diff --git a/pkg/blocker/blocker_test.go b/pkg/blocker/blocker_test.go
index 855ef17a3d9..4b9a42390ff 100644
--- a/pkg/blocker/blocker_test.go
+++ b/pkg/blocker/blocker_test.go
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ import (
 
 func TestBlocksAfterFlagTimeout(t *testing.T) {
 
+	*blocker.WakeupTime = time.Millisecond
+
 	mux := sync.Mutex{}
 	blocked := make(map[string]time.Duration)
 
@@ -64,10 +66,14 @@ func TestBlocksAfterFlagTimeout(t *testing.T) {
 	if blockedTime != blockTime {
 		t.Fatalf("block time: want %v, got %v", blockTime, blockedTime)
 	}
+
+	b.Close()
 }
 
 func TestUnflagBeforeBlock(t *testing.T) {
 
+	*blocker.WakeupTime = time.Millisecond
+
 	mux := sync.Mutex{}
 	blocked := make(map[string]time.Duration)
 
@@ -106,6 +112,8 @@ func TestUnflagBeforeBlock(t *testing.T) {
 	if ok {
 		t.Fatal("address should not be blocked")
 	}
+
+	b.Close()
 }
 
 type blocklister struct {
diff --git a/pkg/blocker/blockler.go b/pkg/blocker/blockler.go
index 83b2e39b7aa..b8d07b52646 100644
--- a/pkg/blocker/blockler.go
+++ b/pkg/blocker/blockler.go
@@ -14,11 +14,14 @@ import (
 )
 
 type peer struct {
-	flagged    bool      // indicates whether the peer is actively flagged
 	blockAfter time.Time // timestamp of the point we've timed-out or got an error from a peer
 	addr       swarm.Address
 }
 
+var (
+	wakeupTime time.Duration = time.Second * 10
+)
+
 type Blocker struct {
 	mux           sync.Mutex
 	disconnector  p2p.Blocklister
@@ -53,31 +56,21 @@ func (b *Blocker) run() {
 		select {
 		case <-b.quit:
 			return
-		case <-b.wakeupCh:
-			<-time.After(b.flagTimeout)
+		case <-time.After(wakeupTime):
 			b.block()
 		}
 	}
 }
 
-func (b *Blocker) wakeup() {
-
-	select {
-	case b.wakeupCh <- struct{}{}:
-	default:
-	}
-}
-
 func (b *Blocker) block() {
 	b.mux.Lock()
 	defer b.mux.Unlock()
 
 	for key, peer := range b.peers {
-		if peer.flagged && time.Now().After(peer.blockAfter) {
+		if !peer.blockAfter.IsZero() && time.Now().After(peer.blockAfter) {
 			if err := b.disconnector.Blocklist(peer.addr, b.blockDuration, "blocker: flag timeout"); err != nil {
 				b.logger.Warningf("blocker: blocking peer %s failed: %v", peer.addr, err)
 			}
-
 			delete(b.peers, key)
 		}
 	}
@@ -90,19 +83,15 @@ func (b *Blocker) Flag(addr swarm.Address) {
 	p, ok := b.peers[addr.ByteString()]
 
 	if ok {
-		if !p.flagged {
+		if p.blockAfter.IsZero() {
 			p.blockAfter = time.Now().Add(b.flagTimeout)
-			p.flagged = true
 		}
 	} else {
 		b.peers[addr.ByteString()] = &peer{
 			blockAfter: time.Now().Add(b.flagTimeout),
-			flagged:    true,
 			addr:       addr,
 		}
 	}
-
-	b.wakeup()
 }
 
 func (b *Blocker) Unflag(addr swarm.Address) {
@@ -112,7 +101,9 @@ func (b *Blocker) Unflag(addr swarm.Address) {
 	delete(b.peers, addr.ByteString())
 }
 
+// Closed will exit the worker loop.
+// must be called only once.
 func (b *Blocker) Close() error {
-	close(b.quit)
+	b.quit <- struct{}{}
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/blocker/export_test.go b/pkg/blocker/export_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f96e4a83008
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/blocker/export_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+package blocker
+
+var WakeupTime = &wakeupTime
diff --git a/pkg/p2p/p2p.go b/pkg/p2p/p2p.go
index 0c11925ab7b..1537be96747 100644
--- a/pkg/p2p/p2p.go
+++ b/pkg/p2p/p2p.go
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ type Disconnecter interface {
 
 type Blocklister interface {
 	// Blocklist will disconnect a peer and put it on a blocklist (blocking in & out connections) for provided duration
-	// duration 0 is treated as an infinite duration
+	// Duration 0 is treated as an infinite duration.
 	Blocklist(overlay swarm.Address, duration time.Duration, reason string) error
 }