diff --git a/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/gossipsub/behavior.nim b/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/gossipsub/behavior.nim
index cd69c5f..eda2e8c 100644
--- a/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/gossipsub/behavior.nim
+++ b/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/gossipsub/behavior.nim
@@ -312,22 +312,29 @@ proc rebalanceMesh*(g: GossipSub, topic: string, metrics: ptr MeshMetrics = nil)
   var
     prunes, grafts: seq[PubSubPeer]
     npeers = g.mesh.peers(topic)
+    defaultMesh: HashSet[PubSubPeer]
+    backingOff = g.backingOff.getOrDefault(topic)
 
   if npeers  < g.parameters.dLow:
     trace "replenishing mesh", peers = npeers
     # replenish the mesh if we're below Dlo
-    var candidates = toSeq(
-      g.gossipsub.getOrDefault(topic, initHashSet[PubSubPeer]()) -
-      g.mesh.getOrDefault(topic, initHashSet[PubSubPeer]())
-    ).filterIt(
-      it.connected and
-      # avoid negative score peers
-      it.score >= 0.0 and
-      # don't pick explicit peers
-      it.peerId notin g.parameters.directPeers and
-      # and avoid peers we are backing off
-      it.peerId notin g.backingOff.getOrDefault(topic)
-    )
+
+    var
+      candidates: seq[PubSubPeer]
+      currentMesh = addr defaultMesh
+    g.mesh.withValue(topic, v): currentMesh = v
+    g.gossipSub.withValue(topic, peerList):
+      for it in peerList[]:
+        if
+            it.connected and
+            # avoid negative score peers
+            it.score >= 0.0 and
+            it notin currentMesh[] and
+            # don't pick explicit peers
+            it.peerId notin g.parameters.directPeers and
+            # and avoid peers we are backing off
+            it.peerId notin backingOff:
+          candidates.add(it)
 
     # shuffle anyway, score might be not used
     g.rng.shuffle(candidates)
@@ -348,39 +355,43 @@ proc rebalanceMesh*(g: GossipSub, topic: string, metrics: ptr MeshMetrics = nil)
           grafts &= peer
 
   else:
-      trace "replenishing mesh outbound quota", peers = g.mesh.peers(topic)
+    trace "replenishing mesh outbound quota", peers = g.mesh.peers(topic)
 
-      var candidates = toSeq(
-        g.gossipsub.getOrDefault(topic, initHashSet[PubSubPeer]()) -
-        g.mesh.getOrDefault(topic, initHashSet[PubSubPeer]())
-      ).filterIt(
-        it.connected and
-        # get only outbound ones
-        it.outbound and
-        # avoid negative score peers
-        it.score >= 0.0 and
-        # don't pick explicit peers
-        it.peerId notin g.parameters.directPeers and
-        # and avoid peers we are backing off
-        it.peerId notin g.backingOff.getOrDefault(topic)
-      )
+    var
+      candidates: seq[PubSubPeer]
+      currentMesh = addr defaultMesh
+    g.mesh.withValue(topic, v): currentMesh = v
+    g.gossipSub.withValue(topic, peerList):
+      for it in peerList[]:
+        if
+            it.connected and
+            # get only outbound ones
+            it.outbound and
+            it notin currentMesh[] and
+            # avoid negative score peers
+            it.score >= 0.0 and
+            # don't pick explicit peers
+            it.peerId notin g.parameters.directPeers and
+            # and avoid peers we are backing off
+            it.peerId notin backingOff:
+          candidates.add(it)
 
-      # shuffle anyway, score might be not used
-      g.rng.shuffle(candidates)
+    # shuffle anyway, score might be not used
+    g.rng.shuffle(candidates)
 
-      # sort peers by score, high score first, we are grafting
-      candidates.sort(byScore, SortOrder.Descending)
+    # sort peers by score, high score first, we are grafting
+    candidates.sort(byScore, SortOrder.Descending)
 
-      # Graft peers so we reach a count of D
-      candidates.setLen(min(candidates.len, g.parameters.dOut))
+    # Graft peers so we reach a count of D
+    candidates.setLen(min(candidates.len, g.parameters.dOut))
 
-      trace "grafting outbound peers", topic, peers = candidates.len
+    trace "grafting outbound peers", topic, peers = candidates.len
 
-      for peer in candidates:
-        if g.mesh.addPeer(topic, peer):
-          g.grafted(peer, topic)
-          g.fanout.removePeer(topic, peer)
-          grafts &= peer
+    for peer in candidates:
+      if g.mesh.addPeer(topic, peer):
+        g.grafted(peer, topic)
+        g.fanout.removePeer(topic, peer)
+        grafts &= peer
 
 
   # get again npeers after possible grafts
@@ -439,6 +450,8 @@ proc rebalanceMesh*(g: GossipSub, topic: string, metrics: ptr MeshMetrics = nil)
         g.pruned(peer, topic)
         g.mesh.removePeer(topic, peer)
 
+      backingOff = g.backingOff.getOrDefault(topic)
+
   # opportunistic grafting, by spec mesh should not be empty...
   if g.mesh.peers(topic) > 1:
     var peers = toSeq(try: g.mesh[topic] except KeyError: raiseAssert "have peers")
@@ -448,22 +461,26 @@ proc rebalanceMesh*(g: GossipSub, topic: string, metrics: ptr MeshMetrics = nil)
     let median = peers[medianIdx]
     if median.score < g.parameters.opportunisticGraftThreshold:
       trace "median score below opportunistic threshold", score = median.score
-      var avail = toSeq(
-        g.gossipsub.getOrDefault(topic, initHashSet[PubSubPeer]()) -
-        g.mesh.getOrDefault(topic, initHashSet[PubSubPeer]())
-      )
 
-      avail.keepIf do (x: PubSubPeer) -> bool:
-        # avoid negative score peers
-        x.score >= median.score and
-        # don't pick explicit peers
-        x.peerId notin g.parameters.directPeers and
-        # and avoid peers we are backing off
-        x.peerId notin g.backingOff.getOrDefault(topic)
+      var
+        avail: seq[PubSubPeer]
+        currentMesh = addr defaultMesh
+      g.mesh.withValue(topic, v): currentMesh = v
+      g.gossipSub.withValue(topic, peerList):
+        for it in peerList[]:
+          if
+              # avoid negative score peers
+              it.score >= median.score and
+              it notin currentMesh[] and
+              # don't pick explicit peers
+              it.peerId notin g.parameters.directPeers and
+              # and avoid peers we are backing off
+              it.peerId notin backingOff:
+            avail.add(it)
 
-      # by spec, grab only 2
-      if avail.len > 2:
-        avail.setLen(2)
+            # by spec, grab only 2
+            if avail.len > 1:
+              break
 
       for peer in avail:
         if g.mesh.addPeer(topic, peer):