diff --git a/router/peers.go b/router/peers.go
index 340701bd..e7c5ae53 100644
--- a/router/peers.go
+++ b/router/peers.go
@@ -62,16 +62,12 @@ func (peers *Peers) ForEach(fun func(PeerName, *Peer)) {
 	}
 }
 
-// Merge an incoming update with our own topology, and
-// create an "improved" update:
-// - elements which the original payload added to the receiver are
-//   included
-// - elements which the original payload updated in the receiver are
-//   included
-// - elements which are equal between the receiver and the payload are
-//   not included
-// - elements where the payload was older than the receiver's version
-//   are updated
+// Merge an incoming update with our own topology.
+//
+// We add peers hitherto unknown to us, and update peers for which the
+// update contains a more recent version than known to us. The return
+// value is an "improved" update containing just these new/updated
+// elements.
 func (peers *Peers) ApplyUpdate(update []byte) ([]byte, error) {
 	peers.Lock()
 
@@ -236,23 +232,12 @@ func (peers *Peers) applyUpdate(decodedUpdate []*Peer, decodedConns [][]byte) ma
 		name := newPeer.Name
 		// guaranteed to find peer in the peers.table
 		peer := peers.table[name]
-		if peer != newPeer {
-			if peer.Version() > newPeer.Version() {
-				// we know more about this one than the update. If
-				// peer is ourself, this is slightly racey (further
-				// changes could occur to ourself in the mean
-				// time). But it doesn't matter as we know that we're
-				// already > newPeer.Version() and that's not going to
-				// change.
-				newUpdate[name] = peer
-				continue
-			} else if peer == peers.ourself {
-				// nobody but us updates us
-				continue
-			} else if peer.Version() == newPeer.Version() {
-				// implication is that connections are equal too
-				continue
-			}
+		if peer != newPeer &&
+			(peer == peers.ourself || peer.Version() >= newPeer.Version()) {
+			// Nobody but us updates us. And if we know more about a
+			// peer than what's in the the update, we ignore the
+			// latter.
+			continue
 		}
 		// If we're here, either it was a new peer, or the update has
 		// more info about the peer than we do. Either case, we need
diff --git a/site/how-it-works.md b/site/how-it-works.md
index 0d7af1fe..5e9560cf 100644
--- a/site/how-it-works.md
+++ b/site/how-it-works.md
@@ -125,19 +125,11 @@ peers that have just connected
   * when a connection is deleted - the update contains just the peer
 that lost the connection
 
-The receiver merges it with its own topology model. If the payload is
-a subset of the receiver's topology, no further action is
-taken. Otherwise, the receiver sends out to all its connections an
-"improved" update:
-
- - elements which the original payload added to the receiver are
-   included
- - elements which the original payload updated in the receiver are
-   included
- - elements which are equal between the receiver and the payload are
-   not included
- - elements where the payload was older than the receiver's version
-   are updated
+The receiver merges the update with its own topology model, adding
+peers hitherto unknown to it, and updating peers for which the update
+contains a more recent version than known to it. If there were any
+such new/updated peers, then an improved update containing them is
+sent out on all connections.
 
 If the update mentions a peer that the receiver does not know, then
 the entire update is rejected and the receiver sends a FetchAll