diff --git a/eth.nimble b/eth.nimble
index bf79a24..da0a47c 100644
--- a/eth.nimble
+++ b/eth.nimble
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ requires "nim >= 1.6.0",
          "nimcrypto",
          "stint",
          "secp256k1",
-         "chronos",
+         "chronos#head",
          "chronicles",
          "stew",
          "nat_traversal",
diff --git a/eth/p2p/discoveryv5/protocol.nim b/eth/p2p/discoveryv5/protocol.nim
index 7b70aa5..8da5df7 100644
--- a/eth/p2p/discoveryv5/protocol.nim
+++ b/eth/p2p/discoveryv5/protocol.nim
@@ -253,24 +253,27 @@ func updateRecord*(
   # TODO: Would it make sense to actively ping ("broadcast") to all the peers
   # we stored a handshake with in order to get that ENR updated?
 
-proc send*(d: Protocol, a: Address, data: seq[byte]) =
+proc sendTo(d: Protocol, a: Address, data: seq[byte]): Future[void] {.async.} =
   let ta = initTAddress(a.ip, a.port)
-  let f = d.transp.sendTo(ta, data)
-  f.callback = proc(data: pointer) {.gcsafe.} =
-    if f.failed:
-      # Could be `TransportUseClosedError` in case the transport is already
-      # closed, or could be `TransportOsError` in case of a socket error.
-      # In the latter case this would probably mostly occur if the network
-      # interface underneath gets disconnected or similar.
-      # It could also be an "Operation not permitted" error, which would
-      # indicate a firewall restriction kicking in.
-      # TODO: Should this kind of error be propagated upwards? Probably, but
-      # it should not stop the process as that would reset the discovery
-      # progress in case there is even a small window of no connection.
-      # One case that needs this error available upwards is when revalidating
-      # nodes. Else the revalidation might end up clearing the routing tabl
-      # because of ping failures due to own network connection failure.
-      warn "Discovery send failed", msg = f.readError.msg, address = a
+  try:
+    await d.transp.sendTo(ta, data)
+  except CatchableError as e:
+    # Could be `TransportUseClosedError` in case the transport is already
+    # closed, or could be `TransportOsError` in case of a socket error.
+    # In the latter case this would probably mostly occur if the network
+    # interface underneath gets disconnected or similar.
+    # It could also be an "Operation not permitted" error, which would
+    # indicate a firewall restriction kicking in.
+    # TODO: Should this kind of error be propagated upwards? Probably, but
+    # it should not stop the process as that would reset the discovery
+    # progress in case there is even a small window of no connection.
+    # One case that needs this error available upwards is when revalidating
+    # nodes. Else the revalidation might end up clearing the routing tabl
+    # because of ping failures due to own network connection failure.
+    warn "Discovery send failed", msg = e.msg, address = a
+
+proc send*(d: Protocol, a: Address, data: seq[byte]) =
+  asyncSpawn sendTo(d, a, data)
 
 proc send(d: Protocol, n: Node, data: seq[byte]) =
   doAssert(n.address.isSome())
diff --git a/eth/utp/utp_socket.nim b/eth/utp/utp_socket.nim
index c6b35a9..8cf4580 100644
--- a/eth/utp/utp_socket.nim
+++ b/eth/utp/utp_socket.nim
@@ -452,11 +452,11 @@ proc registerOutgoingPacket(socket: UtpSocket, oPacket: OutgoingPacket) =
   inc socket.seqNr
   inc socket.curWindowPackets
 
-proc sendData(socket: UtpSocket, data: seq[byte]) =
-  let f = socket.send(socket.remoteAddress, data)
-  f.callback = proc(data: pointer) {.gcsafe.} =
-    if f.failed:
-      warn "UTP send failed", msg = f.readError.msg
+proc sendData(socket: UtpSocket, data: seq[byte]): Future[void] {.async.} =
+  try:
+    await socket.send(socket.remoteAddress, data)
+  except CatchableError as e:
+    warn "UTP send failed", msg = e.msg
 
 proc sendPacket(socket: UtpSocket, seqNr: uint16) =
   proc setSend(p: var OutgoingPacket): seq[byte] =
@@ -474,7 +474,7 @@ proc sendPacket(socket: UtpSocket, seqNr: uint16) =
 
     return p.packetBytes
 
-  socket.sendData(setSend(socket.outBuffer[seqNr]))
+  asyncSpawn socket.sendData(setSend(socket.outBuffer[seqNr]))
 
 proc resetSendTimeout(socket: UtpSocket) =
   socket.retransmitTimeout = socket.rto
@@ -1108,7 +1108,7 @@ proc sendAck(socket: UtpSocket) =
     pkAckNr = ackPacket.header.ackNr,
     gotEACK = ackPacket.eack.isSome()
 
-  socket.sendData(encodePacket(ackPacket))
+  asyncSpawn socket.sendData(encodePacket(ackPacket))
 
 
 proc tryfinalizeConnection(socket: UtpSocket, p: Packet) =
@@ -2077,5 +2077,5 @@ proc startOutgoingSocket*(socket: UtpSocket): Future[void] =
   socket.registerOutgoingPacket(outgoingPacket)
   socket.startEventLoop()
   socket.startTimeoutLoop()
-  socket.sendData(outgoingPacket.packetBytes)
+  asyncSpawn socket.sendData(outgoingPacket.packetBytes)
   return socket.connectionFuture
diff --git a/tests/utp/test_discv5_protocol.nim b/tests/utp/test_discv5_protocol.nim
index 30e9c97..fba1d34 100644
--- a/tests/utp/test_discv5_protocol.nim
+++ b/tests/utp/test_discv5_protocol.nim
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ procSuite "Utp protocol over discovery v5 tests":
     check:
       (await node1.ping(node2.localNode)).isOk()
 
-    let numOfBytes = 5000
+    let numOfBytes = 20_000
     let clientSocketResult = await utp1.connectTo(NodeAddress.init(node2.localNode).unsafeGet())
     let clientSocket = clientSocketResult.get()
 
diff --git a/tests/utp/test_protocol.nim b/tests/utp/test_protocol.nim
index d7ad467..31d63ae 100644
--- a/tests/utp/test_protocol.nim
+++ b/tests/utp/test_protocol.nim
@@ -270,8 +270,8 @@ procSuite "Utp protocol over udp tests":
 
       (not s.serverSocket.isConnected())
 
-    # 5000 bytes is over maximal packet size
-    let bytesToTransfer = rng[].generateBytes(5000)
+    # 20_000 bytes is way over maximal packet size
+    let bytesToTransfer = rng[].generateBytes(20_000)
 
     let bytesReceivedFromClient = await transferData(s.clientSocket, s.serverSocket, bytesToTransfer)
     let bytesReceivedFromServer = await transferData(s.serverSocket, s.clientSocket, bytesToTransfer)