diff --git a/src/NetworkConnection.cpp b/src/NetworkConnection.cpp
index 7b962bd507..2ee60904dc 100644
--- a/src/NetworkConnection.cpp
+++ b/src/NetworkConnection.cpp
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ NetworkConnection::NetworkConnection(std::unique_ptr<TCPStream> stream,
       m_get_entry_type(get_entry_type) {
   m_active = false;
   m_proto_rev = 0x0300;
+  m_state = static_cast<int>(kCreated);
 }
 
 NetworkConnection::~NetworkConnection() { Stop(); }
@@ -27,18 +28,38 @@ NetworkConnection::~NetworkConnection() { Stop(); }
 void NetworkConnection::Start() {
   if (m_active) return;
   m_active = true;
+  m_state = static_cast<int>(kInit);
+  // clear queues
+  while (!m_incoming.empty()) m_incoming.pop();
+  while (!m_outgoing.empty()) m_outgoing.pop();
+  // start threads
   m_write_thread = std::thread(&NetworkConnection::WriteThreadMain, this);
   m_read_thread = std::thread(&NetworkConnection::ReadThreadMain, this);
 }
 
 void NetworkConnection::Stop() {
+  m_state = static_cast<int>(kDead);
   m_active = false;
   // closing the stream so the read thread terminates
   if (m_stream) m_stream->close();
-  // send a dummy outgoing message so the write thread terminates
-  m_outgoing.push(Outgoing{Message::KeepAlive()});
+  // send an empty outgoing message set so the write thread terminates
+  m_outgoing.push(Outgoing());
+  // wait for threads to terminate
   if (m_write_thread.joinable()) m_write_thread.join();
   if (m_read_thread.joinable()) m_read_thread.join();
+  // clear queues
+  while (!m_incoming.empty()) m_incoming.pop();
+  while (!m_outgoing.empty()) m_outgoing.pop();
+}
+
+std::string NetworkConnection::remote_id() const {
+  std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(m_remote_id_mutex);
+  return m_remote_id;
+}
+
+void NetworkConnection::set_remote_id(StringRef remote_id) {
+  std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(m_remote_id_mutex);
+  m_remote_id = remote_id;
 }
 
 void NetworkConnection::ReadThreadMain() {
@@ -59,6 +80,7 @@ void NetworkConnection::ReadThreadMain() {
     m_incoming.emplace(std::move(msg));
   }
   m_incoming.emplace(nullptr);  // notify anyone waiting that we disconnected
+  m_state = static_cast<int>(kDead);
   m_active = false;
 }
 
@@ -67,7 +89,7 @@ void NetworkConnection::WriteThreadMain() {
 
   while (m_active) {
     auto msgs = m_outgoing.pop();
-    if (!m_active) break;
+    if (msgs.empty()) break;
     encoder.set_proto_rev(m_proto_rev);
     encoder.Reset();
     for (auto& msg : msgs) msg->Write(encoder);
@@ -75,5 +97,6 @@ void NetworkConnection::WriteThreadMain() {
     if (!m_stream) break;
     if (m_stream->send(encoder.data(), encoder.size(), &err) == 0) break;
   }
+  m_state = static_cast<int>(kDead);
   m_active = false;
 }
diff --git a/src/NetworkConnection.h b/src/NetworkConnection.h
index 977b25561e..3ab9742ad8 100644
--- a/src/NetworkConnection.h
+++ b/src/NetworkConnection.h
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ namespace nt {
 
 class NetworkConnection {
  public:
+  enum State { kCreated, kInit, kHandshake, kActive, kDead };
+
   typedef std::shared_ptr<Message> Incoming;
   typedef ConcurrentQueue<Incoming> IncomingQueue;
   typedef std::vector<std::shared_ptr<Message>> Outgoing;
@@ -37,8 +39,16 @@ class NetworkConnection {
   TCPStream& stream() { return *m_stream; }
   OutgoingQueue& outgoing() { return m_outgoing; }
   IncomingQueue& incoming() { return m_incoming; }
+
+  unsigned int proto_rev() const { return m_proto_rev; }
   void set_proto_rev(unsigned int proto_rev) { m_proto_rev = proto_rev; }
 
+  State state() const { return static_cast<State>(m_state.load()); }
+  void set_state(State state) { m_state = static_cast<int>(state); }
+
+  std::string remote_id() const;
+  void set_remote_id(StringRef remote_id);
+
   NetworkConnection(const NetworkConnection&) = delete;
   NetworkConnection& operator=(const NetworkConnection&) = delete;
 
@@ -54,6 +64,9 @@ class NetworkConnection {
   std::thread m_write_thread;
   std::atomic_bool m_active;
   std::atomic_uint m_proto_rev;
+  std::atomic_int m_state;
+  mutable std::mutex m_remote_id_mutex;
+  std::string m_remote_id;
 };
 
 }  // namespace nt