diff --git a/router/connection.go b/router/connection.go
index a22eeb27..fe9073d3 100644
--- a/router/connection.go
+++ b/router/connection.go
@@ -486,13 +486,14 @@ func (conn *LocalConnection) receiveTCP(decoder *gob.Decoder, usingPassword bool
 				// request full update
 				conn.SendTCP(ProtocolFetchAllByte)
 				continue
-			} else if conn.CheckFatal(err) != nil {
+			}
+			if conn.CheckFatal(err) != nil {
 				return
 			}
-			if len(newUpdate) == 0 {
-				continue
+			if len(newUpdate) != 0 {
+				conn.Router.Topology.RebuildRoutes()
+				conn.local.BroadcastTCP(Concat(ProtocolUpdateByte, newUpdate))
 			}
-			conn.local.BroadcastTCP(Concat(ProtocolUpdateByte, newUpdate))
 		} else if msg[0] == ProtocolPMTUVerified {
 			conn.verifyPMTU <- int(binary.BigEndian.Uint16(msg[1:]))
 		} else {
diff --git a/router/peer.go b/router/peer.go
index 684a4eb2..b27e621d 100644
--- a/router/peer.go
+++ b/router/peer.go
@@ -389,13 +389,13 @@ func (peer *Peer) handleConnectionEstablished(conn *LocalConnection) {
 }
 
 func (peer *Peer) handleBroadcastTCP(msg []byte) {
-	peer.Router.Topology.RebuildRoutes()
 	peer.ForEachConnection(func(_ PeerName, conn Connection) {
 		conn.(*LocalConnection).SendTCP(msg)
 	})
 }
 
 func (peer *Peer) broadcastPeerUpdate(peers ...*Peer) {
+	peer.Router.Topology.RebuildRoutes()
 	peer.handleBroadcastTCP(Concat(ProtocolUpdateByte, EncodePeers(append(peers, peer)...)))
 }
 
diff --git a/site/how-it-works.md b/site/how-it-works.md
index 535f7a75..c67fad48 100644
--- a/site/how-it-works.md
+++ b/site/how-it-works.md
@@ -5,6 +5,19 @@ layout: default
 
 ## How does it work?
 
+A weave network consists of a number of 'peers' - weave routers
+residing on different hosts. Each peer has a name, which tends to
+remain the same over restarts, and a unique identifier (UID) which is
+different each time it is run.  These are opaque identifiers as far as
+the router is concerned, although the name defaults to a MAC address.
+
+Weave routers establish TCP connections to each other, over which they
+perform a protocol handshake and subsequently exchange topology
+information (see below). These connections are encrypted if so
+configured. Peers also establish UDP "connections", possibly
+encrypted, which carry encapsulated network packets. These
+"connections" are duplex and can traverse firewalls.
+
 Weave creates a network bridge on the host. Each container is
 connected to that bridge via a veth pair, the container side of which
 is given the IP address & netmask supplied in 'weave run'. Also
@@ -26,13 +39,6 @@ peer. The topology information captures which peers are connected to
 which other peers; weave can route packets in partially connected
 networks with changing topology.
 
-Weave routers establish TCP connections to each other, over which they
-perform a protocol handshake and subsequently exchange topology
-information. These connections are encrypted if so configured. Peers
-also establish UDP "connections", possibly encrypted, for the
-aforementioned packet forwarding. These "connections" are duplex and
-can traverse firewalls.
-
 ### <a name="encapsulation"></a>Encapsulation
 
 When the weave router forwards packets, the encapsulation looks
diff --git a/site/troubleshooting.md b/site/troubleshooting.md
index 76652fc8..1603b939 100644
--- a/site/troubleshooting.md
+++ b/site/troubleshooting.md
@@ -83,11 +83,8 @@ Reconnects:
 The terms used here are explained further at
 [how it works](how-it-works.html).
 
-A 'peer' on the weave network is a weave router; one per host.  Each
-peer has a name, which tends to remain the same over restarts, and a
-unique identifier (UID) which is different each time it is run.  These
-are opaque identifiers as far as the router is concerned, although the
-name defaults to a MAC address.
+The 'Our name' line identifies the local weave router as a peer in the
+weave network.
 
 The 'Sniffing traffic' line shows details of the virtual ethernet
 interface that weave is using to receive packets on the local