diff --git a/tools/confutils/cli_args.nim b/tools/confutils/cli_args.nim
index d63b5880c..543f324d9 100644
--- a/tools/confutils/cli_args.nim
+++ b/tools/confutils/cli_args.nim
@@ -266,7 +266,8 @@ type WakuNodeConf* = object
 
     ## Circuit-relay config
     isRelayClient* {.
-      desc: """Set the node as a relay-client.
+      desc:
+        """Set the node as a relay-client.
 Set it to true for nodes that run behind a NAT or firewall and
 hence would have reachability issues.""",
       defaultValue: false,
@@ -636,12 +637,6 @@ with the drawback of consuming some more bandwidth.""",
       name: "mixkey"
     .}: Option[string]
 
-    mixnodes* {.
-      desc:
-        "Multiaddress and mix-key of mix node to be statically specified in format multiaddr:mixPubKey. Argument may be repeated.",
-      name: "mixnode"
-    .}: seq[MixNodePubInfo]
-
     # Kademlia Discovery config
     enableKadDiscovery* {.
       desc:
@@ -735,22 +730,6 @@ proc isNumber(x: string): bool =
   except ValueError:
     result = false
 
-proc parseCmdArg*(T: type MixNodePubInfo, p: string): T =
-  let elements = p.split(":")
-  if elements.len != 2:
-    raise newException(
-      ValueError, "Invalid format for mix node expected multiaddr:mixPublicKey"
-    )
-  let multiaddr = MultiAddress.init(elements[0]).valueOr:
-    raise newException(ValueError, "Invalid multiaddress format")
-  if not multiaddr.contains(multiCodec("ip4")).get():
-    raise newException(
-      ValueError, "Invalid format for ip address, expected a ipv4 multiaddress"
-    )
-  return MixNodePubInfo(
-    multiaddr: elements[0], pubKey: intoCurve25519Key(ncrutils.fromHex(elements[1]))
-  )
-
 proc parseCmdArg*(T: type ProtectedShard, p: string): T =
   let elements = p.split(":")
   if elements.len != 2:
@@ -834,22 +813,6 @@ proc readValue*(
   except CatchableError:
     raise newException(SerializationError, getCurrentExceptionMsg())
 
-proc readValue*(
-    r: var TomlReader, value: var MixNodePubInfo
-) {.raises: [SerializationError].} =
-  try:
-    value = parseCmdArg(MixNodePubInfo, r.readValue(string))
-  except CatchableError:
-    raise newException(SerializationError, getCurrentExceptionMsg())
-
-proc readValue*(
-    r: var EnvvarReader, value: var MixNodePubInfo
-) {.raises: [SerializationError].} =
-  try:
-    value = parseCmdArg(MixNodePubInfo, r.readValue(string))
-  except CatchableError:
-    raise newException(SerializationError, getCurrentExceptionMsg())
-
 proc readValue*(
     r: var TomlReader, value: var ProtectedShard
 ) {.raises: [SerializationError].} =
@@ -1067,7 +1030,6 @@ proc toWakuConf*(n: WakuNodeConf): ConfResult[WakuConf] =
   b.storeServiceConf.storeSyncConf.withRelayJitterSec(n.storeSyncRelayJitter)
 
   b.mixConf.withEnabled(n.mix)
-  b.mixConf.withMixNodes(n.mixnodes)
   b.withMix(n.mix)
   if n.mixkey.isSome():
     b.mixConf.withMixKey(n.mixkey.get())
diff --git a/waku/discovery/waku_kademlia.nim b/waku/discovery/waku_kademlia.nim
index 16feb2964..88076dbb2 100644
--- a/waku/discovery/waku_kademlia.nim
+++ b/waku/discovery/waku_kademlia.nim
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 {.push raises: [].}
 
-import std/[options, sequtils, sugar]
+import std/[options, sequtils]
 import
   chronos,
   chronicles,
   results,
-  stew/byteutils,
+  libp2p/crypto/curve25519,
+  libp2p/crypto/crypto,
+  libp2p/protocols/mix/mix_protocol,
   libp2p/[peerid, multiaddress, switch],
   libp2p/extended_peer_record,
   libp2p/protocols/[kademlia, kad_disco],
@@ -15,14 +17,14 @@ import
 import waku/waku_core, waku/node/peer_manager
 
 logScope:
-  topics = "waku kademlia discovery"
+  topics = "waku kademlia"
 
 const DefaultKademliaDiscoveryInterval* = chronos.seconds(10)
 
 type WakuKademlia* = ref object
   protocol*: KademliaDiscovery
   peerManager: PeerManager
-  intervalFut: Future[void]
+  walkIntervalFut: Future[void]
 
 proc toRemotePeerInfo(record: ExtendedPeerRecord): Option[RemotePeerInfo] =
   debug "processing kademlia record",
@@ -42,22 +44,37 @@ proc toRemotePeerInfo(record: ExtendedPeerRecord): Option[RemotePeerInfo] =
 
   let protocols = record.services.mapIt(it.id)
 
+  var mixPubKey = none(Curve25519Key)
+  for service in record.services:
+    if service.id != MixProtocolID:
+      continue
+
+    if service.data.len != Curve25519KeySize:
+      continue
+
+    mixPubKey = some(intoCurve25519Key(service.data))
+    break
+
   return some(
     RemotePeerInfo.init(
-      record.peerId, addrs = addrs, protocols = protocols, origin = PeerOrigin.Kademlia
+      record.peerId,
+      addrs = addrs,
+      protocols = protocols,
+      origin = PeerOrigin.Kademlia,
+      mixPubKey = mixPubKey,
     )
   )
 
 proc runDiscoveryLoop(
-    wk: WakuKademlia, interval: Duration
+    self: WakuKademlia, interval: Duration
 ) {.async: (raises: [CancelledError]).} =
-  info "kademlia discovery loop started", interval = interval
+  debug "kademlia discovery loop started", interval = interval
 
   while true:
     await sleepAsync(interval)
 
     let res = catch:
-      await wk.protocol.randomRecords()
+      await self.protocol.randomRecords()
     let records = res.valueOr:
       error "kademlia discovery lookup failed", error = res.error.msg
       continue
@@ -66,15 +83,13 @@ proc runDiscoveryLoop(
       let peerInfo = toRemotePeerInfo(record).valueOr:
         continue
 
-      wk.peerManager.addPeer(peerInfo, PeerOrigin.Kademlia)
+      self.peerManager.addPeer(peerInfo, PeerOrigin.Kademlia)
 
-      debug "peer added via kademlia discovery",
+      debug "peer added via random walk",
         peerId = $peerInfo.peerId,
         addresses = peerInfo.addrs.mapIt($it),
         protocols = peerInfo.protocols
 
-      #TODO peer added metric
-
 proc lookup*(
     self: WakuKademlia, codec: string
 ): Future[seq[RemotePeerInfo]] {.async: (raises: []).} =
@@ -97,13 +112,12 @@ proc lookup*(
 
     self.peerManager.addPeer(peerInfo, PeerOrigin.Kademlia)
 
-    debug "peer added via kademlia discovery",
+    debug "peer added via service discovery",
+      service = codec,
       peerId = $peerInfo.peerId,
       addresses = peerInfo.addrs.mapIt($it),
       protocols = peerInfo.protocols
 
-    #TODO peer added metric
-
     peerInfos.add(peerInfo)
 
   return peerInfos
@@ -116,7 +130,7 @@ proc new*(
     providedServices: var seq[ServiceInfo],
 ): T =
   if bootstrapNodes.len == 0:
-    info "creating kademlia discovery as seed node (no bootstrap nodes)"
+    debug "creating kademlia discovery as seed node (no bootstrap nodes)"
 
   let kademlia = KademliaDiscovery.new(
     switch,
@@ -127,34 +141,34 @@ proc new*(
     services = providedServices,
   )
 
-  info "kademlia service discovery created", bootstrapNodes = bootstrapNodes.len
-
   return WakuKademlia(protocol: kademlia, peerManager: peerManager)
 
 proc start*(
     self: WakuKademlia, interval: Duration = DefaultKademliaDiscoveryInterval
-) {.async: (raises: [CancelledError]).} =
+) {.async.} =
   if self.protocol.started:
-    warn "Starting kad-disco twice"
+    warn "Starting waku kad twice"
     return
 
+  info "Starting Waku Kademlia"
+
   await self.protocol.start()
 
-  self.intervalFut = self.runDiscoveryLoop(interval)
+  self.walkIntervalFut = self.runDiscoveryLoop(interval)
 
-  info "kademlia discovery started"
+  info "Waku Kademlia Started"
 
-proc stop*(self: WakuKademlia) {.async: (raises: []).} =
+proc stop*(self: WakuKademlia) {.async.} =
   if not self.protocol.started:
     return
 
-  info "Stopping kademlia discovery"
+  info "Stopping Waku Kademlia"
 
-  if not self.intervalFut.isNil():
-    self.intervalFut.cancelSoon()
-    self.intervalFut = nil
+  if not self.walkIntervalFut.isNil():
+    self.walkIntervalFut.cancelSoon()
+    self.walkIntervalFut = nil
 
   if not self.protocol.isNil():
     await self.protocol.stop()
 
-  info "Successfully stopped kademlia discovery"
+  info "Successfully stopped Waku Kademlia"
diff --git a/waku/factory/conf_builder/mix_conf_builder.nim b/waku/factory/conf_builder/mix_conf_builder.nim
index 145ccb76e..8a4f5b5f1 100644
--- a/waku/factory/conf_builder/mix_conf_builder.nim
+++ b/waku/factory/conf_builder/mix_conf_builder.nim
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ logScope:
 type MixConfBuilder* = object
   enabled: Option[bool]
   mixKey: Option[string]
-  mixNodes: seq[MixNodePubInfo]
 
 proc init*(T: type MixConfBuilder): MixConfBuilder =
   MixConfBuilder()
@@ -22,9 +21,6 @@ proc withEnabled*(b: var MixConfBuilder, enabled: bool) =
 proc withMixKey*(b: var MixConfBuilder, mixKey: string) =
   b.mixKey = some(mixKey)
 
-proc withMixNodes*(b: var MixConfBuilder, mixNodes: seq[MixNodePubInfo]) =
-  b.mixNodes = mixNodes
-
 proc build*(b: MixConfBuilder): Result[Option[MixConf], string] =
   if not b.enabled.get(false):
     return ok(none[MixConf]())
@@ -32,12 +28,8 @@ proc build*(b: MixConfBuilder): Result[Option[MixConf], string] =
     if b.mixKey.isSome():
       let mixPrivKey = intoCurve25519Key(ncrutils.fromHex(b.mixKey.get()))
       let mixPubKey = public(mixPrivKey)
-      return ok(
-        some(MixConf(mixKey: mixPrivKey, mixPubKey: mixPubKey, mixNodes: b.mixNodes))
-      )
+      return ok(some(MixConf(mixKey: mixPrivKey, mixPubKey: mixPubKey)))
     else:
       let (mixPrivKey, mixPubKey) = generateKeyPair().valueOr:
         return err("Generate key pair error: " & $error)
-      return ok(
-        some(MixConf(mixKey: mixPrivKey, mixPubKey: mixPubKey, mixNodes: b.mixNodes))
-      )
+      return ok(some(MixConf(mixKey: mixPrivKey, mixPubKey: mixPubKey)))
diff --git a/waku/factory/node_factory.nim b/waku/factory/node_factory.nim
index 8f4bba310..95a1e240b 100644
--- a/waku/factory/node_factory.nim
+++ b/waku/factory/node_factory.nim
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ import
   ../waku_filter_v2,
   ../waku_peer_exchange,
   ../discovery/waku_kademlia,
+  ../waku_mix/protocol,
   ../node/peer_manager,
   ../node/peer_manager/peer_store/waku_peer_storage,
   ../node/peer_manager/peer_store/migrations as peer_store_sqlite_migrations,
@@ -168,10 +169,10 @@ proc setupProtocols(
   if conf.mixConf.isSome():
     let mixConf = conf.mixConf.get()
 
-    let mixService = ServiceInfo(id: MixProtocolID, data: @(mixConf.mixKey))
+    let mixService = ServiceInfo(id: MixProtocolID, data: @(mixConf.mixPubKey))
     providedServices.add(mixService)
 
-    (await node.mountMix(conf.clusterId, mixConf.mixKey, mixConf.mixnodes)).isOkOr:
+    (await node.mountMix(mixConf.mixKey)).isOkOr:
       return err("failed to mount waku mix protocol: " & $error)
 
   if conf.storeServiceConf.isSome():
@@ -420,6 +421,10 @@ proc setupProtocols(
 
     node.wakuKademlia = kademlia
 
+    # Connect kademlia to mix for peer discovery
+    if not node.wakuMix.isNil() and not node.wakuKademlia.isNil():
+      node.wakuMix.setKademlia(node.wakuKademlia)
+
   return ok()
 
 ## Start node
@@ -471,12 +476,6 @@ proc startNode*(
   if conf.relay:
     node.peerManager.start()
 
-  if not node.wakuKademlia.isNil():
-    let catchRes = catch:
-      await node.wakuKademlia.start()
-    if catchRes.isErr():
-      return err("failed to start kademlia discovery: " & catchRes.error.msg)
-
   return ok()
 
 proc setupNode*(
diff --git a/waku/factory/waku_conf.nim b/waku/factory/waku_conf.nim
index 4934faccc..f199d1e55 100644
--- a/waku/factory/waku_conf.nim
+++ b/waku/factory/waku_conf.nim
@@ -50,7 +50,6 @@ type StoreSyncConf* {.requiresInit.} = object
 type MixConf* = ref object
   mixKey*: Curve25519Key
   mixPubKey*: Curve25519Key
-  mixnodes*: seq[MixNodePubInfo]
 
 type KademliaDiscoveryConf* = object
   bootstrapNodes*: seq[(PeerId, seq[MultiAddress])]
diff --git a/waku/node/waku_node.nim b/waku/node/waku_node.nim
index 45080d9d0..defbe404b 100644
--- a/waku/node/waku_node.nim
+++ b/waku/node/waku_node.nim
@@ -297,10 +297,7 @@ proc getMixNodePoolSize*(node: WakuNode): int =
   return node.wakuMix.poolSize()
 
 proc mountMix*(
-    node: WakuNode,
-    clusterId: uint16,
-    mixPrivKey: Curve25519Key,
-    mixnodes: seq[MixNodePubInfo],
+    node: WakuNode, mixPrivKey: Curve25519Key
 ): Future[Result[void, string]] {.async.} =
   info "mounting mix protocol", nodeId = node.info #TODO log the config used
 
@@ -312,10 +309,13 @@ proc mountMix*(
   info "local addr", localaddr = localaddrStr
 
   node.wakuMix = WakuMix.new(
-    localaddrStr, node.peerManager, clusterId, mixPrivKey, mixnodes
+    mixPrivKey = mixPrivKey,
+    nodeAddr = localaddrStr,
+    switch = node.switch,
+    wakuKademlia = node.wakuKademlia,
   ).valueOr:
     error "Waku Mix protocol initialization failed", err = error
-    return
+    return err("Waku Mix protocol initialization failed: " & error)
   #TODO: should we do the below only for exit node? Also, what if multiple protocols use mix?
   node.wakuMix.registerDestReadBehavior(WakuLightPushCodec, readLp(int(-1)))
   let catchRes = catch:
@@ -638,6 +638,9 @@ proc stop*(node: WakuNode) {.async.} =
   if not node.wakuRendezvousClient.isNil():
     await node.wakuRendezvousClient.stopWait()
 
+  if not node.wakuKademlia.isNil():
+    await node.wakuKademlia.stop()
+
   node.started = false
 
 proc isReady*(node: WakuNode): Future[bool] {.async: (raises: [Exception]).} =
diff --git a/waku/waku_mix/protocol.nim b/waku/waku_mix/protocol.nim
index ac8b69eaf..8ee25073f 100644
--- a/waku/waku_mix/protocol.nim
+++ b/waku/waku_mix/protocol.nim
@@ -10,98 +10,129 @@ import
   libp2p/protocols/mix/mix_protocol,
   libp2p/protocols/mix/mix_metrics,
   libp2p/protocols/mix/delay_strategy,
-  libp2p/[multiaddress, peerid],
+  libp2p/[multiaddress, peerid, switch],
+  libp2p/extended_peer_record,
   eth/common/keys
 
 import
   waku/node/peer_manager,
   waku/waku_core,
   waku/waku_enr,
-  waku/node/peer_manager/waku_peer_store
+  waku/node/peer_manager/waku_peer_store,
+  waku/discovery/waku_kademlia
 
 logScope:
   topics = "waku mix"
 
-const minMixPoolSize = 4
+const
+  MinimumMixPoolSize = 4
+  DefaultMixPoolMaintenanceInterval = chronos.seconds(10)
 
-type
-  WakuMix* = ref object of MixProtocol
-    peerManager*: PeerManager
-    clusterId: uint16
-    pubKey*: Curve25519Key
+type WakuMix* = ref object of MixProtocol
+  pubKey*: Curve25519Key
+  targetMixPoolSize: int
+  currentMixPoolSize: int
+  maintenanceInterval: Duration
+  maintenanceIntervalFut: Future[void]
+  wakuKademlia: WakuKademlia
 
-  WakuMixResult*[T] = Result[T, string]
+proc poolSize*(self: WakuMix): int =
+  if self.nodePool.isNil():
+    0
+  else:
+    self.nodePool.len()
 
-  MixNodePubInfo* = object
-    multiAddr*: string
-    pubKey*: Curve25519Key
+proc mixPoolMaintenance(
+    self: WakuMix, interval: Duration
+) {.async: (raises: [CancelledError]).} =
+  debug "mix pool maintenance loop started", interval = interval
 
-proc processBootNodes(
-    bootnodes: seq[MixNodePubInfo], peermgr: PeerManager, mix: WakuMix
-) =
-  var count = 0
-  for node in bootnodes:
-    let pInfo = parsePeerInfo(node.multiAddr).valueOr:
-      error "Failed to get peer id from multiaddress: ",
-        error = error, multiAddr = $node.multiAddr
-      continue
-    let peerId = pInfo.peerId
-    var peerPubKey: crypto.PublicKey
-    if not peerId.extractPublicKey(peerPubKey):
-      warn "Failed to extract public key from peerId, skipping node", peerId = peerId
+  while true:
+    await sleepAsync(interval)
+
+    self.currentMixPoolSize = self.poolSize()
+    mix_pool_size.set(self.currentMixPoolSize.int64)
+
+    if self.currentMixPoolSize >= self.targetMixPoolSize:
       continue
 
-    if peerPubKey.scheme != PKScheme.Secp256k1:
-      warn "Peer public key is not Secp256k1, skipping node",
-        peerId = peerId, scheme = peerPubKey.scheme
+    # Skip discovery if kademlia not available
+    if self.wakuKademlia.isNil():
+      debug "kademlia not available for mix peer discovery"
       continue
 
-    let multiAddr = MultiAddress.init(node.multiAddr).valueOr:
-      error "Failed to parse multiaddress", multiAddr = node.multiAddr, error = error
-      continue
+    trace "mix node pool below threshold, performing targeted lookup",
+      currentPoolSize = self.currentMixPoolSize, threshold = self.targetMixPoolSize
 
-    let mixPubInfo = MixPubInfo.init(peerId, multiAddr, node.pubKey, peerPubKey.skkey)
-    mix.nodePool.add(mixPubInfo)
-    count.inc()
+    let mixPeers = await self.wakuKademlia.lookup(MixProtocolID)
 
-    peermgr.addPeer(
-      RemotePeerInfo.init(peerId, @[multiAddr], mixPubKey = some(node.pubKey))
-    )
-  mix_pool_size.set(count)
-  info "using mix bootstrap nodes ", count = count
+    trace "mix peer discovery completed", discoveredPeers = mixPeers.len
 
 proc new*(
     T: typedesc[WakuMix],
-    nodeAddr: string,
-    peermgr: PeerManager,
-    clusterId: uint16,
     mixPrivKey: Curve25519Key,
-    bootnodes: seq[MixNodePubInfo],
-): WakuMixResult[T] =
+    nodeAddr: string,
+    switch: Switch,
+    targetMixPoolSize: int = MinimumMixPoolSize,
+    maintenanceInterval: Duration = DefaultMixPoolMaintenanceInterval,
+    wakuKademlia: WakuKademlia = nil,
+): Result[T, string] =
   let mixPubKey = public(mixPrivKey)
-  info "mixPubKey", mixPubKey = mixPubKey
+
+  debug "Mix Public Key", mixPubKey = mixPubKey
+
   let nodeMultiAddr = MultiAddress.init(nodeAddr).valueOr:
     return err("failed to parse mix node address: " & $nodeAddr & ", error: " & error)
+
   let localMixNodeInfo = initMixNodeInfo(
-    peermgr.switch.peerInfo.peerId, nodeMultiAddr, mixPubKey, mixPrivKey,
-    peermgr.switch.peerInfo.publicKey.skkey, peermgr.switch.peerInfo.privateKey.skkey,
+    switch.peerInfo.peerId, nodeMultiAddr, mixPubKey, mixPrivKey,
+    switch.peerInfo.publicKey.skkey, switch.peerInfo.privateKey.skkey,
   )
 
-  var m = WakuMix(peerManager: peermgr, clusterId: clusterId, pubKey: mixPubKey)
-  procCall MixProtocol(m).init(
+  let mix = WakuMix(
+    pubKey: mixPubKey,
+    targetMixPoolSize: targetMixPoolSize,
+    currentMixPoolSize: 0,
+    maintenanceInterval: maintenanceInterval,
+    maintenanceIntervalFut: nil,
+    wakuKademlia: wakuKademlia,
+  )
+
+  procCall MixProtocol(mix).init(
     localMixNodeInfo,
-    peermgr.switch,
+    switch,
     delayStrategy =
       ExponentialDelayStrategy.new(meanDelayMs = 50, rng = crypto.newRng()),
   )
 
-  processBootNodes(bootnodes, peermgr, m)
+  return ok(mix)
 
-  if m.nodePool.len < minMixPoolSize:
-    warn "publishing with mix won't work until atleast 3 mix nodes in node pool"
-  return ok(m)
+proc setKademlia*(self: WakuMix, wakuKademlia: WakuKademlia) =
+  self.wakuKademlia = wakuKademlia
 
-proc poolSize*(mix: WakuMix): int =
-  mix.nodePool.len
+method start*(self: WakuMix) {.async.} =
+  if self.started:
+    warn "Starting Waku Mix twice"
+    return
 
-# Mix Protocol
+  info "Starting Waku Mix"
+
+  await procCall start(MixProtocol(self))
+
+  self.maintenanceIntervalFut = self.mixPoolMaintenance(self.maintenanceInterval)
+
+  info "Waku Mix Started"
+
+method stop*(self: WakuMix) {.async.} =
+  if not self.started:
+    return
+
+  info "Stopping Waku Mix"
+
+  if not self.maintenanceIntervalFut.isNil():
+    self.maintenanceIntervalFut.cancelSoon()
+    self.maintenanceIntervalFut = nil
+
+  await procCall stop(MixProtocol(self))
+
+  info "Successfully stopped Waku Mix"