diff --git a/codex/blockexchange/network/network.nim b/codex/blockexchange/network/network.nim
index d50bfd84..40ba33a2 100644
--- a/codex/blockexchange/network/network.nim
+++ b/codex/blockexchange/network/network.nim
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ proc handleWantList(
   if isNil(b.handlers.onWantList):
     return
 
-  trace "Handling want list for peer", peer = peer.id
+  trace "Handling want list for peer", peer = peer.id, items = list.entries.len
   b.handlers.onWantList(peer.id, list)
 
 # TODO: make into a template
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ proc broadcastWantList*(
   if id notin b.peers:
     return
 
-  trace "Sending want list to peer", peer = id, `type` = $wantType, len = cids.len
+  trace "Sending want list to peer", peer = id, `type` = $wantType, items = cids.len
 
   let
     wantList = makeWantList(
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ proc handleBlocks(
   if isNil(b.handlers.onBlocks):
     return
 
-  trace "Handling blocks for peer", peer = peer.id
+  trace "Handling blocks for peer", peer = peer.id, items = blocks.len
 
   var blks: seq[bt.Block]
   for blob in blocks:
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ proc broadcastBlocks*(
     return
 
   b.peers.withValue(id, peer):
-    trace "Sending blocks to peer", peer = id, len = blocks.len
+    trace "Sending blocks to peer", peer = id, items = blocks.len
     peer[].broadcast(pb.Message(payload: makeBlocks(blocks)))
 
 proc handleBlockPresence(
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ proc handleBlockPresence(
   if isNil(b.handlers.onPresence):
     return
 
-  trace "Handling block presence for peer", peer = peer.id
+  trace "Handling block presence for peer", peer = peer.id, items = presence.len
   b.handlers.onPresence(peer.id, presence)
 
 proc broadcastBlockPresence*(
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ proc broadcastBlockPresence*(
   if id notin b.peers:
     return
 
-  trace "Sending presence to peer", peer = id
+  trace "Sending presence to peer", peer = id, items = presence.len
   b.peers.withValue(id, peer):
     peer[].broadcast(Message(blockPresences: @presence))
 
diff --git a/codex/blockexchange/network/networkpeer.nim b/codex/blockexchange/network/networkpeer.nim
index 964a8586..1a213383 100644
--- a/codex/blockexchange/network/networkpeer.nim
+++ b/codex/blockexchange/network/networkpeer.nim
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ proc readLoop*(b: NetworkPeer, conn: Connection) {.async.} =
     return
 
   try:
-    while not conn.atEof:
+    while not conn.atEof or not conn.closed:
       let
         data = await conn.readLp(MaxMessageSize)
         msg: Message = Protobuf.decode(data, Message)
diff --git a/codex/node.nim b/codex/node.nim
index 82e73763..8ae3a1c9 100644
--- a/codex/node.nim
+++ b/codex/node.nim
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@ import ./contracts
 logScope:
   topics = "codex node"
 
+const
+  PrefetchBatch = 100
+
 type
   CodexError = object of CatchableError
 
@@ -128,8 +131,12 @@ proc retrieve*(
       ## Initiates requests to all blocks in the manifest
       ##
       try:
-        discard await allFinished(
-          manifest.mapIt( node.blockStore.getBlock( it ) ))
+        let
+          batch = manifest.blocks.len div PrefetchBatch
+        trace "Prefetching in batches of", batch
+        for blks in manifest.blocks.distribute(batch, true):
+          discard await allFinished(
+            blks.mapIt( node.blockStore.getBlock( it ) ))
       except CatchableError as exc:
         trace "Exception prefetching blocks", exc = exc.msg
 
diff --git a/codex/stores/fsstore.nim b/codex/stores/fsstore.nim
index ac98d42d..de846e50 100644
--- a/codex/stores/fsstore.nim
+++ b/codex/stores/fsstore.nim
@@ -150,10 +150,6 @@ method listBlocks*(self: FSStore, onBlock: OnBlock) {.async.} =
         except CatchableError as exc:
           trace "Couldn't get block", cid = $(cid.get())
 
-      # TODO: this should run on a thread which
-      # wouldn't need the sleep
-      await sleepAsync(100.millis) # avoid blocking
-
 proc new*(
   T: type FSStore,
   repoDir: string,