diff --git a/network/p2pNetwork.go b/network/p2pNetwork.go
index cc37961d51..3d6f856770 100644
--- a/network/p2pNetwork.go
+++ b/network/p2pNetwork.go
@@ -156,10 +156,30 @@ func (n *P2PNetwork) Stop() {
 		n.wsPeersConnectivityCheckTicker = nil
 	}
 	n.ctxCancel()
+	n.innerStop()
 	n.service.Close()
 	n.wg.Wait()
 }
 
+// innerStop context for shutting down peers
+func (n *P2PNetwork) innerStop() {
+	n.wsPeersLock.Lock()
+	defer n.wsPeersLock.Unlock()
+	closeGroup := sync.WaitGroup{}
+	closeGroup.Add(len(n.wsPeers))
+	deadline := time.Now().Add(peerDisconnectionAckDuration)
+	for peerID, peer := range n.wsPeers {
+		// we need to both close the wsPeer and close the p2p connection
+		go closeWaiter(&closeGroup, peer, deadline)
+		err := n.service.ClosePeer(peerID)
+		if err != nil {
+			n.log.Warnf("Error closing peer %s: %v", peerID, err)
+		}
+		delete(n.wsPeers, peerID)
+	}
+	closeGroup.Wait()
+}
+
 func (n *P2PNetwork) meshThread() {
 	defer n.wg.Done()
 	timer := time.NewTicker(meshThreadInterval)
@@ -220,6 +240,15 @@ func (n *P2PNetwork) Disconnect(badnode Peer) {
 		if err != nil {
 			n.log.Warnf("Error disconnecting from peer %s: %v", node, err)
 		}
+		n.wsPeersLock.Lock()
+		defer n.wsPeersLock.Unlock()
+		if wsPeer, ok := n.wsPeers[node]; ok {
+			wsPeer.CloseAndWait(time.Now().Add(peerDisconnectionAckDuration))
+			delete(n.wsPeers, node)
+		} else {
+			n.log.Warnf("Could not find wsPeer reference for peer %s", node)
+		}
+
 	default:
 		n.log.Warnf("Unknown peer type %T", badnode)
 	}
@@ -382,7 +411,7 @@ func (n *P2PNetwork) txTopicHandleLoop() {
 	for {
 		msg, err := sub.Next(n.ctx)
 		if err != nil {
-			if err != pubsub.ErrSubscriptionCancelled {
+			if err != pubsub.ErrSubscriptionCancelled && err != context.Canceled {
 				n.log.Errorf("Error reading from subscription %v, peerId %s", err, n.service.ID())
 			}
 			sub.Cancel()
diff --git a/network/p2pNetwork_test.go b/network/p2pNetwork_test.go
index c3c0522a7e..86c6de1c40 100644
--- a/network/p2pNetwork_test.go
+++ b/network/p2pNetwork_test.go
@@ -63,7 +63,9 @@ func TestP2PSubmitTX(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Eventually(
 		t,
 		func() bool {
-			return len(netA.service.ListPeersForTopic(p2p.TXTopicName)) == 2 && len(netB.service.ListPeersForTopic(p2p.TXTopicName)) == 1 && len(netC.service.ListPeersForTopic(p2p.TXTopicName)) == 1
+			return len(netA.service.ListPeersForTopic(p2p.TXTopicName)) == 2 &&
+				len(netB.service.ListPeersForTopic(p2p.TXTopicName)) == 1 &&
+				len(netC.service.ListPeersForTopic(p2p.TXTopicName)) == 1
 		},
 		2*time.Second,
 		50*time.Millisecond,