diff --git a/src/core/api.go b/src/core/api.go
index c6e60381..ebc818f5 100644
--- a/src/core/api.go
+++ b/src/core/api.go
@@ -6,8 +6,11 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"net"
 	"net/url"
+	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/Arceliar/phony"
+
 	"github.com/Arceliar/ironwood/network"
 	"github.com/yggdrasil-network/yggdrasil-go/src/address"
 )
@@ -70,32 +73,30 @@ func (c *Core) GetPeers() []PeerInfo {
 		conns[p.Conn] = p
 	}
 
-	c.links.RLock()
-	defer c.links.RUnlock()
-	for info, state := range c.links._links {
-		var peerinfo PeerInfo
-		var conn net.Conn
-		state.RLock()
-		peerinfo.URI = info.uri
-		peerinfo.LastError = state._err
-		peerinfo.LastErrorTime = state._errtime
-		if c := state._conn; c != nil {
-			conn = c
-			peerinfo.Up = true
-			peerinfo.Inbound = state.linkType == linkTypeIncoming
-			peerinfo.RXBytes = c.rx
-			peerinfo.TXBytes = c.tx
-			peerinfo.Uptime = time.Since(c.up)
+	phony.Block(&c.links, func() {
+		for info, state := range c.links._links {
+			var peerinfo PeerInfo
+			var conn net.Conn
+			peerinfo.URI = info.uri
+			peerinfo.LastError = state._err
+			peerinfo.LastErrorTime = state._errtime
+			if c := state._conn; c != nil {
+				conn = c
+				peerinfo.Up = true
+				peerinfo.Inbound = state.linkType == linkTypeIncoming
+				peerinfo.RXBytes = atomic.LoadUint64(&c.rx)
+				peerinfo.TXBytes = atomic.LoadUint64(&c.tx)
+				peerinfo.Uptime = time.Since(c.up)
+			}
+			if p, ok := conns[conn]; ok {
+				peerinfo.Key = p.Key
+				peerinfo.Root = p.Root
+				peerinfo.Port = p.Port
+				peerinfo.Priority = p.Priority
+			}
+			peers = append(peers, peerinfo)
 		}
-		state.RUnlock()
-		if p, ok := conns[conn]; ok {
-			peerinfo.Key = p.Key
-			peerinfo.Root = p.Root
-			peerinfo.Port = p.Port
-			peerinfo.Priority = p.Priority
-		}
-		peers = append(peers, peerinfo)
-	}
+	})
 
 	return peers
 }
diff --git a/src/core/link.go b/src/core/link.go
index 713e4db8..c13d6af3 100644
--- a/src/core/link.go
+++ b/src/core/link.go
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import (
 	"net/url"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
-	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 
@@ -30,13 +29,14 @@ const (
 )
 
 type links struct {
-	core         *Core
-	tcp          *linkTCP           // TCP interface support
-	tls          *linkTLS           // TLS interface support
-	unix         *linkUNIX          // UNIX interface support
-	socks        *linkSOCKS         // SOCKS interface support
-	sync.RWMutex                    // Protects the below
-	_links       map[linkInfo]*link // *link is nil if connection in progress
+	phony.Inbox
+	core  *Core
+	tcp   *linkTCP   // TCP interface support
+	tls   *linkTLS   // TLS interface support
+	unix  *linkUNIX  // UNIX interface support
+	socks *linkSOCKS // SOCKS interface support
+	// _links can only be modified safely from within the links actor
+	_links map[linkInfo]*link // *link is nil if connection in progress
 }
 
 type linkProtocol interface {
@@ -52,13 +52,13 @@ type linkInfo struct {
 
 // link tracks the state of a connection, either persistent or non-persistent
 type link struct {
-	kick         chan struct{} // Attempt to reconnect now, if backing off
-	linkType     linkType      // Type of link, i.e. outbound/inbound, persistent/ephemeral
-	linkProto    string        // Protocol carrier of link, e.g. TCP, AWDL
-	sync.RWMutex               // Protects the below
-	_conn        *linkConn     // Connected link, if any, nil if not connected
-	_err         error         // Last error on the connection, if any
-	_errtime     time.Time     // Last time an error occured
+	kick      chan struct{} // Attempt to reconnect now, if backing off
+	linkType  linkType      // Type of link, i.e. outbound/inbound, persistent/ephemeral
+	linkProto string        // Protocol carrier of link, e.g. TCP, AWDL
+	// The remaining fields can only be modified safely from within the links actor
+	_conn    *linkConn // Connected link, if any, nil if not connected
+	_err     error     // Last error on the connection, if any
+	_errtime time.Time // Last time an error occured
 }
 
 type linkOptions struct {
@@ -131,183 +131,192 @@ const ErrLinkPinnedKeyInvalid = linkError("pinned public key is invalid")
 const ErrLinkUnrecognisedSchema = linkError("link schema unknown")
 
 func (l *links) add(u *url.URL, sintf string, linkType linkType) error {
-	// Generate the link info and see whether we think we already
-	// have an open peering to this peer.
-	lu := urlForLinkInfo(*u)
-	info := linkInfo{
-		uri:   lu.String(),
-		sintf: sintf,
-	}
-
-	// Collect together the link options, these are global options
-	// that are not specific to any given protocol.
-	var options linkOptions
-	for _, pubkey := range u.Query()["key"] {
-		sigPub, err := hex.DecodeString(pubkey)
-		if err != nil {
-			return ErrLinkPinnedKeyInvalid
+	var retErr error
+	phony.Block(l, func() {
+		// Generate the link info and see whether we think we already
+		// have an open peering to this peer.
+		lu := urlForLinkInfo(*u)
+		info := linkInfo{
+			uri:   lu.String(),
+			sintf: sintf,
 		}
-		var sigPubKey keyArray
-		copy(sigPubKey[:], sigPub)
-		if options.pinnedEd25519Keys == nil {
-			options.pinnedEd25519Keys = map[keyArray]struct{}{}
-		}
-		options.pinnedEd25519Keys[sigPubKey] = struct{}{}
-	}
-	if p := u.Query().Get("priority"); p != "" {
-		pi, err := strconv.ParseUint(p, 10, 8)
-		if err != nil {
-			return ErrLinkPriorityInvalid
-		}
-		options.priority = uint8(pi)
-	}
 
-	// If we think we're already connected to this peer, load up
-	// the existing peer state. Try to kick the peer if possible,
-	// which will cause an immediate connection attempt if it is
-	// backing off for some reason.
-	l.Lock()
-	state, ok := l._links[info]
-	if ok && state != nil {
-		select {
-		case state.kick <- struct{}{}:
-		default:
-		}
-		l.Unlock()
-		return ErrLinkAlreadyConfigured
-	}
-
-	// Create the link entry. This will contain the connection
-	// in progress (if any), any error details and a context that
-	// lets the link be cancelled later.
-	state = &link{
-		linkType:  linkType,
-		linkProto: strings.ToUpper(u.Scheme),
-		kick:      make(chan struct{}),
-	}
-
-	// Store the state of the link so that it can be queried later.
-	l._links[info] = state
-	l.Unlock()
-
-	// Track how many consecutive connection failures we have had,
-	// as we will back off exponentially rather than hammering the
-	// remote node endlessly.
-	var backoff int
-
-	// backoffNow is called when there's a connection error. It
-	// will wait for the specified amount of time and then return
-	// true, unless the peering context was cancelled (due to a
-	// peer removal most likely), in which case it returns false.
-	// The caller should check the return value to decide whether
-	// or not to give up trying.
-	backoffNow := func() bool {
-		backoff++
-		duration := time.Second * time.Duration(math.Exp2(float64(backoff)))
-		select {
-		case <-time.After(duration):
-			return true
-		case <-state.kick:
-			return true
-		case <-l.core.ctx.Done():
-			return false
-		}
-	}
-
-	// The goroutine is responsible for attempting the connection
-	// and then running the handler. If the connection is persistent
-	// then the loop will run endlessly, using backoffs as needed.
-	// Otherwise the loop will end, cleaning up the link entry.
-	go func() {
-		defer func() {
-			l.Lock()
-			defer l.Unlock()
-			delete(l._links, info)
-		}()
-
-		// This loop will run each and every time we want to attempt
-		// a connection to this peer.
-		for {
-			conn, err := l.connect(u, info, options)
+		// Collect together the link options, these are global options
+		// that are not specific to any given protocol.
+		var options linkOptions
+		for _, pubkey := range u.Query()["key"] {
+			sigPub, err := hex.DecodeString(pubkey)
 			if err != nil {
-				if linkType == linkTypePersistent {
-					// If the link is a persistent configured peering,
-					// store information about the connection error so
-					// that we can report it through the admin socket.
-					state.Lock()
-					state._conn = nil
-					state._err = err
-					state._errtime = time.Now()
-					state.Unlock()
+				retErr = ErrLinkPinnedKeyInvalid
+				return
+			}
+			var sigPubKey keyArray
+			copy(sigPubKey[:], sigPub)
+			if options.pinnedEd25519Keys == nil {
+				options.pinnedEd25519Keys = map[keyArray]struct{}{}
+			}
+			options.pinnedEd25519Keys[sigPubKey] = struct{}{}
+		}
+		if p := u.Query().Get("priority"); p != "" {
+			pi, err := strconv.ParseUint(p, 10, 8)
+			if err != nil {
+				retErr = ErrLinkPriorityInvalid
+				return
+			}
+			options.priority = uint8(pi)
+		}
 
-					// Back off for a bit. If true is returned here, we
-					// can continue onto the next loop iteration to try
-					// the next connection.
+		// If we think we're already connected to this peer, load up
+		// the existing peer state. Try to kick the peer if possible,
+		// which will cause an immediate connection attempt if it is
+		// backing off for some reason.
+		state, ok := l._links[info]
+		if ok && state != nil {
+			select {
+			case state.kick <- struct{}{}:
+			default:
+			}
+			retErr = ErrLinkAlreadyConfigured
+			return
+		}
+
+		// Create the link entry. This will contain the connection
+		// in progress (if any), any error details and a context that
+		// lets the link be cancelled later.
+		state = &link{
+			linkType:  linkType,
+			linkProto: strings.ToUpper(u.Scheme),
+			kick:      make(chan struct{}),
+		}
+
+		// Store the state of the link so that it can be queried later.
+		l._links[info] = state
+
+		// Track how many consecutive connection failures we have had,
+		// as we will back off exponentially rather than hammering the
+		// remote node endlessly.
+		var backoff int
+
+		// backoffNow is called when there's a connection error. It
+		// will wait for the specified amount of time and then return
+		// true, unless the peering context was cancelled (due to a
+		// peer removal most likely), in which case it returns false.
+		// The caller should check the return value to decide whether
+		// or not to give up trying.
+		backoffNow := func() bool {
+			backoff++
+			duration := time.Second * time.Duration(math.Exp2(float64(backoff)))
+			select {
+			case <-time.After(duration):
+				return true
+			case <-state.kick:
+				return true
+			case <-l.core.ctx.Done():
+				return false
+			}
+		}
+
+		// The goroutine is responsible for attempting the connection
+		// and then running the handler. If the connection is persistent
+		// then the loop will run endlessly, using backoffs as needed.
+		// Otherwise the loop will end, cleaning up the link entry.
+		go func() {
+			defer func() {
+				phony.Block(l, func() {
+					if l._links[info] == state {
+						delete(l._links, info)
+					}
+				})
+			}()
+
+			// This loop will run each and every time we want to attempt
+			// a connection to this peer.
+			// TODO get rid of this loop, this is *exactly* what time.AfterFunc is for, we should just send a signal to the links actor to kick off a goroutine as needed
+			for {
+				conn, err := l.connect(u, info, options)
+				if err != nil {
+					if linkType == linkTypePersistent {
+						// If the link is a persistent configured peering,
+						// store information about the connection error so
+						// that we can report it through the admin socket.
+						phony.Block(l, func() {
+							state._conn = nil
+							state._err = err
+							state._errtime = time.Now()
+						})
+
+						// Back off for a bit. If true is returned here, we
+						// can continue onto the next loop iteration to try
+						// the next connection.
+						if backoffNow() {
+							continue
+						} else {
+							return
+						}
+					} else {
+						// Ephemeral and incoming connections don't remain
+						// after a connection failure, so exit out of the
+						// loop and clean up the link entry.
+						break
+					}
+				}
+
+				// The linkConn wrapper allows us to track the number of
+				// bytes written to and read from this connection without
+				// the help of ironwood.
+				lc := &linkConn{
+					Conn: conn,
+					up:   time.Now(),
+				}
+
+				// Update the link state with our newly wrapped connection.
+				// Clear the error state.
+				var doRet bool
+				phony.Block(l, func() {
+					if state._conn != nil {
+						// If a peering has come up in this time, abort this one.
+						doRet = true
+					}
+					state._conn = lc
+				})
+				if doRet {
+					return
+				}
+
+				// Give the connection to the handler. The handler will block
+				// for the lifetime of the connection.
+				if err = l.handler(linkType, options, lc); err != nil && err != io.EOF {
+					l.core.log.Debugf("Link %s error: %s\n", info.uri, err)
+				} else {
+					backoff = 0
+				}
+
+				// The handler has stopped running so the connection is dead,
+				// try to close the underlying socket just in case and then
+				// update the link state.
+				_ = lc.Close()
+				phony.Block(l, func() {
+					state._conn = nil
+					if state._err = err; state._err != nil {
+						state._errtime = time.Now()
+					}
+				})
+
+				// If the link is persistently configured, back off if needed
+				// and then try reconnecting. Otherwise, exit out.
+				if linkType == linkTypePersistent {
 					if backoffNow() {
 						continue
 					} else {
 						return
 					}
 				} else {
-					// Ephemeral and incoming connections don't remain
-					// after a connection failure, so exit out of the
-					// loop and clean up the link entry.
 					break
 				}
 			}
-
-			// The linkConn wrapper allows us to track the number of
-			// bytes written to and read from this connection without
-			// the help of ironwood.
-			lc := &linkConn{
-				Conn: conn,
-				up:   time.Now(),
-			}
-
-			// Update the link state with our newly wrapped connection.
-			// Clear the error state.
-			state.Lock()
-			if state._conn != nil {
-				// If a peering has come up in this time, abort this one.
-				state.Unlock()
-				return
-			}
-			state._conn = lc
-			state.Unlock()
-
-			// Give the connection to the handler. The handler will block
-			// for the lifetime of the connection.
-			if err = l.handler(linkType, options, lc); err != nil && err != io.EOF {
-				l.core.log.Debugf("Link %s error: %s\n", info.uri, err)
-			} else {
-				backoff = 0
-			}
-
-			// The handler has stopped running so the connection is dead,
-			// try to close the underlying socket just in case and then
-			// update the link state.
-			_ = lc.Close()
-			state.Lock()
-			state._conn = nil
-			if state._err = err; state._err != nil {
-				state._errtime = time.Now()
-			}
-			state.Unlock()
-
-			// If the link is persistently configured, back off if needed
-			// and then try reconnecting. Otherwise, exit out.
-			if linkType == linkTypePersistent {
-				if backoffNow() {
-					continue
-				} else {
-					return
-				}
-			} else {
-				break
-			}
-		}
-	}()
-	return nil
+		}()
+	})
+	return retErr
 }
 
 func (l *links) listen(u *url.URL, sintf string) (*Listener, error) {
@@ -369,43 +378,45 @@ func (l *links) listen(u *url.URL, sintf string) (*Listener, error) {
 				// If there's an existing link state for this link, get it.
 				// If this node is already connected to us, just drop the
 				// connection. This prevents duplicate peerings.
-				l.Lock()
-				state, ok := l._links[info]
-				if !ok || state == nil {
-					state = &link{
-						linkType:  linkTypeIncoming,
-						linkProto: strings.ToUpper(u.Scheme),
-						kick:      make(chan struct{}),
+				var lc *linkConn
+				var state *link
+				phony.Block(l, func() {
+					var ok bool
+					state, ok = l._links[info]
+					if !ok || state == nil {
+						state = &link{
+							linkType:  linkTypeIncoming,
+							linkProto: strings.ToUpper(u.Scheme),
+							kick:      make(chan struct{}),
+						}
 					}
-				}
-				state.Lock()
-				if state._conn != nil {
-					// If a connection has come up in this time, abort
-					// this one.
-					state.Unlock()
-					l.Unlock()
+					if state._conn != nil {
+						// If a connection has come up in this time, abort
+						// this one.
+						return
+					}
+
+					// The linkConn wrapper allows us to track the number of
+					// bytes written to and read from this connection without
+					// the help of ironwood.
+					lc = &linkConn{
+						Conn: conn,
+						up:   time.Now(),
+					}
+
+					// Update the link state with our newly wrapped connection.
+					// Clear the error state.
+					state._conn = lc
+					state._err = nil
+					state._errtime = time.Time{}
+
+					// Store the state of the link so that it can be queried later.
+					l._links[info] = state
+				})
+				if lc == nil {
 					return
 				}
 
-				// The linkConn wrapper allows us to track the number of
-				// bytes written to and read from this connection without
-				// the help of ironwood.
-				lc := &linkConn{
-					Conn: conn,
-					up:   time.Now(),
-				}
-
-				// Update the link state with our newly wrapped connection.
-				// Clear the error state.
-				state._conn = lc
-				state._err = nil
-				state._errtime = time.Time{}
-				state.Unlock()
-
-				// Store the state of the link so that it can be queried later.
-				l._links[info] = state
-				l.Unlock()
-
 				// Give the connection to the handler. The handler will block
 				// for the lifetime of the connection.
 				if err = l.handler(linkTypeIncoming, options, lc); err != nil && err != io.EOF {
@@ -416,9 +427,11 @@ func (l *links) listen(u *url.URL, sintf string) (*Listener, error) {
 				// try to close the underlying socket just in case and then
 				// drop the link state.
 				_ = lc.Close()
-				l.Lock()
-				delete(l._links, info)
-				l.Unlock()
+				phony.Block(l, func() {
+					if l._links[info] == state {
+						delete(l._links, info)
+					}
+				})
 			}(conn)
 		}
 	}()
diff --git a/src/multicast/multicast.go b/src/multicast/multicast.go
index e6fdb80a..9cd67ff1 100644
--- a/src/multicast/multicast.go
+++ b/src/multicast/multicast.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/hex"
 	"fmt"
+	"math/rand"
 	"net"
 	"net/url"
 	"time"
@@ -337,7 +338,8 @@ func (m *Multicast) _announce() {
 			break
 		}
 	}
-	m._timer = time.AfterFunc(time.Second, func() {
+	annInterval := time.Second + time.Microsecond*(time.Duration(rand.Intn(1048576))) // Randomize delay
+	m._timer = time.AfterFunc(annInterval, func() {
 		m.Act(nil, m._announce)
 	})
 }