder) Cancel() {
+func (cf *contactFinder) Stop() {
 	cf.stop.Stop()
 	cf.stop.Wait()
 }
 
-func (cf *contactFinder) Find() (findNodeResponse, error) {
+func (cf *contactFinder) Find() ([]Contact, bool, error) {
 	if cf.findValue {
 		log.Debugf("[%s] starting an iterative Find for the value %s", cf.node.id.HexShort(), cf.target.HexShort())
 	} else {
@@ -67,7 +66,7 @@ func (cf *contactFinder) Find() (findNodeResponse, error) {
 	}
 	cf.appendNewToShortlist(cf.node.rt.GetClosest(cf.target, alpha))
 	if len(cf.shortlist) == 0 {
-		return findNodeResponse{}, errors.Err("no contacts in routing table")
+		return nil, false, errors.Err("no contacts in routing table")
 	}
 
 	for i := 0; i < alpha; i++ {
@@ -83,18 +82,20 @@ func (cf *contactFinder) Find() (findNodeResponse, error) {
 	// TODO: what to do if we have less than K active contacts, shortlist is empty, but we
 	// TODO: have other contacts in our routing table whom we have not contacted. prolly contact them
 
-	result := findNodeResponse{}
+	var contacts []Contact
+	var found bool
 	if cf.findValue && len(cf.findValueResult) > 0 {
-		result.Found = true
-		result.Contacts = cf.findValueResult
+		contacts = cf.findValueResult
+		found = true
 	} else {
-		result.Contacts = cf.activeContacts
-		if len(result.Contacts) > bucketSize {
-			result.Contacts = result.Contacts[:bucketSize]
+		contacts = cf.activeContacts
+		if len(contacts) > bucketSize {
+			contacts = contacts[:bucketSize]
 		}
 	}
 
-	return result, nil
+	cf.Stop()
+	return contacts, found, nil
 }
 
 func (cf *contactFinder) iterationWorker(num int) {
diff --git a/dht/routing_table.go b/dht/routing_table.go
index 6507f9d..29ec855 100644
--- a/dht/routing_table.go
+++ b/dht/routing_table.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/lbryio/lbry.go/errors"
+	"github.com/lbryio/lbry.go/stopOnce"
 
 	"github.com/lyoshenka/bencode"
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
@@ -445,40 +446,22 @@ func (rt *routingTable) UnmarshalJSON(b []byte) error {
 }
 
 // RoutingTableRefresh refreshes any buckets that need to be refreshed
-// It returns a channel that will be closed when the refresh is done
-func RoutingTableRefresh(n *Node, refreshInterval time.Duration, cancel <-chan struct{}) <-chan struct{} {
-	var wg sync.WaitGroup
-	done := make(chan struct{})
+func RoutingTableRefresh(n *Node, refreshInterval time.Duration, upstreamStop stopOnce.Chan) {
+	done := stopOnce.New()
 
 	for _, id := range n.rt.GetIDsForRefresh(refreshInterval) {
-		wg.Add(1)
+		done.Add(1)
 		go func(id Bitmap) {
-			defer wg.Done()
-
-			nf := newContactFinder(n, id, false)
-
-			if cancel != nil {
-				go func() {
-					select {
-					case <-cancel:
-						nf.Cancel()
-					case <-done:
-					}
-				}()
-			}
-
-			if _, err := nf.Find(); err != nil {
+			defer done.Done()
+			_, _, err := FindContacts(n, id, false, upstreamStop)
+			if err != nil {
 				log.Error("error finding contact during routing table refresh - ", err)
 			}
 		}(id)
 	}
 
-	go func() {
-		wg.Wait()
-		close(done)
-	}()
-
-	return done
+	done.Wait()
+	done.Stop()
 }
 
 func moveToBack(peers []peer, index int) {