diff --git a/binaries/cuprated/src/blockchain/free.rs b/binaries/cuprated/src/blockchain/free.rs
index b32bb733..d44d273c 100644
--- a/binaries/cuprated/src/blockchain/free.rs
+++ b/binaries/cuprated/src/blockchain/free.rs
@@ -64,14 +64,14 @@ pub async fn handle_incoming_block(
         .collect::<Result<_, anyhow::Error>>()
         .map_err(IncomingBlockError::InvalidBlock)?;
 
-    if !BLOCKS_BEING_HANDLED.get_or_init(|| Mutex::new(HashSet::new())).lock().unwrap().insert(block_hash) {
-        return Ok(false);
-    }
-
     let Some(incoming_block_tx) = INCOMING_BLOCK_TX.get() else {
         return Ok(false);
     };
 
+    if !BLOCKS_BEING_HANDLED.get_or_init(|| Mutex::new(HashSet::new())).lock().unwrap().insert(block_hash) {
+        return Ok(false);
+    }
+
     let (response_tx, response_rx) = oneshot::channel();
 
     incoming_block_tx
diff --git a/binaries/cuprated/src/blockchain/manager/commands.rs b/binaries/cuprated/src/blockchain/manager/commands.rs
index c60c7ef0..800144f0 100644
--- a/binaries/cuprated/src/blockchain/manager/commands.rs
+++ b/binaries/cuprated/src/blockchain/manager/commands.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,4 @@ pub enum BlockchainManagerCommand {
         prepped_txs: HashMap<[u8; 32], TransactionVerificationData>,
         response_tx: oneshot::Sender<Result<bool, anyhow::Error>>,
     },
-
-    PopBlocks,
 }
diff --git a/binaries/cuprated/src/blockchain/manager/handler.rs b/binaries/cuprated/src/blockchain/manager/handler.rs
index 50268761..6a92ba73 100644
--- a/binaries/cuprated/src/blockchain/manager/handler.rs
+++ b/binaries/cuprated/src/blockchain/manager/handler.rs
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ impl super::BlockchainManager {
 
                 drop(response_tx.send(res));
             }
-            BlockchainManagerCommand::PopBlocks => todo!(),
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/binaries/cuprated/src/config.rs b/binaries/cuprated/src/config.rs
index c71c40c8..0cbb0cdf 100644
--- a/binaries/cuprated/src/config.rs
+++ b/binaries/cuprated/src/config.rs
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ impl CupratedConfig {
     pub fn clearnet_config(&self) -> P2PConfig<ClearNet> {
         P2PConfig {
             network: Network::Mainnet,
-            outbound_connections: 64,
+            outbound_connections: 16,
             extra_outbound_connections: 0,
             max_inbound_connections: 0,
             gray_peers_percent: 0.7,