diff --git a/waku/v2/node/wakunode2.go b/waku/v2/node/wakunode2.go
index 07af6c79..38088001 100644
--- a/waku/v2/node/wakunode2.go
+++ b/waku/v2/node/wakunode2.go
@@ -751,7 +751,12 @@ func (w *WakuNode) DialPeerWithInfo(ctx context.Context, peerInfo peer.AddrInfo)
 
 func (w *WakuNode) connect(ctx context.Context, info peer.AddrInfo) error {
 	err := w.host.Connect(ctx, info)
-	w.peerConnector.HandleDialError(err, info.ID)
+	if err != nil {
+		if w.peermanager != nil {
+			w.peermanager.HandleDialError(err, info.ID)
+		}
+		return err
+	}
 
 	for _, addr := range info.Addrs {
 		// TODO: this is a temporary fix
diff --git a/waku/v2/peermanager/peer_connector.go b/waku/v2/peermanager/peer_connector.go
index e1c071c7..ac130ef0 100644
--- a/waku/v2/peermanager/peer_connector.go
+++ b/waku/v2/peermanager/peer_connector.go
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ package peermanager
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"errors"
 	"math/rand"
 	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
@@ -19,9 +18,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/waku-org/go-waku/waku/v2/onlinechecker"
 	wps "github.com/waku-org/go-waku/waku/v2/peerstore"
 	"github.com/waku-org/go-waku/waku/v2/service"
-	"github.com/waku-org/go-waku/waku/v2/utils"
 
-	"github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/event"
 	"go.uber.org/zap"
 
 	lru "github.com/hashicorp/golang-lru"
@@ -41,9 +38,8 @@ type PeerConnectionStrategy struct {
 	*service.CommonDiscoveryService
 	subscriptions []subscription
 
-	backoff      backoff.BackoffFactory
-	logger       *zap.Logger
-	evtDialError event.Emitter
+	backoff backoff.BackoffFactory
+	logger  *zap.Logger
 }
 
 type subscription struct {
@@ -159,11 +155,6 @@ func (c *PeerConnectionStrategy) SetHost(h host.Host) {
 // Start attempts to connect to the peers passed in by peerCh.
 // Will not connect to peers if they are within the backoff period.
 func (c *PeerConnectionStrategy) Start(ctx context.Context) error {
-	var err error
-	c.evtDialError, err = c.host.EventBus().Emitter(new(utils.DialError))
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
 	return c.CommonDiscoveryService.Start(ctx, c.start)
 
 }
@@ -179,9 +170,7 @@ func (c *PeerConnectionStrategy) start() error {
 
 // Stop terminates the peer-connector
 func (c *PeerConnectionStrategy) Stop() {
-	c.CommonDiscoveryService.Stop(func() {
-		c.evtDialError.Close()
-	})
+	c.CommonDiscoveryService.Stop(func() {})
 }
 
 func (c *PeerConnectionStrategy) isPaused() bool {
@@ -287,19 +276,10 @@ func (c *PeerConnectionStrategy) dialPeer(pi peer.AddrInfo, sem chan struct{}) {
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(c.Context(), c.dialTimeout)
 	defer cancel()
 	err := c.host.Connect(ctx, pi)
-	c.HandleDialError(err, pi.ID)
-	c.host.Peerstore().(wps.WakuPeerstore).ResetConnFailures(pi.ID)
+	if err != nil {
+		c.pm.HandleDialError(err, pi.ID)
+	} else {
+		c.host.Peerstore().(wps.WakuPeerstore).ResetConnFailures(pi.ID)
+	}
 	<-sem
 }
-
-func (c *PeerConnectionStrategy) HandleDialError(err error, peerID peer.ID) {
-	if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, context.Canceled) {
-		c.addConnectionBackoff(peerID)
-		c.host.Peerstore().(wps.WakuPeerstore).AddConnFailure(peerID)
-		c.logger.Warn("connecting to peer", logging.HostID("peerID", peerID), zap.Error(err))
-		emitterErr := c.evtDialError.Emit(utils.DialError{Err: err, PeerID: peerID})
-		if emitterErr != nil {
-			c.logger.Error("failed to emit DialError", zap.Error(emitterErr))
-		}
-	}
-}
diff --git a/waku/v2/peermanager/peer_manager.go b/waku/v2/peermanager/peer_manager.go
index 2ac489a0..d548923d 100644
--- a/waku/v2/peermanager/peer_manager.go
+++ b/waku/v2/peermanager/peer_manager.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/waku-org/go-waku/waku/v2/protocol/metadata"
 	"github.com/waku-org/go-waku/waku/v2/protocol/relay"
 	"github.com/waku-org/go-waku/waku/v2/service"
+	"github.com/waku-org/go-waku/waku/v2/utils"
 
 	"go.uber.org/zap"
 )
@@ -87,6 +88,7 @@ type PeerManager struct {
 	TopicHealthNotifCh     chan<- TopicHealthStatus
 	rttCache               *FastestPeerSelector
 	RelayEnabled           bool
+	evtDialError           event.Emitter
 }
 
 // PeerSelection provides various options based on which Peer is selected from a list of peers.
@@ -249,6 +251,14 @@ func (pm *PeerManager) Start(ctx context.Context) {
 		go pm.connectivityLoop(ctx)
 	}
 	go pm.peerStoreLoop(ctx)
+
+	if pm.host != nil {
+		var err error
+		pm.evtDialError, err = pm.host.EventBus().Emitter(new(utils.DialError))
+		if err != nil {
+			pm.logger.Error("failed to create dial error emitter", zap.Error(err))
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 func (pm *PeerManager) peerStoreLoop(ctx context.Context) {
@@ -719,3 +729,22 @@ func (pm *PeerManager) addPeerToServiceSlot(proto protocol.ID, peerID peer.ID) {
 	// getPeers returns nil for WakuRelayIDv200 protocol, but we don't run this ServiceSlot code for WakuRelayIDv200 protocol
 	pm.serviceSlots.getPeers(proto).add(peerID)
 }
+
+func (pm *PeerManager) HandleDialError(err error, peerID peer.ID) {
+	if err == nil || errors.Is(err, context.Canceled) {
+		return
+	}
+	if pm.peerConnector != nil {
+		pm.peerConnector.addConnectionBackoff(peerID)
+	}
+	if pm.host != nil {
+		pm.host.Peerstore().(wps.WakuPeerstore).AddConnFailure(peerID)
+	}
+	pm.logger.Warn("connecting to peer", logging.HostID("peerID", peerID), zap.Error(err))
+	if pm.evtDialError != nil {
+		emitterErr := pm.evtDialError.Emit(utils.DialError{Err: err, PeerID: peerID})
+		if emitterErr != nil {
+			pm.logger.Error("failed to emit DialError", zap.Error(emitterErr))
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/waku/v2/protocol/filter/client.go b/waku/v2/protocol/filter/client.go
index a9d2b496..41b49784 100644
--- a/waku/v2/protocol/filter/client.go
+++ b/waku/v2/protocol/filter/client.go
@@ -245,8 +245,8 @@ func (wf *WakuFilterLightNode) request(ctx context.Context, requestID []byte,
 	stream, err := wf.h.NewStream(ctx, peerID, FilterSubscribeID_v20beta1)
 	if err != nil {
 		wf.metrics.RecordError(dialFailure)
-		if ps, ok := wf.h.Peerstore().(peerstore.WakuPeerstore); ok {
-			ps.AddConnFailure(peerID)
+		if wf.pm != nil {
+			wf.pm.HandleDialError(err, peerID)
 		}
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/waku/v2/protocol/filter/server.go b/waku/v2/protocol/filter/server.go
index 9a2e25d6..2b17de4b 100644
--- a/waku/v2/protocol/filter/server.go
+++ b/waku/v2/protocol/filter/server.go
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/libp2p/go-msgio/pbio"
 	"github.com/prometheus/client_golang/prometheus"
 	"github.com/waku-org/go-waku/logging"
-	"github.com/waku-org/go-waku/waku/v2/peerstore"
+	"github.com/waku-org/go-waku/waku/v2/peermanager"
 	"github.com/waku-org/go-waku/waku/v2/protocol"
 	"github.com/waku-org/go-waku/waku/v2/protocol/filter/pb"
 	"github.com/waku-org/go-waku/waku/v2/protocol/relay"
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ type (
 		log     *zap.Logger
 		*service.CommonService
 		subscriptions *SubscribersMap
+		pm            *peermanager.PeerManager
 
 		maxSubscriptions int
 	}
@@ -61,6 +62,7 @@ func NewWakuFilterFullNode(timesource timesource.Timesource, reg prometheus.Regi
 	wf.maxSubscriptions = params.MaxSubscribers
 	if params.pm != nil {
 		params.pm.RegisterWakuProtocol(FilterSubscribeID_v20beta1, FilterSubscribeENRField)
+		wf.pm = params.pm
 	}
 	return wf
 }
@@ -274,8 +276,8 @@ func (wf *WakuFilterFullNode) pushMessage(ctx context.Context, logger *zap.Logge
 			wf.metrics.RecordError(pushTimeoutFailure)
 		} else {
 			wf.metrics.RecordError(dialFailure)
-			if ps, ok := wf.h.Peerstore().(peerstore.WakuPeerstore); ok {
-				ps.AddConnFailure(peerID)
+			if wf.pm != nil {
+				wf.pm.HandleDialError(err, peerID)
 			}
 		}
 		logger.Error("opening peer stream", zap.Error(err))
diff --git a/waku/v2/protocol/legacy_store/waku_store_client.go b/waku/v2/protocol/legacy_store/waku_store_client.go
index 03f7c9b2..ef971f00 100644
--- a/waku/v2/protocol/legacy_store/waku_store_client.go
+++ b/waku/v2/protocol/legacy_store/waku_store_client.go
@@ -205,10 +205,9 @@ func (store *WakuStore) queryFrom(ctx context.Context, historyRequest *pb.Histor
 
 	stream, err := store.h.NewStream(ctx, selectedPeer, StoreID_v20beta4)
 	if err != nil {
-		logger.Error("creating stream to peer", zap.Error(err))
 		store.metrics.RecordError(dialFailure)
-		if ps, ok := store.h.Peerstore().(peerstore.WakuPeerstore); ok {
-			ps.AddConnFailure(selectedPeer)
+		if store.pm != nil {
+			store.pm.HandleDialError(err, selectedPeer)
 		}
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/waku/v2/protocol/lightpush/waku_lightpush.go b/waku/v2/protocol/lightpush/waku_lightpush.go
index 8200fddf..f0c005a6 100644
--- a/waku/v2/protocol/lightpush/waku_lightpush.go
+++ b/waku/v2/protocol/lightpush/waku_lightpush.go
@@ -195,10 +195,9 @@ func (wakuLP *WakuLightPush) request(ctx context.Context, req *pb.PushRequest, p
 
 	stream, err := wakuLP.h.NewStream(ctx, peerID, LightPushID_v20beta1)
 	if err != nil {
-		logger.Error("creating stream to peer", zap.Error(err))
 		wakuLP.metrics.RecordError(dialFailure)
-		if ps, ok := wakuLP.h.Peerstore().(peerstore.WakuPeerstore); ok {
-			ps.AddConnFailure(peerID)
+		if wakuLP.pm != nil {
+			wakuLP.pm.HandleDialError(err, peerID)
 		}
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/waku/v2/protocol/peer_exchange/client.go b/waku/v2/protocol/peer_exchange/client.go
index f901590d..8a9d8e12 100644
--- a/waku/v2/protocol/peer_exchange/client.go
+++ b/waku/v2/protocol/peer_exchange/client.go
@@ -76,8 +76,8 @@ func (wakuPX *WakuPeerExchange) Request(ctx context.Context, numPeers int, opts
 
 	stream, err := wakuPX.h.NewStream(ctx, params.selectedPeer, PeerExchangeID_v20alpha1)
 	if err != nil {
-		if ps, ok := wakuPX.h.Peerstore().(peerstore.WakuPeerstore); ok {
-			ps.AddConnFailure(params.selectedPeer)
+		if wakuPX.pm != nil {
+			wakuPX.pm.HandleDialError(err, params.selectedPeer)
 		}
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/waku/v2/protocol/store/client.go b/waku/v2/protocol/store/client.go
index 3398c4bf..f7427b97 100644
--- a/waku/v2/protocol/store/client.go
+++ b/waku/v2/protocol/store/client.go
@@ -281,9 +281,8 @@ func (s *WakuStore) queryFrom(ctx context.Context, storeRequest *pb.StoreQueryRe
 
 	stream, err := s.h.NewStream(ctx, params.selectedPeer, StoreQueryID_v300)
 	if err != nil {
-		logger.Error("creating stream to peer", zap.Error(err))
-		if ps, ok := s.h.Peerstore().(peerstore.WakuPeerstore); ok {
-			ps.AddConnFailure(params.selectedPeer)
+		if s.pm != nil {
+			s.pm.HandleDialError(err, params.selectedPeer)
 		}
 		return nil, err
 	}