diff --git a/notify.go b/notify.go
index 7965263..34feb7c 100644
--- a/notify.go
+++ b/notify.go
@@ -22,8 +22,15 @@ func (p *PubSubNotif) Connected(n network.Network, c network.Conn) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	p.newPeersMx.Lock()
-	defer p.newPeersMx.Unlock()
+	select {
+	case <-p.newPeersSema:
+		defer func() {
+			p.newPeersSema <- struct{}{}
+		}()
+
+	case <-p.ctx.Done():
+		return
+	}
 
 	p.newPeersPend[c.RemotePeer()] = struct{}{}
 	select {
@@ -52,8 +59,15 @@ func (p *PubSubNotif) Initialize() {
 		return true
 	}
 
-	p.newPeersMx.Lock()
-	defer p.newPeersMx.Unlock()
+	select {
+	case <-p.newPeersSema:
+		defer func() {
+			p.newPeersSema <- struct{}{}
+		}()
+
+	case <-p.ctx.Done():
+		return
+	}
 
 	for _, pid := range p.host.Network().Peers() {
 		if isTransient(pid) {
diff --git a/pubsub.go b/pubsub.go
index cf0fb3b..3b9c011 100644
--- a/pubsub.go
+++ b/pubsub.go
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ type PubSub struct {
 
 	// a notification channel for new peer connections accumulated
 	newPeers     chan struct{}
-	newPeersMx   sync.Mutex
+	newPeersSema chan struct{}
 	newPeersPend map[peer.ID]struct{}
 
 	// a notification channel for new outoging peer streams
@@ -234,6 +234,7 @@ func NewPubSub(ctx context.Context, h host.Host, rt PubSubRouter, opts ...Option
 		signPolicy:            StrictSign,
 		incoming:              make(chan *RPC, 32),
 		newPeers:              make(chan struct{}, 1),
+		newPeersSema:          make(chan struct{}, 1),
 		newPeersPend:          make(map[peer.ID]struct{}),
 		newPeerStream:         make(chan network.Stream),
 		newPeerError:          make(chan peer.ID),
@@ -263,6 +264,8 @@ func NewPubSub(ctx context.Context, h host.Host, rt PubSubRouter, opts ...Option
 		counter:               uint64(time.Now().UnixNano()),
 	}
 
+	ps.newPeersSema <- struct{}{}
+
 	for _, opt := range opts {
 		err := opt(ps)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -612,8 +615,16 @@ func (p *PubSub) processLoop(ctx context.Context) {
 }
 
 func (p *PubSub) handlePendingPeers() {
-	p.newPeersMx.Lock()
-	defer p.newPeersMx.Unlock()
+	select {
+	case <-p.newPeersSema:
+		defer func() {
+			p.newPeersSema <- struct{}{}
+		}()
+
+	default:
+		// contention, return and wait for the next notification without blocking the event loop
+		return
+	}
 
 	if len(p.newPeersPend) == 0 {
 		return