diff --git a/lib/net/peer.js b/lib/net/peer.js
index 982bd7bc..aac7ac8e 100644
--- a/lib/net/peer.js
+++ b/lib/net/peer.js
@@ -76,12 +76,13 @@ function Peer(pool) {
   EventEmitter.call(this);
 
   this.pool = pool;
-  this.options = this.pool.options;
-  this.network = this.pool.network;
-  this.logger = this.pool.logger;
-  this.chain = this.pool.chain;
-  this.mempool = this.pool.mempool;
+  this.options = pool.options;
+  this.network = this.options.network;
+  this.logger = this.options.logger;
+  this.chain = this.options.chain;
+  this.mempool = this.options.mempool;
   this.locker = new Lock();
+
   this.next = null;
   this.prev = null;
 
@@ -215,6 +216,16 @@ Peer.INV_INTERVAL = 5000;
 
 Peer.RESPONSE_TIMEOUT = 30000;
 
+/**
+ * Required time for loader to
+ * respond with block/merkleblock
+ * during initial sync.
+ * @const {Number}
+ * @default
+ */
+
+Peer.BLOCK_TIMEOUT = 60000;
+
 /**
  * Getter to retrieve host.
  * @function
@@ -1163,7 +1174,7 @@ Peer.prototype.maybeTimeout = function maybeTimeout() {
 
   if (this.merkleBlock) {
     assert(this.merkleTime !== -1);
-    if (now > this.merkleTime + 60000) {
+    if (now > this.merkleTime + Peer.BLOCK_TIMEOUT) {
       this.error('Peer is stalling (merkleblock).');
       this.destroy();
       return;
@@ -1176,7 +1187,7 @@ Peer.prototype.maybeTimeout = function maybeTimeout() {
   if (!this.isLoader())
     return;
 
-  if (now > this.lastBlock + 60000) {
+  if (now > this.lastBlock + Peer.BLOCK_TIMEOUT) {
     this.error('Peer is stalling (block).');
     this.destroy();
   }
@@ -2212,7 +2223,7 @@ Peer.prototype.increaseBan = function increaseBan(score) {
  */
 
 Peer.prototype.ban = function ban() {
-  this.pool.ban(this.address);
+  this.emit('ban');
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/lib/net/pool.js b/lib/net/pool.js
index 8e4ea2e3..c2b9888f 100644
--- a/lib/net/pool.js
+++ b/lib/net/pool.js
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ var util = require('../utils/util');
 var IP = require('../utils/ip');
 var co = require('../utils/co');
 var common = require('./common');
-var errors = require('../protocol/errors');
 var NetAddress = require('../primitives/netaddress');
 var Address = require('../primitives/address');
 var BIP150 = require('./bip150');
@@ -33,7 +32,6 @@ var InvItem = require('../primitives/invitem');
 var Map = require('../utils/map');
 var packets = require('./packets');
 var invTypes = InvItem.types;
-var VerifyError = errors.VerifyError;
 
 /**
  * A pool of peers for handling all network activity.
@@ -487,7 +485,7 @@ Pool.prototype.addLoader = function addLoader() {
 
   peer = this.createPeer(addr);
 
-  this.logger.info('Setting loader peer (%s).', peer.hostname);
+  this.logger.info('Adding loader peer (%s).', peer.hostname);
 
   this.peers.add(peer);
 
@@ -625,17 +623,19 @@ Pool.prototype.requestHeaders = co(function* requestHeaders(peer) {
 Pool.prototype.getNextTip = function getNextTip(height) {
   var i, next;
 
-  if (!this.options.useCheckpoints) {
-    if (this.chain.isFull())
-      return;
-    return new BlockNode(null, height + 20000);
+  if (this.options.useCheckpoints) {
+    for (i = 0; i < this.checkpoints.length; i++) {
+      next = this.checkpoints[i];
+      if (next.height > height)
+        return next;
+    }
+    return;
   }
 
-  for (i = 0; i < this.checkpoints.length; i++) {
-    next = this.checkpoints[i];
-    if (next.height > height)
-      return next;
-  }
+  if (this.chain.isFull())
+    return;
+
+  return new BlockNode(null, height + 20000);
 };
 
 /**
@@ -842,6 +842,10 @@ Pool.prototype.bindPeer = function bindPeer(peer) {
     self.handleClose(peer, connected);
   });
 
+  peer.on('ban', function() {
+    self.ban(peer.address);
+  });
+
   peer.on('error', function(err) {
     self.emit('error', err, peer);
   });
@@ -1690,10 +1694,10 @@ Pool.prototype._addBlock = co(function* addBlock(peer, block) {
     return;
 
   if (!this.fulfill(peer, hash)) {
-    peer.invFilter.add(block.hash());
     this.logger.warning(
       'Received unrequested block: %s (%s).',
       block.rhash(), peer.hostname);
+    peer.destroy();
     return;
   }
 
@@ -1823,7 +1827,7 @@ Pool.prototype.handleTX = co(function* handleTX(peer, packet) {
 Pool.prototype._handleTX = co(function* handleTX(peer, packet) {
   var tx = packet.tx;
   var hash = tx.hash('hex');
-  var requested, missing;
+  var missing;
 
   if (peer.merkleBlock) {
     assert(peer.merkleMatches > 0);
@@ -1839,30 +1843,17 @@ Pool.prototype._handleTX = co(function* handleTX(peer, packet) {
     }
   }
 
-  requested = this.fulfill(peer, hash);
-
-  if (!requested) {
+  if (!this.fulfill(peer, hash)) {
     this.logger.warning(
       'Peer sent unrequested tx: %s (%s).',
       tx.txid(), peer.hostname);
-
-    peer.invFilter.add(tx.hash());
-  }
-
-  if (!this.mempool) {
-    if (!requested)
-      this.txFilter.add(tx.hash());
-    this.emit('tx', tx, peer);
+    peer.destroy();
     return;
   }
 
-  if (!requested) {
-    if (this.mempool.hasReject(tx.hash())) {
-      throw new VerifyError(tx,
-        'alreadyknown',
-        'txn-already-in-mempool',
-        0);
-    }
+  if (!this.mempool) {
+    this.emit('tx', tx, peer);
+    return;
   }
 
   try {
@@ -1993,7 +1984,8 @@ Pool.prototype.handleFilterClear = co(function* handleFilterClear(peer, packet)
  */
 
 Pool.prototype.handleMerkleBlock = co(function* handleMerkleBlock(peer, packet) {
-  var unlock = yield this.locker.lock();
+  var hash = packet.block.hash('hex');
+  var unlock = yield this.locker.lock(hash);
   try {
     return yield this._handleMerkleBlock(peer, packet);
   } finally {