diff --git a/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/gossipsub/scoring.nim b/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/gossipsub/scoring.nim
index e1a40c59f..7a2bf21a2 100644
--- a/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/gossipsub/scoring.nim
+++ b/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/gossipsub/scoring.nim
@@ -242,7 +242,8 @@ proc updateScores*(g: GossipSub) = # avoid async
 
     trace "updated peer's score", peer, score = peer.score, n_topics, is_grafted
 
-    if g.parameters.disconnectBadPeers and stats.score < g.parameters.graylistThreshold:
+    if g.parameters.disconnectBadPeers and stats.score < g.parameters.graylistThreshold and
+        peer.peerId notin g.parameters.directPeers:
       debug "disconnecting bad score peer", peer, score = peer.score
       asyncSpawn(try: g.disconnectPeer(peer) except Exception as exc: raiseAssert exc.msg)
 
diff --git a/tests/pubsub/testgossipsub2.nim b/tests/pubsub/testgossipsub2.nim
index 6e9c8913d..4c960d1ce 100644
--- a/tests/pubsub/testgossipsub2.nim
+++ b/tests/pubsub/testgossipsub2.nim
@@ -182,10 +182,6 @@ suite "GossipSub":
     await allFuturesThrowing(nodesFut.concat())
 
   asyncTest "GossipSub test directPeers":
-    var handlerFut = newFuture[bool]()
-    proc handler(topic: string, data: seq[byte]) {.async, gcsafe.} =
-      check topic == "foobar"
-      handlerFut.complete(true)
 
     let
       nodes = generateNodes(2, gossip = true)
@@ -221,6 +217,7 @@ suite "GossipSub":
     # DO NOT SUBSCRIBE, CONNECTION SHOULD HAPPEN
     ### await subscribeNodes(nodes)
 
+    proc handler(topic: string, data: seq[byte]) {.async, gcsafe.} = discard
     nodes[0].subscribe("foobar", handler)
     nodes[1].subscribe("foobar", handler)
 
@@ -238,6 +235,113 @@ suite "GossipSub":
 
     await allFuturesThrowing(nodesFut.concat())
 
+  asyncTest "GossipSub directPeers: always forward messages":
+    let
+      nodes = generateNodes(2, gossip = true)
+
+      # start switches
+      nodesFut = await allFinished(
+        nodes[0].switch.start(),
+        nodes[1].switch.start(),
+      )
+
+    GossipSub(nodes[0]).parameters.directPeers[nodes[1].switch.peerInfo.peerId] = nodes[1].switch.peerInfo.addrs
+    GossipSub(nodes[1]).parameters.directPeers[nodes[0].switch.peerInfo.peerId] = nodes[0].switch.peerInfo.addrs
+
+    # start pubsub
+    await allFuturesThrowing(
+      allFinished(
+        nodes[0].start(),
+        nodes[1].start(),
+    ))
+
+    var handlerFut = newFuture[void]()
+    proc handler(topic: string, data: seq[byte]) {.async, gcsafe.} =
+      check topic == "foobar"
+      handlerFut.complete()
+
+    nodes[0].subscribe("foobar", handler)
+    nodes[1].subscribe("foobar", handler)
+
+    tryPublish await nodes[0].publish("foobar", toBytes("hellow")), 1
+
+    await handlerFut
+
+    # peer shouldn't be in our mesh
+    check "foobar" notin GossipSub(nodes[0]).mesh
+    check "foobar" notin GossipSub(nodes[1]).mesh
+
+    await allFuturesThrowing(
+      nodes[0].switch.stop(),
+      nodes[1].switch.stop()
+    )
+
+    await allFuturesThrowing(
+      nodes[0].stop(),
+      nodes[1].stop()
+    )
+
+    await allFuturesThrowing(nodesFut.concat())
+
+  asyncTest "GossipSub directPeers: don't kick direct peer with low score":
+    let
+      nodes = generateNodes(2, gossip = true)
+
+      # start switches
+      nodesFut = await allFinished(
+        nodes[0].switch.start(),
+        nodes[1].switch.start(),
+      )
+
+    GossipSub(nodes[0]).parameters.directPeers[nodes[1].switch.peerInfo.peerId] = nodes[1].switch.peerInfo.addrs
+    GossipSub(nodes[1]).parameters.directPeers[nodes[0].switch.peerInfo.peerId] = nodes[0].switch.peerInfo.addrs
+
+    GossipSub(nodes[1]).parameters.disconnectBadPeers = true
+    GossipSub(nodes[1]).parameters.graylistThreshold = 100000
+
+    # start pubsub
+    await allFuturesThrowing(
+      allFinished(
+        nodes[0].start(),
+        nodes[1].start(),
+    ))
+
+    var handlerFut = newFuture[void]()
+    proc handler(topic: string, data: seq[byte]) {.async, gcsafe.} =
+      check topic == "foobar"
+      handlerFut.complete()
+
+    nodes[0].subscribe("foobar", handler)
+    nodes[1].subscribe("foobar", handler)
+
+    tryPublish await nodes[0].publish("foobar", toBytes("hellow")), 1
+
+    await handlerFut
+
+    GossipSub(nodes[1]).updateScores()
+    # peer shouldn't be in our mesh
+    check:
+      GossipSub(nodes[1]).peerStats[nodes[0].switch.peerInfo.peerId].score < GossipSub(nodes[1]).parameters.graylistThreshold
+    GossipSub(nodes[1]).updateScores()
+
+    handlerFut = newFuture[void]()
+    tryPublish await nodes[0].publish("foobar", toBytes("hellow2")), 1
+
+    # Without directPeers, this would fail
+    await handlerFut.wait(1.seconds)
+
+    await allFuturesThrowing(
+      nodes[0].switch.stop(),
+      nodes[1].switch.stop()
+    )
+
+    await allFuturesThrowing(
+      nodes[0].stop(),
+      nodes[1].stop()
+    )
+
+    await allFuturesThrowing(nodesFut.concat())
+
   asyncTest "GossipsSub peers disconnections mechanics":
     var runs = 10