diff --git a/src/core/api.go b/src/core/api.go
index 607a03aa..75d9d7b3 100644
--- a/src/core/api.go
+++ b/src/core/api.go
@@ -181,8 +181,10 @@ func (c *Core) SetLogger(log util.Logger) {
 }
 
 // AddPeer adds a peer. This should be specified in the peer URI format, e.g.:
-// 		tcp://a.b.c.d:e
-//		socks://a.b.c.d:e/f.g.h.i:j
+//
+//	tcp://a.b.c.d:e
+//	socks://a.b.c.d:e/f.g.h.i:j
+//
 // This adds the peer to the peer list, so that they will be called again if the
 // connection drops.
 func (c *Core) AddPeer(uri string, sourceInterface string) error {
@@ -190,12 +192,12 @@ func (c *Core) AddPeer(uri string, sourceInterface string) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	err = c.CallPeer(u, sourceInterface)
+	info, err := c.links.call(u, sourceInterface)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	phony.Block(c, func() {
-		c.config._peers[Peer{uri, sourceInterface}] = struct{}{}
+		c.config._peers[Peer{uri, sourceInterface}] = &info
 	})
 	return nil
 }
@@ -203,10 +205,24 @@ func (c *Core) AddPeer(uri string, sourceInterface string) error {
 // RemovePeer removes a peer. The peer should be specified in URI format, see AddPeer.
 // The peer is not disconnected immediately.
 func (c *Core) RemovePeer(uri string, sourceInterface string) error {
+	var err error
 	phony.Block(c, func() {
-		delete(c.config._peers, Peer{uri, sourceInterface})
+		peer := Peer{uri, sourceInterface}
+		linkInfo, ok := c.config._peers[peer]
+		if !ok {
+			err = fmt.Errorf("peer not configured")
+			return
+		}
+		if ok && linkInfo != nil {
+			c.links.Act(nil, func() {
+				if link := c.links._links[*linkInfo]; link != nil {
+					_ = link.close()
+				}
+			})
+		}
+		delete(c.config._peers, peer)
 	})
-	return nil
+	return err
 }
 
 // CallPeer calls a peer once. This should be specified in the peer URI format,
@@ -218,7 +234,8 @@ func (c *Core) RemovePeer(uri string, sourceInterface string) error {
 // This does not add the peer to the peer list, so if the connection drops, the
 // peer will not be called again automatically.
 func (c *Core) CallPeer(u *url.URL, sintf string) error {
-	return c.links.call(u, sintf)
+	_, err := c.links.call(u, sintf)
+	return err
 }
 
 func (c *Core) PublicKey() ed25519.PublicKey {
diff --git a/src/core/core.go b/src/core/core.go
index 5cfcc7a2..b8315416 100644
--- a/src/core/core.go
+++ b/src/core/core.go
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ type Core struct {
 	log          util.Logger
 	addPeerTimer *time.Timer
 	config       struct {
-		_peers             map[Peer]struct{}          // configurable after startup
+		_peers             map[Peer]*linkInfo         // configurable after startup
 		_listeners         map[ListenAddress]struct{} // configurable after startup
 		nodeinfo           NodeInfo                   // immutable after startup
 		nodeinfoPrivacy    NodeInfoPrivacy            // immutable after startup
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ func New(secret ed25519.PrivateKey, logger util.Logger, opts ...SetupOption) (*C
 	if c.PacketConn, err = iwe.NewPacketConn(c.secret); err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error creating encryption: %w", err)
 	}
-	c.config._peers = map[Peer]struct{}{}
+	c.config._peers = map[Peer]*linkInfo{}
 	c.config._listeners = map[ListenAddress]struct{}{}
 	c.config._allowedPublicKeys = map[[32]byte]struct{}{}
 	for _, opt := range opts {
diff --git a/src/core/link.go b/src/core/link.go
index 26e44669..963963a4 100644
--- a/src/core/link.go
+++ b/src/core/link.go
@@ -108,10 +108,10 @@ func (l *links) isConnectedTo(info linkInfo) bool {
 	return isConnected
 }
 
-func (l *links) call(u *url.URL, sintf string) error {
+func (l *links) call(u *url.URL, sintf string) (linkInfo, error) {
 	info := linkInfoFor(u.Scheme, sintf, u.Host)
 	if l.isConnectedTo(info) {
-		return nil
+		return info, nil
 	}
 	options := linkOptions{
 		pinnedEd25519Keys: map[keyArray]struct{}{},
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ func (l *links) call(u *url.URL, sintf string) error {
 	for _, pubkey := range u.Query()["key"] {
 		sigPub, err := hex.DecodeString(pubkey)
 		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("pinned key contains invalid hex characters")
+			return info, fmt.Errorf("pinned key contains invalid hex characters")
 		}
 		var sigPubKey keyArray
 		copy(sigPubKey[:], sigPub)
@@ -172,9 +172,9 @@ func (l *links) call(u *url.URL, sintf string) error {
 		}()
 
 	default:
-		return errors.New("unknown call scheme: " + u.Scheme)
+		return info, errors.New("unknown call scheme: " + u.Scheme)
 	}
-	return nil
+	return info, nil
 }
 
 func (l *links) listen(u *url.URL, sintf string) (*Listener, error) {
diff --git a/src/core/options.go b/src/core/options.go
index 8009aa3b..66aa16ce 100644
--- a/src/core/options.go
+++ b/src/core/options.go
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import (
 func (c *Core) _applyOption(opt SetupOption) {
 	switch v := opt.(type) {
 	case Peer:
-		c.config._peers[v] = struct{}{}
+		c.config._peers[v] = nil
 	case ListenAddress:
 		c.config._listeners[v] = struct{}{}
 	case NodeInfo: