diff --git a/apps/chat2mix/chat2mix.nim b/apps/chat2mix/chat2mix.nim
index dda9acd79..8bc1bcaa9 100644
--- a/apps/chat2mix/chat2mix.nim
+++ b/apps/chat2mix/chat2mix.nim
@@ -503,7 +503,7 @@ proc processInput(rfd: AsyncFD, rng: ref HmacDrbgContext) {.async.} =
   await node.start()
 
   node.peerManager.start()
-  node.startExtendedKademliaDiscoveryLoop()
+  node.startExtendedKademliaDiscoveryLoop(minMixPeers = MinMixNodePoolSize)
 
   await node.mountLibp2pPing()
   #await node.mountPeerExchangeClient()
@@ -651,10 +651,6 @@ proc processInput(rfd: AsyncFD, rng: ref HmacDrbgContext) {.async.} =
   while node.getMixNodePoolSize() < MinMixNodePoolSize:
     info "waiting for mix nodes to be discovered",
       currentpoolSize = node.getMixNodePoolSize()
-    # Try to lookup mix peers via kademlia if pool is low
-    let found = await node.lookupMixPeers()
-    if found > 0:
-      info "found mix peers via kademlia lookup", count = found
     await sleepAsync(1000)
   notice "ready to publish with mix node pool size ",
     currentpoolSize = node.getMixNodePoolSize()
diff --git a/waku/discovery/waku_ext_kademlia.nim b/waku/discovery/waku_ext_kademlia.nim
index f72c46fda..adf2ed7ce 100644
--- a/waku/discovery/waku_ext_kademlia.nim
+++ b/waku/discovery/waku_ext_kademlia.nim
@@ -132,8 +132,45 @@ proc remotePeerInfoFrom(record: ExtendedPeerRecord): Option[RemotePeerInfo] =
     )
   )
 
+proc lookupMixPeers*(node: WakuNode): Future[int] {.async.} =
+  ## Lookup mix peers via kademlia and add them to the peer store.
+  ## Returns the number of mix peers found and added.
+  if node.wakuKademlia.isNil():
+    warn "cannot lookup mix peers: kademlia not mounted"
+    return 0
+
+  let mixService = ServiceInfo(id: MixProtocolID, data: @[])
+  var records: seq[ExtendedPeerRecord]
+  try:
+    records = await node.wakuKademlia.lookup(mixService)
+  except CatchableError:
+    warn "mix peer lookup failed", error = getCurrentExceptionMsg()
+    return 0
+
+  debug "mix peer lookup returned records", numRecords = records.len
+
+  var added = 0
+  for record in records:
+    let peerOpt = remotePeerInfoFrom(record)
+    if peerOpt.isNone():
+      continue
+
+    let peerInfo = peerOpt.get()
+    if peerInfo.mixPubKey.isNone():
+      continue
+
+    node.peerManager.addPeer(peerInfo, PeerOrigin.Kademlia)
+    info "mix peer added via kademlia lookup",
+      peerId = $peerInfo.peerId, mixPubKey = peerInfo.mixPubKey.get().toHex()
+    added.inc()
+
+  info "mix peer lookup complete", found = added
+  return added
+
 proc runExtendedKademliaDiscoveryLoop*(
-    node: WakuNode, interval = DefaultExtendedKademliaDiscoveryInterval
+    node: WakuNode,
+    interval = DefaultExtendedKademliaDiscoveryInterval,
+    minMixPeers: int = 0,
 ): Future[void] {.async.} =
   info "extended kademlia discovery loop started", interval = interval
 
@@ -175,6 +212,14 @@ proc runExtendedKademliaDiscoveryLoop*(
       if added > 0:
         info "added peers from extended kademlia discovery", count = added
 
+      # Targeted mix peer lookup when pool is low
+      if minMixPeers > 0 and node.getMixNodePoolSize() < minMixPeers:
+        debug "mix node pool below threshold, performing targeted lookup",
+          currentPoolSize = node.getMixNodePoolSize(), threshold = minMixPeers
+        let found = await node.lookupMixPeers()
+        if found > 0:
+          info "found mix peers via targeted kademlia lookup", count = found
+
       await sleepAsync(interval)
   except CancelledError:
     debug "extended kademlia discovery loop cancelled"
@@ -182,7 +227,9 @@ proc runExtendedKademliaDiscoveryLoop*(
     error "extended kademlia discovery loop failed", error = e.msg
 
 proc startExtendedKademliaDiscoveryLoop*(
-    node: WakuNode, interval = DefaultExtendedKademliaDiscoveryInterval
+    node: WakuNode,
+    interval = DefaultExtendedKademliaDiscoveryInterval,
+    minMixPeers: int = 0,
 ) =
   if node.wakuKademlia.isNil():
     trace "extended kademlia discovery not started: protocol not mounted"
@@ -192,39 +239,4 @@ proc startExtendedKademliaDiscoveryLoop*(
     trace "extended kademlia discovery loop already running"
     return
 
-  node.kademliaDiscoveryLoop = node.runExtendedKademliaDiscoveryLoop(interval)
-
-proc lookupMixPeers*(node: WakuNode): Future[int] {.async.} =
-  ## Lookup mix peers via kademlia and add them to the peer store.
-  ## Returns the number of mix peers found and added.
-  if node.wakuKademlia.isNil():
-    warn "cannot lookup mix peers: kademlia not mounted"
-    return 0
-
-  let mixService = ServiceInfo(id: MixProtocolID, data: @[])
-  var records: seq[ExtendedPeerRecord]
-  try:
-    records = await node.wakuKademlia.lookup(mixService)
-  except CatchableError:
-    warn "mix peer lookup failed", error = getCurrentExceptionMsg()
-    return 0
-
-  debug "mix peer lookup returned records", numRecords = records.len
-
-  var added = 0
-  for record in records:
-    let peerOpt = remotePeerInfoFrom(record)
-    if peerOpt.isNone():
-      continue
-
-    let peerInfo = peerOpt.get()
-    if peerInfo.mixPubKey.isNone():
-      continue
-
-    node.peerManager.addPeer(peerInfo, PeerOrigin.Kademlia)
-    info "mix peer added via kademlia lookup",
-      peerId = $peerInfo.peerId, mixPubKey = peerInfo.mixPubKey.get().toHex()
-    added.inc()
-
-  info "mix peer lookup complete", found = added
-  return added
+  node.kademliaDiscoveryLoop = node.runExtendedKademliaDiscoveryLoop(interval, minMixPeers)
diff --git a/waku/factory/node_factory.nim b/waku/factory/node_factory.nim
index 00f0c0d1d..800b8ea4e 100644
--- a/waku/factory/node_factory.nim
+++ b/waku/factory/node_factory.nim
@@ -496,7 +496,10 @@ proc startNode*(
   if conf.relay:
     node.peerManager.start()
 
-  startExtendedKademliaDiscoveryLoop(node)
+  let minMixPeers =
+    if conf.mixConf.isSome(): 4
+    else: 0
+  startExtendedKademliaDiscoveryLoop(node, minMixPeers = minMixPeers)
 
   return ok()