diff --git a/Godeps/_workspace/src/code.google.com/p/mxk/go1/flowcontrol/flowcontrol.go b/Godeps/_workspace/src/code.google.com/p/mxk/go1/flowcontrol/flowcontrol.go
index 40db5d89e..5c3bd3509 100644
--- a/Godeps/_workspace/src/code.google.com/p/mxk/go1/flowcontrol/flowcontrol.go
+++ b/Godeps/_workspace/src/code.google.com/p/mxk/go1/flowcontrol/flowcontrol.go
@@ -72,6 +72,13 @@ func (m *Monitor) Update(n int) int {
 	return n
 }
 
+// Hack to set the current rEMA.
+func (m *Monitor) SetREMA(rEMA float64) {
+	m.mu.Lock()
+	m.rEMA = rEMA
+	m.mu.Unlock()
+}
+
 // IO is a convenience method intended to wrap io.Reader and io.Writer method
 // execution. It calls m.Update(n) and then returns (n, err) unmodified.
 func (m *Monitor) IO(n int, err error) (int, error) {
diff --git a/blockchain/pool.go b/blockchain/pool.go
index 4ddba39f2..66d1934c5 100644
--- a/blockchain/pool.go
+++ b/blockchain/pool.go
@@ -82,9 +82,13 @@ func (pool *BlockPool) makeRequestsRoutine() {
 		if numPending >= maxPendingRequests {
 			// sleep for a bit.
 			time.Sleep(requestIntervalMS * time.Millisecond)
+			// check for timed out peers
+			pool.removeTimedoutPeers()
 		} else if len(pool.requests) >= maxTotalRequests {
 			// sleep for a bit.
 			time.Sleep(requestIntervalMS * time.Millisecond)
+			// check for timed out peers
+			pool.removeTimedoutPeers()
 		} else {
 			// request for more blocks.
 			pool.makeNextRequest()
@@ -92,6 +96,22 @@ func (pool *BlockPool) makeRequestsRoutine() {
 	}
 }
 
+func (pool *BlockPool) removeTimedoutPeers() {
+	for _, peer := range pool.peers {
+		if !peer.didTimeout && peer.numPending > 0 {
+			curRate := peer.recvMonitor.Status().CurRate
+			// XXX remove curRate != 0
+			if curRate != 0 && curRate < minRecvRate {
+				pool.sendTimeout(peer.id)
+				peer.didTimeout = true
+			}
+		}
+		if peer.didTimeout {
+			pool.removePeer(peer.id)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func (pool *BlockPool) GetStatus() (height int, numPending int32) {
 	pool.mtx.Lock() // Lock
 	defer pool.mtx.Unlock()
@@ -228,6 +248,7 @@ func (pool *BlockPool) pickIncrAvailablePeer(minHeight int) *bpPeer {
 		if peer.isBad() {
 			pool.removePeer(peer.id)
 			continue
+		} else {
 		}
 		if peer.numPending >= maxPendingRequestsPerPeer {
 			continue
@@ -309,7 +330,7 @@ func newBPPeer(pool *BlockPool, peerID string, height int) *bpPeer {
 func (bpp *bpPeer) resetMonitor() {
 	bpp.recvMonitor = flow.New(time.Second, time.Second*40)
 	var initialValue = float64(minRecvRate) * math.E
-	bpp.recvMonitor.Update(int(initialValue))
+	bpp.recvMonitor.SetREMA(initialValue)
 }
 
 func (bpp *bpPeer) resetTimeout() {
@@ -339,20 +360,12 @@ func (bpp *bpPeer) decrPending(recvSize int) {
 }
 
 func (bpp *bpPeer) onTimeout() {
+	bpp.pool.sendTimeout(bpp.id)
 	bpp.didTimeout = true
 }
 
 func (bpp *bpPeer) isBad() bool {
-	if bpp.didTimeout {
-		bpp.pool.sendTimeout(bpp.id)
-		return true
-	}
-	if bpp.numPending == 0 {
-		return false
-	} else {
-		bpp.pool.sendTimeout(bpp.id)
-		return bpp.recvMonitor.Status().CurRate < minRecvRate
-	}
+	return bpp.didTimeout
 }
 
 //-------------------------------------
@@ -426,7 +439,6 @@ func (bpr *bpRequester) redo() {
 func (bpr *bpRequester) requestRoutine() {
 OUTER_LOOP:
 	for {
-
 		// Pick a peer to send request to.
 		var peer *bpPeer = nil
 	PICK_PEER_LOOP:
diff --git a/blockchain/pool_test.go b/blockchain/pool_test.go
index a5b30e4db..e22c127f5 100644
--- a/blockchain/pool_test.go
+++ b/blockchain/pool_test.go
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ func makePeers(numPeers int, minHeight, maxHeight int) map[string]testPeer {
 }
 
 func TestBasic(t *testing.T) {
-	peers := makePeers(10, 0, 1000)
 	start := 42
+	peers := makePeers(10, start+1, 1000)
 	timeoutsCh := make(chan string, 100)
 	requestsCh := make(chan BlockRequest, 100)
 	pool := NewBlockPool(start, requestsCh, timeoutsCh)
@@ -77,13 +77,17 @@ func TestBasic(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestTimeout(t *testing.T) {
-	peers := makePeers(10, 0, 1000)
 	start := 42
+	peers := makePeers(10, start+1, 1000)
 	timeoutsCh := make(chan string, 100)
 	requestsCh := make(chan BlockRequest, 100)
 	pool := NewBlockPool(start, requestsCh, timeoutsCh)
 	pool.Start()
 
+	for _, peer := range peers {
+		log.Info("Peer", peer.id)
+	}
+
 	// Introduce each peer.
 	go func() {
 		for _, peer := range peers {