diff --git a/waku/v2/api/filter/filter_manager.go b/waku/v2/api/filter/filter_manager.go
index a43c3c39..665d577b 100644
--- a/waku/v2/api/filter/filter_manager.go
+++ b/waku/v2/api/filter/filter_manager.go
@@ -61,7 +61,8 @@ type EnevelopeProcessor interface {
 	OnNewEnvelope(env *protocol.Envelope) error
 }
 
-func NewFilterManager(ctx context.Context, logger *zap.Logger, minPeersPerFilter int, envProcessor EnevelopeProcessor, node *filter.WakuFilterLightNode, opts ...SubscribeOptions) *FilterManager {
+func NewFilterManager(ctx context.Context, logger *zap.Logger, minPeersPerFilter int,
+	envProcessor EnevelopeProcessor, node *filter.WakuFilterLightNode, opts ...SubscribeOptions) *FilterManager {
 	// This fn is being mocked in test
 	mgr := new(FilterManager)
 	mgr.ctx = ctx
@@ -162,6 +163,7 @@ func (mgr *FilterManager) subscribeAndRunLoop(f filterConfig) {
 	defer utils.LogOnPanic()
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(mgr.ctx)
 	config := FilterConfig{MaxPeers: mgr.minPeersPerFilter}
+
 	sub, err := Subscribe(ctx, mgr.node, f.contentFilter, config, mgr.logger, mgr.params)
 	mgr.Lock()
 	mgr.filterSubscriptions[f.ID] = SubDetails{cancel, sub}
@@ -188,6 +190,7 @@ func (mgr *FilterManager) OnConnectionStatusChange(pubsubTopic string, newStatus
 	mgr.logger.Debug("inside on connection status change", zap.Bool("new-status", newStatus),
 		zap.Int("agg filters count", len(mgr.filterSubscriptions)), zap.Int("filter subs count", len(subs)))
 	if newStatus && !mgr.onlineChecker.IsOnline() { // switched from offline to Online
+		mgr.onlineChecker.SetOnline(newStatus)
 		mgr.NetworkChange()
 		mgr.logger.Debug("switching from offline to online")
 		mgr.Lock()
diff --git a/waku/v2/api/missing/missing_messages.go b/waku/v2/api/missing/missing_messages.go
index 72ac4f9f..927ffb9c 100644
--- a/waku/v2/api/missing/missing_messages.go
+++ b/waku/v2/api/missing/missing_messages.go
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ type MessageTracker interface {
 // MissingMessageVerifier is used to periodically retrieve missing messages from store nodes that have some specific criteria
 type MissingMessageVerifier struct {
 	ctx    context.Context
+	cancel context.CancelFunc
 	params missingMessageVerifierParams
 
 	storenodeRequestor common.StorenodeRequestor
@@ -43,10 +44,12 @@ type MissingMessageVerifier struct {
 	criteriaInterest   map[string]criteriaInterest // Track message verification requests and when was the last time a pubsub topic was verified for missing messages
 	criteriaInterestMu sync.RWMutex
 
-	C <-chan *protocol.Envelope
+	C chan *protocol.Envelope
 
-	timesource timesource.Timesource
-	logger     *zap.Logger
+	timesource   timesource.Timesource
+	logger       *zap.Logger
+	isRunning    bool
+	runningMutex sync.RWMutex
 }
 
 // NewMissingMessageVerifier creates an instance of a MissingMessageVerifier
@@ -63,6 +66,8 @@ func NewMissingMessageVerifier(storenodeRequester common.StorenodeRequestor, mes
 		messageTracker:     messageTracker,
 		logger:             logger.Named("missing-msg-verifier"),
 		params:             params,
+		criteriaInterest:   make(map[string]criteriaInterest),
+		C:                  make(chan *protocol.Envelope, 1000),
 	}
 }
 
@@ -97,12 +102,24 @@ func (m *MissingMessageVerifier) SetCriteriaInterest(peerID peer.ID, contentFilt
 	m.criteriaInterest[contentFilter.PubsubTopic] = criteriaInterest
 }
 
-func (m *MissingMessageVerifier) Start(ctx context.Context) {
-	m.ctx = ctx
-	m.criteriaInterest = make(map[string]criteriaInterest)
+func (m *MissingMessageVerifier) setRunning(running bool) {
+	m.runningMutex.Lock()
+	defer m.runningMutex.Unlock()
+	m.isRunning = running
+}
 
-	c := make(chan *protocol.Envelope, 1000)
-	m.C = c
+func (m *MissingMessageVerifier) Start(ctx context.Context) {
+	m.runningMutex.Lock()
+	if m.isRunning { //make sure verifier only runs once.
+		m.runningMutex.Unlock()
+		return
+	}
+	m.isRunning = true
+	m.runningMutex.Unlock()
+
+	ctx, cancelFunc := context.WithCancel(ctx)
+	m.ctx = ctx
+	m.cancel = cancelFunc
 
 	go func() {
 		defer utils.LogOnPanic()
@@ -123,24 +140,33 @@ func (m *MissingMessageVerifier) Start(ctx context.Context) {
 				for _, interest := range critIntList {
 					select {
 					case <-ctx.Done():
+						m.setRunning(false)
 						return
 					default:
 						semaphore <- struct{}{}
 						go func(interest criteriaInterest) {
 							defer utils.LogOnPanic()
-							m.fetchHistory(c, interest)
+							m.fetchHistory(m.C, interest)
 							<-semaphore
 						}(interest)
 					}
 				}
 
 			case <-ctx.Done():
+				m.setRunning(false)
 				return
 			}
 		}
 	}()
 }
 
+func (m *MissingMessageVerifier) Stop() {
+	m.cancel()
+	m.runningMutex.Lock()
+	defer m.runningMutex.Unlock()
+	m.isRunning = false
+}
+
 func (m *MissingMessageVerifier) fetchHistory(c chan<- *protocol.Envelope, interest criteriaInterest) {
 	contentTopics := interest.contentFilter.ContentTopics.ToList()
 	for i := 0; i < len(contentTopics); i += maxContentTopicsPerRequest {
diff --git a/waku/v2/peermanager/peer_manager.go b/waku/v2/peermanager/peer_manager.go
index c543cbe8..69a0b23c 100644
--- a/waku/v2/peermanager/peer_manager.go
+++ b/waku/v2/peermanager/peer_manager.go
@@ -102,7 +102,6 @@ const maxFailedAttempts = 5
 const prunePeerStoreInterval = 10 * time.Minute
 const peerConnectivityLoopSecs = 15
 const maxConnsToPeerRatio = 3
-const badPeersCleanupInterval = 1 * time.Minute
 const maxDialFailures = 2
 
 // 80% relay peers 20% service peers
@@ -258,14 +257,13 @@ func (pm *PeerManager) Start(ctx context.Context) {
 	}
 }
 
-func (pm *PeerManager) removeBadPeers() {
-	if !pm.RelayEnabled {
-		for _, peerID := range pm.host.Peerstore().Peers() {
-			if pm.host.Peerstore().(wps.WakuPeerstore).ConnFailures(peerID) > maxDialFailures {
-				//delete peer from peerStore
-				pm.logger.Debug("removing bad peer due to recurring dial failures", zap.Stringer("peerID", peerID))
-				pm.RemovePeer(peerID)
-			}
+func (pm *PeerManager) CheckAndRemoveBadPeer(peerID peer.ID) {
+	if pm.host.Peerstore().(wps.WakuPeerstore).ConnFailures(peerID) > maxDialFailures &&
+		pm.peerConnector.onlineChecker.IsOnline() {
+		if origin, _ := pm.host.Peerstore().(wps.WakuPeerstore).Origin(peerID); origin != wps.Static { // delete only if a peer is discovered and not configured statically.
+			//delete peer from peerStore
+			pm.logger.Debug("removing bad peer due to recurring dial failures", zap.Stringer("peerID", peerID))
+			pm.RemovePeer(peerID)
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -273,17 +271,13 @@ func (pm *PeerManager) removeBadPeers() {
 func (pm *PeerManager) peerStoreLoop(ctx context.Context) {
 	defer utils.LogOnPanic()
 	t := time.NewTicker(prunePeerStoreInterval)
-	t1 := time.NewTicker(badPeersCleanupInterval)
 	defer t.Stop()
-	defer t1.Stop()
 	for {
 		select {
 		case <-ctx.Done():
 			return
 		case <-t.C:
 			pm.prunePeerStore()
-		case <-t1.C:
-			pm.removeBadPeers()
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -749,6 +743,7 @@ 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)
 	}
@@ -762,9 +757,4 @@ func (pm *PeerManager) HandleDialError(err error, peerID peer.ID) {
 			pm.logger.Error("failed to emit DialError", zap.Error(emitterErr))
 		}
 	}
-	if !pm.RelayEnabled && pm.host.Peerstore().(wps.WakuPeerstore).ConnFailures(peerID) >= maxDialFailures {
-		//delete peer from peerStore
-		pm.logger.Debug("removing bad peer due to recurring dial failures", zap.Stringer("peerID", peerID))
-		pm.RemovePeer(peerID)
-	}
 }
diff --git a/waku/v2/protocol/filter/client.go b/waku/v2/protocol/filter/client.go
index 3d81048d..8fbcd91c 100644
--- a/waku/v2/protocol/filter/client.go
+++ b/waku/v2/protocol/filter/client.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/network"
 	"github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/peer"
 	libp2pProtocol "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/protocol"
+	"github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/p2p/net/swarm"
 	"github.com/libp2p/go-msgio/pbio"
 	"github.com/prometheus/client_golang/prometheus"
 	"github.com/waku-org/go-waku/logging"
@@ -267,6 +268,10 @@ func (wf *WakuFilterLightNode) request(ctx context.Context, requestID []byte,
 		wf.metrics.RecordError(dialFailure)
 		if wf.pm != nil {
 			wf.pm.HandleDialError(err, peerID)
+			if errors.Is(err, swarm.ErrAllDialsFailed) ||
+				errors.Is(err, swarm.ErrDialBackoff) || errors.Is(err, swarm.ErrNoAddresses) {
+				wf.pm.CheckAndRemoveBadPeer(peerID)
+			}
 		}
 		return err
 	}
@@ -355,7 +360,7 @@ func (wf *WakuFilterLightNode) handleFilterSubscribeOptions(ctx context.Context,
 	if params.pm != nil && reqPeerCount > 0 {
 
 		wf.log.Debug("handleFilterSubscribeOptions", zap.Int("peerCount", reqPeerCount), zap.Int("excludePeersLen", len(params.peersToExclude)))
-		params.selectedPeers, err = wf.pm.SelectPeers(
+		selectedPeers, err := wf.pm.SelectPeers(
 			peermanager.PeerSelectionCriteria{
 				SelectionType: params.peerSelectionType,
 				Proto:         FilterSubscribeID_v20beta1,
@@ -368,7 +373,12 @@ func (wf *WakuFilterLightNode) handleFilterSubscribeOptions(ctx context.Context,
 		)
 		if err != nil {
 			wf.log.Error("peer selection returned err", zap.Error(err))
-			return nil, nil, err
+			if len(params.selectedPeers) == 0 {
+				return nil, nil, err
+			}
+		}
+		if len(selectedPeers) > 0 {
+			params.selectedPeers = append(params.selectedPeers, selectedPeers...)
 		}
 	}
 	wf.log.Debug("handleFilterSubscribeOptions exit", zap.Int("selectedPeerCount", len(params.selectedPeers)))
diff --git a/waku/v2/protocol/filter/filter_health_check.go b/waku/v2/protocol/filter/filter_health_check.go
index 126090d9..7bdd1569 100644
--- a/waku/v2/protocol/filter/filter_health_check.go
+++ b/waku/v2/protocol/filter/filter_health_check.go
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ func (wf *WakuFilterLightNode) PingPeer(peer peer.ID) {
 	ctxWithTimeout, cancel := context.WithTimeout(wf.CommonService.Context(), PingTimeout)
 	defer cancel()
 	err := wf.Ping(ctxWithTimeout, peer)
-	if err != nil {
+	if err != nil && wf.onlineChecker.IsOnline() {
 		wf.log.Warn("Filter ping failed towards peer", zap.Stringer("peer", peer), zap.Error(err))
 		//quickly retry ping again before marking subscription as failure
 		//Note that PingTimeout is a fraction of PingInterval so this shouldn't cause parallel pings being sent.
diff --git a/waku/v2/protocol/lightpush/waku_lightpush.go b/waku/v2/protocol/lightpush/waku_lightpush.go
index 7e411a4a..c6bed8c2 100644
--- a/waku/v2/protocol/lightpush/waku_lightpush.go
+++ b/waku/v2/protocol/lightpush/waku_lightpush.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/network"
 	"github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/peer"
 	libp2pProtocol "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/protocol"
+	"github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/p2p/net/swarm"
 	"github.com/libp2p/go-msgio/pbio"
 	"github.com/prometheus/client_golang/prometheus"
 	"github.com/waku-org/go-waku/logging"
@@ -198,6 +199,10 @@ func (wakuLP *WakuLightPush) request(ctx context.Context, req *pb.PushRequest, p
 		wakuLP.metrics.RecordError(dialFailure)
 		if wakuLP.pm != nil {
 			wakuLP.pm.HandleDialError(err, peerID)
+			if errors.Is(err, swarm.ErrAllDialsFailed) ||
+				errors.Is(err, swarm.ErrDialBackoff) || errors.Is(err, swarm.ErrNoAddresses) {
+				wakuLP.pm.CheckAndRemoveBadPeer(peerID)
+			}
 		}
 		return nil, err
 	}