diff --git a/pubsub.go b/pubsub.go
index cc0ce3f..aeb076a 100644
--- a/pubsub.go
+++ b/pubsub.go
@@ -316,15 +316,18 @@ func (p *PubSub) processLoop(ctx context.Context) {
 				continue
 			}
 
+			close(ch)
+
 			if p.host.Network().Connectedness(pid) == inet.Connected {
 				// still connected, must be a duplicate connection being closed.
 				// we respawn the writer as we need to ensure there is a stream active
 				log.Warning("peer declared dead but still connected; respawning writer: ", pid)
-				go p.handleNewPeer(ctx, pid, ch)
+				messages := make(chan *RPC, 32)
+				go p.handleNewPeer(ctx, pid, messages)
+				p.peers[pid] = messages
 				continue
 			}
 
-			close(ch)
 			delete(p.peers, pid)
 			for _, t := range p.topics {
 				delete(t, pid)