diff --git a/p2p/conn/connection.go b/p2p/conn/connection.go
index 23c8edc9d..7c7cee344 100644
--- a/p2p/conn/connection.go
+++ b/p2p/conn/connection.go
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ FOR_LOOP:
 			c.Logger.Debug("Send Ping")
 			wire.WriteByte(packetTypePing, c.bufWriter, &n, &err)
 			c.sendMonitor.Update(int(n))
-			go c.flush()
+			c.flush()
 			c.Logger.Debug("Starting pong timer")
 			c.pongTimer.Reset(c.config.pongTimeout)
 		case <-c.pongTimer.C:
diff --git a/p2p/conn/connection_test.go b/p2p/conn/connection_test.go
index 5570331e7..863642113 100644
--- a/p2p/conn/connection_test.go
+++ b/p2p/conn/connection_test.go
@@ -137,6 +137,11 @@ func TestPongTimeoutResultsInError(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Nil(t, err)
 	defer mconn.Stop()
 
+	go func() {
+		// read ping
+		server.Read(make([]byte, 1))
+	}()
+
 	expectErrorAfter := 10*time.Millisecond + mconn.config.pingInterval + mconn.config.pongTimeout
 	select {
 	case msgBytes := <-receivedCh: