diff --git a/cmd/dht.go b/cmd/dht.go
index 1043bdb..db28697 100644
--- a/cmd/dht.go
+++ b/cmd/dht.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package cmd
 
 import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"math/rand"
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
@@ -11,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/davecgh/go-spew/spew"
 	"github.com/lbryio/reflector.go/dht"
 
+	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
 
@@ -24,6 +27,44 @@ func init() {
 }
 
 func dhtCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+	type rtData struct {
+		BlobHashes []string `json:"blob_hashes"`
+		Buckets    map[string][]struct {
+			Address string   `json:"address"`
+			Blobs   []string `json:"blobs"`
+			NodeID  string   `json:"node_id"`
+		} `json:"buckets"`
+		Contacts []string `json:"contacts"`
+		NodeID   string   `json:"node_id"`
+	}
+
+	bytes, err := ioutil.ReadAll(os.Stdin)
+	checkErr(err)
+
+	var data rtData
+	err = json.Unmarshal(bytes, &data)
+	checkErr(err)
+
+	spew.Dump(data)
+
+	d, err := dht.New(nil)
+	checkErr(err)
+	err = d.Start()
+	checkErr(err)
+
+	for _, nodes := range data.Buckets {
+		for _, node := range nodes {
+			err = d.Ping(node.Address + ":4444")
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Errorf("no response from %s", node.Address)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	d.Shutdown()
+
+	return
+
 	rand.Seed(time.Now().UnixNano())
 
 	//d, err := dht.New(&dht.Config{
diff --git a/dht/dht.go b/dht/dht.go
index cd4a011..226fa46 100644
--- a/dht/dht.go
+++ b/dht/dht.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package dht
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"fmt"
 	"net"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
@@ -215,29 +216,31 @@ func (dht *DHT) listen() {
 
 // join makes current node join the dht network.
 func (dht *DHT) join() {
-	log.Debugf("[%s] joining network", dht.node.id.HexShort())
-	// get real node IDs and add them to the routing table
-	for _, addr := range dht.conf.SeedNodes {
-		raddr, err := net.ResolveUDPAddr(network, addr)
-		if err != nil {
-			log.Errorln(err)
-			continue
-		}
+	defer close(dht.joined) // if anyone's waiting for join to finish, they'll know its done
 
-		tmpNode := Node{id: RandomBitmapP(), ip: raddr.IP, port: raddr.Port}
-		res := dht.tm.Send(tmpNode, Request{Method: pingMethod})
-		if res == nil {
-			log.Errorf("[%s] join: no response from seed node %s", dht.node.id.HexShort(), addr)
+	log.Debugf("[%s] joining network", dht.node.id.HexShort())
+
+	// ping nodes, which gets their real node IDs and adds them to the routing table
+	atLeastOneNodeResponded := false
+	for _, addr := range dht.conf.SeedNodes {
+		err := dht.Ping(addr)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Error(errors.Prefix(fmt.Sprintf("[%s] join", dht.node.id.HexShort()), err))
+		} else {
+			atLeastOneNodeResponded = true
 		}
 	}
 
+	if !atLeastOneNodeResponded {
+		log.Errorf("[%s] join: no nodes responded to initial ping", dht.node.id.HexShort())
+		return
+	}
+
 	// now call iterativeFind on yourself
 	_, err := dht.Get(dht.node.id)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Errorf("[%s] join: %s", dht.node.id.HexShort(), err.Error())
 	}
-
-	close(dht.joined) // if anyone's waiting for join to finish, they'll know its done
 }
 
 func (dht *DHT) runHandler() {
@@ -257,11 +260,10 @@ func (dht *DHT) runHandler() {
 }
 
 // Start starts the dht
-func (dht *DHT) Start() {
+func (dht *DHT) Start() error {
 	err := dht.init()
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Error(err)
-		return
+		return err
 	}
 
 	go dht.listen()
@@ -269,6 +271,7 @@ func (dht *DHT) Start() {
 
 	dht.join()
 	log.Debugf("[%s] DHT ready on %s", dht.node.id.HexShort(), dht.node.Addr().String())
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (dht *DHT) WaitUntilJoined() {
@@ -288,6 +291,22 @@ func (dht *DHT) Shutdown() {
 	log.Debugf("[%s] DHT stopped", dht.node.id.HexShort())
 }
 
+// Get returns the list of nodes that have the blob for the given hash
+func (dht *DHT) Ping(addr string) error {
+	raddr, err := net.ResolveUDPAddr(network, addr)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	tmpNode := Node{id: RandomBitmapP(), ip: raddr.IP, port: raddr.Port}
+	res := dht.tm.Send(tmpNode, Request{Method: pingMethod})
+	if res == nil {
+		return errors.Err("no response from node %s", addr)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 // Get returns the list of nodes that have the blob for the given hash
 func (dht *DHT) Get(hash Bitmap) ([]Node, error) {
 	nf := newNodeFinder(dht, hash, true)
diff --git a/dht/dht_test.go b/dht/dht_test.go
index 7664920..e302926 100644
--- a/dht/dht_test.go
+++ b/dht/dht_test.go
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ import (
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 )
 
+// TODO: make a dht with X nodes, have them all join, then ensure that every node appears at least once in another node's routing table
+
 func TestNodeFinder_FindNodes(t *testing.T) {
 	dhts := MakeTestDHT(3)
 	defer func() {
diff --git a/dht/routing_table.go b/dht/routing_table.go
index b8a0979..da8fb3a 100644
--- a/dht/routing_table.go
+++ b/dht/routing_table.go
@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@ func bucketContents(b *list.List) string {
 	}
 }
 
+// Update inserts or refreshes a node
 func (rt *routingTable) Update(node Node) {
 	rt.lock.Lock()
 	defer rt.lock.Unlock()
@@ -179,6 +180,18 @@ func (rt *routingTable) Update(node Node) {
 	}
 }
 
+// UpdateIfExists refreshes a node if its already in the routing table
+func (rt *routingTable) UpdateIfExists(node Node) {
+	rt.lock.Lock()
+	defer rt.lock.Unlock()
+	bucketNum := bucketFor(rt.node.id, node.id)
+	bucket := rt.buckets[bucketNum]
+	element := findInList(bucket, node.id)
+	if element != nil {
+		bucket.MoveToBack(element)
+	}
+}
+
 func (rt *routingTable) RemoveByID(id Bitmap) {
 	rt.lock.Lock()
 	defer rt.lock.Unlock()
diff --git a/dht/rpc.go b/dht/rpc.go
index a025311..b0f463d 100644
--- a/dht/rpc.go
+++ b/dht/rpc.go
@@ -115,8 +115,12 @@ func handleRequest(dht *DHT, addr *net.UDPAddr, request Request) {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// nodes that send us requests should not be inserted, only refreshed.
+	// the routing table must only contain "good" nodes, which are nodes that reply to our requests
+	// if a node is already good (aka in the table), its fine to refresh it
+	// http://www.bittorrent.org/beps/bep_0005.html#routing-table
 	node := Node{id: request.NodeID, ip: addr.IP, port: addr.Port}
-	dht.rt.Update(node)
+	dht.rt.UpdateIfExists(node)
 }
 
 func getFindResponse(dht *DHT, request Request) Response {
@@ -147,7 +151,7 @@ func handleResponse(dht *DHT, addr *net.UDPAddr, response Response) {
 func handleError(dht *DHT, addr *net.UDPAddr, e Error) {
 	spew.Dump(e)
 	node := Node{id: e.NodeID, ip: addr.IP, port: addr.Port}
-	dht.rt.Update(node)
+	dht.rt.UpdateIfExists(node)
 }
 
 // send sends data to a udp address
diff --git a/dht/transaction_manager.go b/dht/transaction_manager.go
index 8e85905..4141bbf 100644
--- a/dht/transaction_manager.go
+++ b/dht/transaction_manager.go
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ func (tm *transactionManager) Find(id messageID, addr *net.UDPAddr) *transaction
 	tm.lock.RLock()
 	defer tm.lock.RUnlock()
 
+	// TODO: also check that the response's nodeid matches the id you thought you sent to?
+
 	t, ok := tm.transactions[id]
 	if !ok || (addr != nil && t.node.Addr().String() != addr.String()) {
 		return nil