diff --git a/src/main/java/org/qortal/network/RNSNetwork.java b/src/main/java/org/qortal/network/RNSNetwork.java
index bac63f9f..003397d4 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/qortal/network/RNSNetwork.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/qortal/network/RNSNetwork.java
@@ -487,6 +487,7 @@ public class RNSNetwork {
             log.info("prunePeers - pLink: {}, destinationHash: {}",
                 pLink, Hex.encodeHexString(p.getDestinationHash()));
             log.debug("peer: {}", p);
+            p.pingRemote();
             if (nonNull(pLink)) {
                 if (p.getPeerTimedOut()) {
                     // close peer link for now
@@ -504,6 +505,8 @@ public class RNSNetwork {
                     p.shutdown();
                     peerList.remove(p);
                 }
+            } else {
+                peerList.remove(p);
             }
         }
         //removeExpiredPeers(this.linkedPeers);