diff --git a/router/peers.go b/router/peers.go
index c471e652..b7fc2442 100644
--- a/router/peers.go
+++ b/router/peers.go
@@ -33,10 +33,12 @@ type ConnectionSummary struct {
 }
 
 func NewPeers(ourself *LocalPeer, onGC func(*Peer)) *Peers {
-	return &Peers{
+	peers := &Peers{
 		ourself: ourself,
 		table:   make(map[PeerName]*Peer),
 		onGC:    onGC}
+	peers.FetchWithDefault(ourself.Peer)
+	return peers
 }
 
 func (peers *Peers) FetchWithDefault(peer *Peer) *Peer {
diff --git a/router/peers_test.go b/router/peers_test.go
index daf1e944..f0edaed0 100644
--- a/router/peers_test.go
+++ b/router/peers_test.go
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ import (
 func newNode(name PeerName) (*Peer, *Peers) {
 	peer := NewLocalPeer(name, "", nil)
 	peers := NewPeers(peer, func(*Peer) {})
-	peers.FetchWithDefault(peer.Peer)
 	return peer.Peer, peers
 }
 
diff --git a/router/router.go b/router/router.go
index 91c1c64f..9fb4d336 100644
--- a/router/router.go
+++ b/router/router.go
@@ -58,7 +58,6 @@ func NewRouter(config RouterConfig, name PeerName, nickName string) *Router {
 	router.Ourself = NewLocalPeer(name, nickName, router)
 	router.Macs = NewMacCache(macMaxAge, onMacExpiry)
 	router.Peers = NewPeers(router.Ourself, onPeerGC)
-	router.Peers.FetchWithDefault(router.Ourself.Peer)
 	router.Routes = NewRoutes(router.Ourself, router.Peers)
 	router.ConnectionMaker = NewConnectionMaker(router.Ourself, router.Peers, router.Port)
 	router.TopologyGossip = router.NewGossip("topology", router)