diff --git a/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/gossipsub.nim b/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/gossipsub.nim
index d684a4a36..4de07383e 100644
--- a/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/gossipsub.nim
+++ b/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/gossipsub.nim
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ proc init*(_: type[TopicParams]): TopicParams =
     meshMessageDeliveriesCap: 10,
     meshMessageDeliveriesThreshold: 5,
     meshMessageDeliveriesWindow: 5.milliseconds,
-    meshMessageDeliveriesActivation: 1.seconds,
+    meshMessageDeliveriesActivation: 10.seconds,
     meshFailurePenaltyWeight: -1.0,
     meshFailurePenaltyDecay: 0.5,
     invalidMessageDeliveriesWeight: -1.0,
@@ -502,6 +502,7 @@ proc updateScores(g: GossipSub) = # avoid async
 
       topicScore += info.firstMessageDeliveries * topicParams.firstMessageDeliveriesWeight
       debug "p2", peer, p2 = info.firstMessageDeliveries
+
       if info.meshMessageDeliveriesActive:
         if info.meshMessageDeliveries < topicParams.meshMessageDeliveriesThreshold:
           let deficit = topicParams.meshMessageDeliveriesThreshold - info.meshMessageDeliveries
@@ -515,7 +516,7 @@ proc updateScores(g: GossipSub) = # avoid async
       topicScore += info.invalidMessageDeliveries * info.invalidMessageDeliveries * topicParams.invalidMessageDeliveriesWeight
       debug "p4", p4 = info.invalidMessageDeliveries * info.invalidMessageDeliveries
 
-      debug "updated peer topic's scores", peer, topic, info
+      debug "updated peer topic's scores", peer, topic, info, topicScore
 
       peer.score += topicScore * topicParams.topicWeight
 
@@ -555,6 +556,16 @@ proc heartbeat(g: GossipSub) {.async.} =
       for t in toSeq(g.topics.keys):
         await g.rebalanceMesh(t)
 
+        # prune every negative score peer
+        let meshPeers = g.mesh.getOrDefault(t)
+        var prunes: seq[Future[void]]
+        for peer in meshPeers:
+          if peer.score < 0.0:
+            g.pruned(peer, t)
+            g.mesh.removePeer(t, peer)
+            prunes.add(peer.sendPrune(@[t]))
+        prunes.allFinished.await.checkFutures()
+
       g.dropFanoutPeers()
 
       # replenish known topics to the fanout
@@ -566,7 +577,7 @@ proc heartbeat(g: GossipSub) {.async.} =
       for peer in peers.keys:
         if peer in g.peers:
           sent &= g.peers[peer].send(RPCMsg(control: some(peers[peer])))
-      checkFutures(await allFinished(sent))
+      sent.allFinished.await.checkFutures()
 
       g.mcache.shift() # shift the cache
     except CancelledError as exc:
@@ -608,7 +619,7 @@ method handleDisconnect*(g: GossipSub, peer: PubSubPeer) =
     g.explicitPeers.excl(peer.id)
   
   # don't retain bad score peers
-  if peer.score > 0:
+  if peer.score < 0.0:
     g.peerStats.del(peer)
     return