diff --git a/libp2p/connmanager.nim b/libp2p/connmanager.nim
index ad37f0061..970f93597 100644
--- a/libp2p/connmanager.nim
+++ b/libp2p/connmanager.nim
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ logScope:
 
 declareGauge(libp2p_peers, "total connected peers")
 
-const MaxConnectionsPerPeer = 5
+const
+  MaxConnectionsPerPeer = 5
 
 type
   TooManyConnections* = object of CatchableError
@@ -236,12 +237,17 @@ proc cleanupConn(c: ConnManager, conn: Connection) {.async.} =
 
   trace "Connection cleaned up", conn
 
-proc peerStartup(c: ConnManager, conn: Connection) {.async.} =
+proc onConnUpgraded(c: ConnManager, conn: Connection) {.async.} =
   try:
     trace "Triggering connect events", conn
+    doAssert(not isNil(conn.upgraded),
+      "The `upgraded` event hasn't been properly initialized!")
+    conn.upgraded.complete()
+
     let peerId = conn.peerInfo.peerId
     await c.triggerPeerEvents(
       peerId, PeerEvent(kind: PeerEventKind.Joined, initiator: conn.dir == Direction.Out))
+
     await c.triggerConnEvent(
       peerId, ConnEvent(kind: ConnEventKind.Connected, incoming: conn.dir == Direction.In))
   except CatchableError as exc:
@@ -384,7 +390,7 @@ proc storeMuxer*(c: ConnManager,
   trace "Stored muxer",
     muxer, handle = not handle.isNil, connections = c.conns.len
 
-  asyncSpawn c.peerStartup(muxer.connection)
+  asyncSpawn c.onConnUpgraded(muxer.connection)
 
 proc getStream*(c: ConnManager,
                      peerId: PeerID,
diff --git a/libp2p/protocols/secure/secure.nim b/libp2p/protocols/secure/secure.nim
index 22395ee1e..1a47b0083 100644
--- a/libp2p/protocols/secure/secure.nim
+++ b/libp2p/protocols/secure/secure.nim
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ proc init*(T: type SecureConn,
              peerInfo: peerInfo,
              observedAddr: observedAddr,
              closeEvent: conn.closeEvent,
+             upgraded: conn.upgraded,
              timeout: timeout,
              dir: conn.dir)
   result.initStream()
diff --git a/libp2p/stream/connection.nim b/libp2p/stream/connection.nim
index a20e98ec7..eae67c645 100644
--- a/libp2p/stream/connection.nim
+++ b/libp2p/stream/connection.nim
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ type
     timeoutHandler*: TimeoutHandler # timeout handler
     peerInfo*: PeerInfo
     observedAddr*: Multiaddress
+    upgraded*: Future[void]
 
 proc timeoutMonitor(s: Connection) {.async, gcsafe.}
 
@@ -49,6 +50,9 @@ method initStream*(s: Connection) =
 
   doAssert(isNil(s.timerTaskFut))
 
+  if isNil(s.upgraded):
+    s.upgraded = newFuture[void]()
+
   if s.timeout > 0.millis:
     trace "Monitoring for timeout", s, timeout = s.timeout
 
@@ -61,10 +65,15 @@ method initStream*(s: Connection) =
 method closeImpl*(s: Connection): Future[void] =
   # Cleanup timeout timer
   trace "Closing connection", s
+
   if not isNil(s.timerTaskFut) and not s.timerTaskFut.finished:
     s.timerTaskFut.cancel()
     s.timerTaskFut = nil
 
+  if not isNil(s.upgraded) and not s.upgraded.finished:
+    s.upgraded.cancel()
+    s.upgraded = nil
+
   trace "Closed connection", s
 
   procCall LPStream(s).closeImpl()
diff --git a/libp2p/stream/lpstream.nim b/libp2p/stream/lpstream.nim
index c433b3a38..1ced16bfd 100644
--- a/libp2p/stream/lpstream.nim
+++ b/libp2p/stream/lpstream.nim
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ method initStream*(s: LPStream) {.base.} =
 
   libp2p_open_streams.inc(labelValues = [s.objName, $s.dir])
   inc getStreamTracker(s.objName).opened
-  debug "Stream created", s, objName = s.objName, dir = $s.dir
+  trace "Stream created", s, objName = s.objName, dir = $s.dir
 
 proc join*(s: LPStream): Future[void] =
   s.closeEvent.wait()
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ method closeImpl*(s: LPStream): Future[void] {.async, base.} =
   s.closeEvent.fire()
   libp2p_open_streams.dec(labelValues = [s.objName, $s.dir])
   inc getStreamTracker(s.objName).closed
-  debug "Closed stream", s, objName = s.objName, dir = $s.dir
+  trace "Closed stream", s, objName = s.objName, dir = $s.dir
 
 method close*(s: LPStream): Future[void] {.base, async.} = # {.raises [Defect].}
   ## close the stream - this may block, but will not raise exceptions
diff --git a/libp2p/switch.nim b/libp2p/switch.nim
index d254ae608..9dbc31b2c 100644
--- a/libp2p/switch.nim
+++ b/libp2p/switch.nim
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import stream/connection,
        peerinfo,
        protocols/identify,
        muxers/muxer,
+       utils/semaphore,
        connmanager,
        peerid,
        errors
@@ -45,6 +46,9 @@ declareCounter(libp2p_dialed_peers, "dialed peers")
 declareCounter(libp2p_failed_dials, "failed dials")
 declareCounter(libp2p_failed_upgrade, "peers failed upgrade")
 
+const
+  ConcurrentUpgrades* = 4
+
 type
     UpgradeFailedError* = object of CatchableError
     DialFailedError* = object of CatchableError
@@ -223,23 +227,26 @@ proc upgradeIncoming(s: Switch, incomingConn: Connection) {.async, gcsafe.} = #
     trace "Starting secure handler", conn
     let secure = s.secureManagers.filterIt(it.codec == proto)[0]
 
-    var sconn: Connection
+    var cconn = conn
     try:
-      sconn = await secure.secure(conn, false)
+      var sconn = await secure.secure(cconn, false)
       if isNil(sconn):
         return
 
+      cconn = sconn
       # add the muxer
       for muxer in s.muxers.values:
         ms.addHandler(muxer.codecs, muxer)
 
       # handle subsequent secure requests
-      await ms.handle(sconn)
+      await ms.handle(cconn)
     except CatchableError as exc:
       debug "Exception in secure handler during incoming upgrade", msg = exc.msg, conn
+      if not cconn.upgraded.finished:
+        cconn.upgraded.fail(exc)
     finally:
-      if not isNil(sconn):
-        await sconn.close()
+      if not isNil(cconn):
+        await cconn.close()
 
     trace "Stopped secure handler", conn
 
@@ -254,6 +261,8 @@ proc upgradeIncoming(s: Switch, incomingConn: Connection) {.async, gcsafe.} = #
     await ms.handle(incomingConn, active = true)
   except CatchableError as exc:
     debug "Exception upgrading incoming", exc = exc.msg
+    if not incomingConn.upgraded.finished:
+      incomingConn.upgraded.fail(exc)
   finally:
     await incomingConn.close()
 
@@ -416,31 +425,61 @@ proc mount*[T: LPProtocol](s: Switch, proto: T, matcher: Matcher = nil) {.gcsafe
 
   s.ms.addHandler(proto.codecs, proto, matcher)
 
+proc upgradeMonitor(conn: Connection, upgrades: AsyncSemaphore) {.async.} =
+  ## monitor connection for upgrades
+  ##
+  try:
+    # Since we don't control the flow of the
+    # upgrade, this timeout guarantees that a
+    # "hanged" remote doesn't hold the upgrade
+    # forever
+    await conn.upgraded.wait(30.seconds) # wait for connection to be upgraded
+    trace "Connection upgrade succeeded"
+  except CatchableError as exc:
+    # if not isNil(conn): # for some reason, this can be nil
+    await conn.close()
+
+    trace "Exception awaiting connection upgrade", exc = exc.msg, conn
+  finally:
+    upgrades.release() # don't forget to release the slot!
+
 proc accept(s: Switch, transport: Transport) {.async.} = # noraises
-  ## transport's accept loop
+  ## switch accept loop, ran for every transport
   ##
 
+  let upgrades = AsyncSemaphore.init(ConcurrentUpgrades)
   while transport.running:
     var conn: Connection
     try:
       debug "About to accept incoming connection"
-      conn = await transport.accept()
-      if not isNil(conn):
-        debug "Accepted an incoming connection", conn
-        asyncSpawn s.upgradeIncoming(conn) # perform upgrade on incoming connection
-      else:
+      # remember to always release the slot when
+      # the upgrade succeeds or fails, this is
+      # currently done by the `upgradeMonitor`
+      await upgrades.acquire()        # first wait for an upgrade slot to become available
+      conn = await transport.accept() # next attempt to get a connection
+      if isNil(conn):
         # A nil connection means that we might have hit a
         # file-handle limit (or another non-fatal error),
         # we can get one on the next try, but we should
         # be careful to not end up in a thigh loop that
         # will starve the main event loop, thus we sleep
         # here before retrying.
+        trace "Unable to get a connection, sleeping"
         await sleepAsync(100.millis) # TODO: should be configurable?
+        upgrades.release()
+        continue
+
+      debug "Accepted an incoming connection", conn
+      asyncSpawn upgradeMonitor(conn, upgrades)
+      asyncSpawn s.upgradeIncoming(conn)
+    except CancelledError as exc:
+      trace "releasing semaphore on cancellation"
+      upgrades.release() # always release the slot
     except CatchableError as exc:
       debug "Exception in accept loop, exiting", exc = exc.msg
+      upgrades.release() # always release the slot
       if not isNil(conn):
         await conn.close()
-
       return
 
 proc start*(s: Switch): Future[seq[Future[void]]] {.async, gcsafe.} =
@@ -460,13 +499,6 @@ proc start*(s: Switch): Future[seq[Future[void]]] {.async, gcsafe.} =
 proc stop*(s: Switch) {.async.} =
   trace "Stopping switch"
 
-  for a in s.acceptFuts:
-    if not a.finished:
-      a.cancel()
-
-  checkFutures(
-    await allFinished(s.acceptFuts))
-
   # close and cleanup all connections
   await s.connManager.close()
 
@@ -478,6 +510,18 @@ proc stop*(s: Switch) {.async.} =
     except CatchableError as exc:
       warn "error cleaning up transports", msg = exc.msg
 
+  try:
+    await allFutures(s.acceptFuts)
+      .wait(1.seconds)
+  except CatchableError as exc:
+    trace "Exception while stopping accept loops", exc = exc.msg
+
+  # check that all futures were properly
+  # stopped and otherwise cancel them
+  for a in s.acceptFuts:
+    if not a.finished:
+      a.cancel()
+
   trace "Switch stopped"
 
 proc muxerHandler(s: Switch, muxer: Muxer) {.async, gcsafe.} =
diff --git a/libp2p/transports/tcptransport.nim b/libp2p/transports/tcptransport.nim
index f48cc09cb..50513b19c 100644
--- a/libp2p/transports/tcptransport.nim
+++ b/libp2p/transports/tcptransport.nim
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ proc connHandler*(t: TcpTransport,
       await client.closeWait()
       raise exc
 
-  debug "Handling tcp connection", address = $observedAddr,
+  trace "Handling tcp connection", address = $observedAddr,
                                    dir = $dir,
                                    clients = t.clients[Direction.In].len +
                                    t.clients[Direction.Out].len
@@ -130,7 +130,10 @@ method start*(t: TcpTransport, ma: MultiAddress) {.async.} =
   await procCall Transport(t).start(ma)
   trace "Starting TCP transport"
 
-  t.server = createStreamServer(t.ma, t.flags, t)
+  t.server = createStreamServer(
+    ma = t.ma,
+    flags = t.flags,
+    udata = t)
 
   # always get the resolved address in case we're bound to 0.0.0.0:0
   t.ma = MultiAddress.init(t.server.sock.getLocalAddress()).tryGet()
@@ -142,6 +145,8 @@ method stop*(t: TcpTransport) {.async, gcsafe.} =
   ## stop the transport
   ##
 
+  t.running = false # mark stopped as soon as possible
+
   try:
     trace "Stopping TCP transport"
     await procCall Transport(t).stop() # call base
@@ -160,8 +165,6 @@ method stop*(t: TcpTransport) {.async, gcsafe.} =
     inc getTcpTransportTracker().closed
   except CatchableError as exc:
     trace "Error shutting down tcp transport", exc = exc.msg
-  finally:
-    t.running = false
 
 method accept*(t: TcpTransport): Future[Connection] {.async, gcsafe.} =
   ## accept a new TCP connection
@@ -179,12 +182,12 @@ method accept*(t: TcpTransport): Future[Connection] {.async, gcsafe.} =
     # that can't.
     debug "OS Error", exc = exc.msg
   except TransportTooManyError as exc:
-    warn "Too many files opened", exc = exc.msg
+    debug "Too many files opened", exc = exc.msg
   except TransportUseClosedError as exc:
-    info "Server was closed", exc = exc.msg
+    debug "Server was closed", exc = exc.msg
     raise newTransportClosedError(exc)
   except CatchableError as exc:
-    trace "Unexpected error creating connection", exc = exc.msg
+    warn "Unexpected error creating connection", exc = exc.msg
     raise exc
 
 method dial*(t: TcpTransport,
diff --git a/libp2p/utils/semaphore.nim b/libp2p/utils/semaphore.nim
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..72ed68b75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libp2p/utils/semaphore.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+## Nim-Libp2p
+## Copyright (c) 2020 Status Research & Development GmbH
+## Licensed under either of
+##  * Apache License, version 2.0, ([LICENSE-APACHE](LICENSE-APACHE))
+##  * MIT license ([LICENSE-MIT](LICENSE-MIT))
+## at your option.
+## This file may not be copied, modified, or distributed except according to
+## those terms.
+
+import sequtils
+import chronos, chronicles
+
+# TODO: this should probably go in chronos
+
+logScope:
+  topics = "libp2p semaphore"
+
+type
+  AsyncSemaphore* = ref object of RootObj
+    size*: int
+    count*: int
+    queue*: seq[Future[void]]
+
+proc init*(T: type AsyncSemaphore, size: int): T =
+  T(size: size, count: size)
+
+proc tryAcquire*(s: AsyncSemaphore): bool =
+  ## Attempts to acquire a resource, if successful
+  ## returns true, otherwise false
+  ##
+
+  if s.count > 0 and s.queue.len == 0:
+    s.count.dec
+    trace "Acquired slot", available = s.count, queue = s.queue.len
+    return true
+
+proc acquire*(s: AsyncSemaphore): Future[void] =
+  ## Acquire a resource and decrement the resource
+  ## counter. If no more resources are available,
+  ## the returned future will not complete until
+  ## the resource count goes above 0 again.
+  ##
+
+  let fut = newFuture[void]("AsyncSemaphore.acquire")
+  if s.tryAcquire():
+    fut.complete()
+    return fut
+
+  s.queue.add(fut)
+  s.count.dec
+  trace "Queued slot", available = s.count, queue = s.queue.len
+  return fut
+
+proc release*(s: AsyncSemaphore) =
+  ## Release a resource from the semaphore,
+  ## by picking the first future from the queue
+  ## and completing it and incrementing the
+  ## internal resource count
+  ##
+
+  doAssert(s.count <= s.size)
+
+  if s.count < s.size:
+    trace "Releasing slot", available = s.count,
+                            queue = s.queue.len
+
+    if s.queue.len > 0:
+      var fut = s.queue.pop()
+      if not fut.finished():
+        fut.complete()
+
+    s.count.inc # increment the resource count
+    trace "Released slot", available = s.count,
+                           queue = s.queue.len
+    return
diff --git a/tests/helpers.nim b/tests/helpers.nim
index b8ef25158..20cb85699 100644
--- a/tests/helpers.nim
+++ b/tests/helpers.nim
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ import ../libp2p/stream/lpstream
 import ../libp2p/muxers/mplex/lpchannel
 import ../libp2p/protocols/secure/secure
 
+export unittest
+
 const
   StreamTransportTrackerName = "stream.transport"
   StreamServerTrackerName = "stream.server"
diff --git a/tests/testnative.nim b/tests/testnative.nim
index 06b325895..005d7e8c1 100644
--- a/tests/testnative.nim
+++ b/tests/testnative.nim
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import testvarint,
        testminprotobuf,
-       teststreamseq
+       teststreamseq,
+       testsemaphore
 
 import testminasn1,
        testrsa,
diff --git a/tests/testsemaphore.nim b/tests/testsemaphore.nim
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..39134b69e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/testsemaphore.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+import random
+import chronos
+import ../libp2p/utils/semaphore
+
+import ./helpers
+
+randomize()
+
+suite "AsyncSemaphore":
+  asyncTest "should acquire":
+    let sema = AsyncSemaphore.init(3)
+
+    await sema.acquire()
+    await sema.acquire()
+    await sema.acquire()
+
+    check sema.count == 0
+
+  asyncTest "should release":
+    let sema = AsyncSemaphore.init(3)
+
+    await sema.acquire()
+    await sema.acquire()
+    await sema.acquire()
+
+    check sema.count == 0
+    sema.release()
+    sema.release()
+    sema.release()
+    check sema.count == 3
+
+  asyncTest "should queue acquire":
+    let sema = AsyncSemaphore.init(1)
+
+    await sema.acquire()
+    let fut = sema.acquire()
+
+    check sema.count == -1
+    check sema.queue.len == 1
+    sema.release()
+    sema.release()
+    check sema.count == 1
+
+    await sleepAsync(10.millis)
+    check fut.finished()
+
+  asyncTest "should keep count == size":
+    let sema = AsyncSemaphore.init(1)
+    sema.release()
+    sema.release()
+    sema.release()
+    check sema.count == 1
+
+  asyncTest "should tryAcquire":
+    let sema = AsyncSemaphore.init(1)
+    await sema.acquire()
+    check sema.tryAcquire() == false
+
+  asyncTest "should tryAcquire and acquire":
+    let sema = AsyncSemaphore.init(4)
+    check sema.tryAcquire() == true
+    check sema.tryAcquire() == true
+    check sema.tryAcquire() == true
+    check sema.tryAcquire() == true
+    check sema.count == 0
+
+    let fut = sema.acquire()
+    check fut.finished == false
+    check sema.count == -1
+    # queue is only used when count is < 0
+    check sema.queue.len == 1
+
+    sema.release()
+    sema.release()
+    sema.release()
+    sema.release()
+    sema.release()
+
+    check fut.finished == true
+    check sema.count == 4
+    check sema.queue.len == 0
+
+  asyncTest "should restrict resource access":
+    let sema = AsyncSemaphore.init(3)
+    var resource = 0
+
+    proc task() {.async.} =
+      try:
+        await sema.acquire()
+        resource.inc()
+        check resource > 0 and resource <= 3
+        let sleep = rand(0..10).millis
+        # echo sleep
+        await sleepAsync(sleep)
+      finally:
+        resource.dec()
+        sema.release()
+
+    var tasks: seq[Future[void]]
+    for i in 0..<10:
+      tasks.add(task())
+
+    await allFutures(tasks)