diff --git a/dht.go b/dht.go
index 26429728a..df5a43148 100644
--- a/dht.go
+++ b/dht.go
@@ -218,14 +218,21 @@ func New(ctx context.Context, h host.Host, options ...Option) (*IpfsDHT, error)
 	// handle providers
 	dht.proc.AddChild(dht.ProviderManager.Process())
 
-	dht.proc.Go(dht.populatePeers)
-
 	// go-routine to make sure we ALWAYS have RT peer addresses in the peerstore
 	// since RT membership is decoupled from connectivity
 	go dht.persistRTPeersInPeerStore()
 
 	dht.proc.Go(dht.rtPeerLoop)
 
+	// Fill routing table with currently connected peers that are DHT servers
+	dht.plk.Lock()
+	for _, p := range dht.host.Network().Peers() {
+		dht.peerFound(dht.ctx, p, false)
+	}
+	dht.plk.Unlock()
+
+	dht.proc.Go(dht.populatePeers)
+
 	return dht, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/subscriber_notifee.go b/subscriber_notifee.go
index 75e9cbe83..8211d25de 100644
--- a/subscriber_notifee.go
+++ b/subscriber_notifee.go
@@ -56,13 +56,6 @@ func newSubscriberNotifiee(dht *IpfsDHT) (*subscriberNotifee, error) {
 	// register for network notifications
 	dht.host.Network().Notify(nn)
 
-	// Fill routing table with currently connected peers that are DHT servers
-	dht.plk.Lock()
-	defer dht.plk.Unlock()
-	for _, p := range dht.host.Network().Peers() {
-		dht.peerFound(dht.ctx, p, false)
-	}
-
 	return nn, nil
 }