diff --git a/packages/sdk/src/protocols/base_protocol.ts b/packages/sdk/src/protocols/base_protocol.ts
index a7ed7c386f..f470bb662c 100644
--- a/packages/sdk/src/protocols/base_protocol.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk/src/protocols/base_protocol.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { BaseProtocol } from "@waku/core/lib/base_protocol";
 import {
   IBaseProtocolSDK,
   IHealthManager,
+  PeerIdStr,
   ProtocolUseOptions
 } from "@waku/interfaces";
 import { delay, Logger } from "@waku/utils";
@@ -20,7 +21,7 @@ const DEFAULT_MAINTAIN_PEERS_INTERVAL = 30_000;
 export class BaseProtocolSDK implements IBaseProtocolSDK {
   protected healthManager: IHealthManager;
   public readonly numPeersToUse: number;
-  private peers: Peer[] = [];
+  private peers: Map<PeerIdStr, Peer> = new Map();
   private maintainPeersIntervalId: ReturnType<
     typeof window.setInterval
   > | null = null;
@@ -48,7 +49,7 @@ export class BaseProtocolSDK implements IBaseProtocolSDK {
   }
 
   public get connectedPeers(): Peer[] {
-    return this.peers;
+    return Array.from(this.peers.values());
   }
 
   /**
@@ -59,12 +60,11 @@ export class BaseProtocolSDK implements IBaseProtocolSDK {
   public async renewPeer(peerToDisconnect: PeerId): Promise<Peer | undefined> {
     this.log.info(`Renewing peer ${peerToDisconnect}`);
 
-    const updatedPeers = this.peers.filter(
-      (peer) => !peer.id.equals(peerToDisconnect)
-    );
-    this.updatePeers(updatedPeers);
     await this.connectionManager.dropConnection(peerToDisconnect);
 
+    this.peers.delete(peerToDisconnect.toString());
+    this.updatePeers(this.peers);
+
     this.log.info(
       `Peer ${peerToDisconnect} disconnected and removed from the peer list`
     );
@@ -124,9 +124,9 @@ export class BaseProtocolSDK implements IBaseProtocolSDK {
     while (attempts < maxAttempts) {
       attempts++;
       if (await this.maintainPeers()) {
-        if (this.peers.length < this.numPeersToUse) {
+        if (this.peers.size < this.numPeersToUse) {
           this.log.warn(
-            `Found only ${this.peers.length} peers, expected ${this.numPeersToUse}`
+            `Found only ${this.peers.size} peers, expected ${this.numPeersToUse}`
           );
         }
         return true;
@@ -175,14 +175,14 @@ export class BaseProtocolSDK implements IBaseProtocolSDK {
 
     this.maintainPeersLock = true;
     await this.confirmPeers();
-    this.log.info(`Maintaining peers, current count: ${this.peers.length}`);
+    this.log.info(`Maintaining peers, current count: ${this.peers.size}`);
     try {
-      const numPeersToAdd = this.numPeersToUse - this.peers.length;
+      const numPeersToAdd = this.numPeersToUse - this.peers.size;
       if (numPeersToAdd > 0) {
         await this.findAndAddPeers(numPeersToAdd);
       }
       this.log.info(
-        `Peer maintenance completed, current count: ${this.peers.length}`
+        `Peer maintenance completed, current count: ${this.peers.size}`
       );
       this.renewPeersLocker.cleanUnlocked();
     } finally {
@@ -193,7 +193,8 @@ export class BaseProtocolSDK implements IBaseProtocolSDK {
 
   private async confirmPeers(): Promise<void> {
     const connectedPeers = await this.core.connectedPeers();
-    const currentPeers = this.peers;
+    const currentPeers = Array.from(this.peers.values());
+
     const peersToAdd = connectedPeers.filter(
       (p) => !currentPeers.some((cp) => cp.id.equals(p.id))
     );
@@ -201,10 +202,9 @@ export class BaseProtocolSDK implements IBaseProtocolSDK {
       (p) => !connectedPeers.some((cp) => cp.id.equals(p.id))
     );
 
-    peersToAdd.forEach((p) => this.peers.push(p));
+    peersToAdd.forEach((p) => this.peers.set(p.id.toString(), p));
     peersToRemove.forEach((p) => {
-      const index = this.peers.findIndex((cp) => cp.id.equals(p.id));
-      if (index !== -1) this.peers.splice(index, 1);
+      this.peers.delete(p.id.toString());
     });
 
     this.updatePeers(this.peers);
@@ -224,11 +224,13 @@ export class BaseProtocolSDK implements IBaseProtocolSDK {
 
       await Promise.all(dials);
 
-      const updatedPeers = [...this.peers, ...additionalPeers];
-      this.updatePeers(updatedPeers);
+      additionalPeers.forEach((peer) =>
+        this.peers.set(peer.id.toString(), peer)
+      );
+      this.updatePeers(this.peers);
 
       this.log.info(
-        `Added ${additionalPeers.length} new peers, total peers: ${this.peers.length}`
+        `Added ${additionalPeers.length} new peers, total peers: ${this.peers.size}`
       );
       return additionalPeers;
     } catch (error) {
@@ -254,9 +256,7 @@ export class BaseProtocolSDK implements IBaseProtocolSDK {
       }
 
       newPeers = newPeers
-        .filter(
-          (peer) => this.peers.some((p) => p.id.equals(peer.id)) === false
-        )
+        .filter((peer) => !this.peers.has(peer.id.toString()))
         .filter((peer) => !this.renewPeersLocker.isLocked(peer.id))
         .slice(0, numPeers);
 
@@ -267,11 +267,11 @@ export class BaseProtocolSDK implements IBaseProtocolSDK {
     }
   }
 
-  private updatePeers(peers: Peer[]): void {
+  private updatePeers(peers: Map<PeerIdStr, Peer>): void {
     this.peers = peers;
     this.healthManager.updateProtocolHealth(
       this.core.multicodec,
-      this.peers.length
+      this.peers.size
     );
   }
 }
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ class RenewPeerLocker {
   }
 
   public cleanUnlocked(): void {
-    Object.entries(this.peers).forEach(([id, lock]) => {
+    Array.from(this.peers.entries()).forEach(([id, lock]) => {
       if (this.isTimeUnlocked(lock)) {
         this.peers.delete(id.toString());
       }