diff --git a/sync/src/chain.rs b/sync/src/chain.rs
index f76978bda..930518007 100644
--- a/sync/src/chain.rs
+++ b/sync/src/chain.rs
@@ -555,7 +555,10 @@ impl ChainSync {
 	/// Called when a new peer is connected
 	pub fn on_peer_connected(&mut self, io: &mut SyncIo, peer: PeerId) {
 		trace!(target: "sync", "== Connected {}", peer);
-		self.send_status(io, peer);
+		if let Err(e) = self.send_status(io) {
+			warn!(target:"sync", "Error sending status request: {:?}", e);
+			io.disable_peer(peer);
+		}
 	}
 
 	/// Resume downloading
@@ -887,7 +890,7 @@ impl ChainSync {
 	}
 
 	/// Send Status message
-	fn send_status(&mut self, io: &mut SyncIo, peer_id: PeerId) {
+	fn send_status(&mut self, io: &mut SyncIo) -> Result<(), UtilError> {
 		let mut packet = RlpStream::new_list(5);
 		let chain = io.chain().chain_info();
 		packet.append(&(PROTOCOL_VERSION as u32));
@@ -895,11 +898,7 @@ impl ChainSync {
 		packet.append(&chain.total_difficulty);
 		packet.append(&chain.best_block_hash);
 		packet.append(&chain.genesis_hash);
-		//TODO: handle timeout for status request
-		if let Err(e) = io.send(peer_id, STATUS_PACKET, packet.out()) {
-			warn!(target:"sync", "Error sending status request: {:?}", e);
-			io.disable_peer(peer_id);
-		}
+		io.respond(STATUS_PACKET, packet.out())
 	}
 
 	/// Respond to GetBlockHeaders request
diff --git a/util/src/network/host.rs b/util/src/network/host.rs
index 8dd9eb9cc..d50f2d86d 100644
--- a/util/src/network/host.rs
+++ b/util/src/network/host.rs
@@ -579,7 +579,7 @@ impl<Message> Host<Message> where Message: Send + Sync + Clone {
 			}
 		}
 		if kill {
-			self.kill_connection(token, io, true); //TODO: mark connection as dead an check in kill_connection
+			self.kill_connection(token, io, true);
 			return;
 		} else if create_session {
 			self.start_session(token, io);
@@ -621,7 +621,7 @@ impl<Message> Host<Message> where Message: Send + Sync + Clone {
 			}
 		}
 		if kill {
-			self.kill_connection(token, io, true); //TODO: mark connection as dead an check in kill_connection
+			self.kill_connection(token, io, true);
 		}
 		for p in ready_data {
 			let h = self.handlers.read().unwrap().get(p).unwrap().clone();
@@ -685,6 +685,7 @@ impl<Message> Host<Message> where Message: Send + Sync + Clone {
 	fn kill_connection(&self, token: StreamToken, io: &IoContext<NetworkIoMessage<Message>>, remote: bool) {
 		let mut to_disconnect: Vec<ProtocolId> = Vec::new();
 		let mut failure_id = None;
+		let mut deregister = false;
 		match token {
 			FIRST_HANDSHAKE ... LAST_HANDSHAKE => {
 				let handshakes = self.handshakes.write().unwrap();
@@ -693,7 +694,7 @@ impl<Message> Host<Message> where Message: Send + Sync + Clone {
 					if !handshake.expired() {
 						handshake.set_expired();
 						failure_id = Some(handshake.id().clone());
-						io.deregister_stream(token).expect("Error deregistering stream");
+						deregister = true;
 					}
 				}
 			},
@@ -711,7 +712,7 @@ impl<Message> Host<Message> where Message: Send + Sync + Clone {
 						}
 						s.set_expired();
 						failure_id = Some(s.id().clone());
-						io.deregister_stream(token).expect("Error deregistering stream");
+						deregister = true;
 					}
 				}
 			},
@@ -726,6 +727,9 @@ impl<Message> Host<Message> where Message: Send + Sync + Clone {
 			let h = self.handlers.read().unwrap().get(p).unwrap().clone();
 			h.disconnected(&NetworkContext::new(io, p, Some(token), self.sessions.clone()), &token);
 		}
+		if deregister {
+			io.deregister_stream(token).expect("Error deregistering stream");
+		}
 	}
 
 	fn update_nodes(&self, io: &IoContext<NetworkIoMessage<Message>>, node_changes: TableUpdates) {