diff --git a/p2p/conn/connection.go b/p2p/conn/connection.go
index 938c3eb2c..46e363017 100644
--- a/p2p/conn/connection.go
+++ b/p2p/conn/connection.go
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ func NewMConnectionWithConfig(conn net.Conn, chDescs []*ChannelDescriptor, onRec
 		sendMonitor: flow.New(0, 0),
 		recvMonitor: flow.New(0, 0),
 		send:        make(chan struct{}, 1),
-		pong:        make(chan struct{}),
+		pong:        make(chan struct{}, 1),
 		onReceive:   onReceive,
 		onError:     onError,
 		config:      config,
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ func (c *MConnection) OnStart() error {
 	c.quit = make(chan struct{})
 	c.flushTimer = cmn.NewThrottleTimer("flush", c.config.FlushThrottle)
 	c.pingTimer = cmn.NewRepeatTimer("ping", c.config.PingInterval)
-	c.pongTimeoutCh = make(chan bool)
+	c.pongTimeoutCh = make(chan bool, 1)
 	c.chStatsTimer = cmn.NewRepeatTimer("chStats", updateStats)
 	go c.sendRoutine()
 	go c.recvRoutine()
@@ -492,8 +492,8 @@ FOR_LOOP:
 			c.Logger.Debug("Receive Pong")
 			select {
 			case c.pongTimeoutCh <- false:
-			case <-c.quit:
-				break FOR_LOOP
+			default:
+				// never block
 			}
 		case packetTypeMsg:
 			pkt, n, err := msgPacket{}, int(0), error(nil)
diff --git a/p2p/conn/connection_test.go b/p2p/conn/connection_test.go
index 270b4ae92..d308ea61a 100644
--- a/p2p/conn/connection_test.go
+++ b/p2p/conn/connection_test.go
@@ -22,10 +22,10 @@ func createTestMConnection(conn net.Conn) *MConnection {
 }
 
 func createMConnectionWithCallbacks(conn net.Conn, onReceive func(chID byte, msgBytes []byte), onError func(r interface{})) *MConnection {
-	chDescs := []*ChannelDescriptor{&ChannelDescriptor{ID: 0x01, Priority: 1, SendQueueCapacity: 1}}
 	cfg := DefaultMConnConfig()
 	cfg.PingInterval = 90 * time.Millisecond
 	cfg.PongTimeout = 45 * time.Millisecond
+	chDescs := []*ChannelDescriptor{&ChannelDescriptor{ID: 0x01, Priority: 1, SendQueueCapacity: 1}}
 	c := NewMConnectionWithConfig(conn, chDescs, onReceive, onError, cfg)
 	c.SetLogger(log.TestingLogger())
 	return c
@@ -224,6 +224,7 @@ func TestMConnectionMultiplePings(t *testing.T) {
 	defer mconn.Stop()
 
 	// sending 3 pings in a row (abuse)
+	// see https://github.com/tendermint/tendermint/issues/1190
 	_, err = server.Write([]byte{packetTypePing})
 	require.Nil(t, err)
 	_, err = server.Read(make([]byte, 1))