diff --git a/signal/client.go b/signal/client.go
index 43f82b5c3f9..f0f3b95b266 100644
--- a/signal/client.go
+++ b/signal/client.go
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ type Client struct {
 	ctx        context.Context
 	stream     proto.SignalExchange_ConnectStreamClient
 	//waiting group to notify once stream is connected
-	connWg sync.WaitGroup //todo use a channel instead??
+	connWg *sync.WaitGroup //todo use a channel instead??
 }
 
 // Close Closes underlying connections to the Signal Exchange
@@ -55,11 +55,13 @@ func NewClient(ctx context.Context, addr string, key wgtypes.Key) (*Client, erro
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
 	return &Client{
 		realClient: proto.NewSignalExchangeClient(conn),
 		ctx:        ctx,
 		signalConn: conn,
 		key:        key,
+		connWg:     &wg,
 	}, nil
 }
 
@@ -107,8 +109,8 @@ func (c *Client) connect(key string, msgHandler func(msg *proto.Message) error)
 	// add key fingerprint to the request header to be identified on the server side
 	md := metadata.New(map[string]string{proto.HeaderId: key})
 	ctx := metadata.NewOutgoingContext(c.ctx, md)
-	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
-	defer cancel()
+	//ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
+	//defer cancel()
 
 	stream, err := c.realClient.ConnectStream(ctx)
 
diff --git a/signal/signal.go b/signal/signal.go
index a75c2050ef8..2c3101e2e7b 100644
--- a/signal/signal.go
+++ b/signal/signal.go
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ func (s *SignalExchangeServer) ConnectStream(stream proto.SignalExchange_Connect
 	}
 
 	log.Infof("peer [%s] has successfully connected", p.Id)
-
 	for {
 		msg, err := stream.Recv()
 		if err == io.EOF {
diff --git a/signal/signal_test.go b/signal/signal_test.go
index c9ffd5c0c6f..b43bba12947 100644
--- a/signal/signal_test.go
+++ b/signal/signal_test.go
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Client", func() {
 						Body:      &sigProto.Body{Payload: "pong"},
 					})
 					if err != nil {
-						Fail("failed sending a message to {PeerA}")
+						Fail("failed sending a message to PeerA")
 					}
 					msgReceived.Done()
 					return nil
@@ -83,7 +83,9 @@ var _ = Describe("Client", func() {
 					Fail("failed sending a message to PeerB")
 				}
 
-				msgReceived.Wait()
+				if waitTimeout(&msgReceived, 3*time.Second) {
+					Fail("test timed out on waiting for peers to exchange messages")
+				}
 
 				Expect(receivedOnA).To(BeEquivalentTo("pong"))
 				Expect(receivedOnB).To(BeEquivalentTo("ping"))
@@ -179,3 +181,19 @@ func startSignal() (*grpc.Server, net.Listener) {
 
 	return s, lis
 }
+
+// waitTimeout waits for the waitgroup for the specified max timeout.
+// Returns true if waiting timed out.
+func waitTimeout(wg *sync.WaitGroup, timeout time.Duration) bool {
+	c := make(chan struct{})
+	go func() {
+		defer close(c)
+		wg.Wait()
+	}()
+	select {
+	case <-c:
+		return false // completed normally
+	case <-time.After(timeout):
+		return true // timed out
+	}
+}