diff --git a/pkg/netceptor/netceptor.go b/pkg/netceptor/netceptor.go
index 27839cf19..ffdacf840 100644
--- a/pkg/netceptor/netceptor.go
+++ b/pkg/netceptor/netceptor.go
@@ -798,6 +798,7 @@ func (s *Netceptor) monitorConnectionAging() {
 			for conn := range timedOut {
 				s.Logger.Warning("Timing out connection %s, idle for the past %s\n", conn, s.maxConnectionIdleTime)
 				timedOut[conn]()
+				s.removeConnection(conn)
 			}
 		case <-s.context.Done():
 			return
@@ -1844,6 +1845,24 @@ func (s *Netceptor) sendAndLogConnectionRejection(remoteNodeID string, ci *connI
 	return fmt.Errorf("%s: rejected connection with node %s because %s", s.nodeID, remoteNodeID, reason)
 }
 
+func (s *Netceptor) removeConnection(remoteNodeID string) {
+	if remoteNodeID != "" {
+		s.connLock.Lock()
+		delete(s.connections, remoteNodeID)
+		s.connLock.Unlock()
+		s.knownNodeLock.Lock()
+		_, ok := s.knownConnectionCosts[remoteNodeID]
+		if ok {
+			delete(s.knownConnectionCosts[remoteNodeID], s.nodeID)
+		}
+		_, ok = s.knownConnectionCosts[s.nodeID]
+		if ok {
+			delete(s.knownConnectionCosts[s.nodeID], remoteNodeID)
+		}
+		s.knownNodeLock.Unlock()
+	}
+}
+
 // Main Netceptor protocol loop.
 func (s *Netceptor) runProtocol(ctx context.Context, sess BackendSession, bi *BackendInfo) error {
 	if bi.connectionCost <= 0.0 {
@@ -1856,14 +1875,7 @@ func (s *Netceptor) runProtocol(ctx context.Context, sess BackendSession, bi *Ba
 	defer func() {
 		_ = sess.Close()
 		if established {
-			s.connLock.Lock()
-			delete(s.connections, remoteNodeID)
-			s.connLock.Unlock()
-			s.knownNodeLock.Lock()
-			delete(s.knownConnectionCosts[remoteNodeID], s.nodeID)
-			delete(s.knownConnectionCosts[s.nodeID], remoteNodeID)
-			s.knownNodeLock.Unlock()
-
+			s.removeConnection(remoteNodeID)
 			select {
 			case s.sendRouteFloodChan <- 0:
 			case <-ctx.Done(): // ctx is a child of s.context