diff --git a/external/oxen-libquic b/external/oxen-libquic
index f64ecf62f0..b01fd9e349 160000
--- a/external/oxen-libquic
+++ b/external/oxen-libquic
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit f64ecf62f00534fb09ef371322d276bc58549b9e
+Subproject commit b01fd9e349515034d2412eb3bc1e5784287caf95
diff --git a/llarp/crypto/crypto.cpp b/llarp/crypto/crypto.cpp
index 10bc5a09be..da583b2d1d 100644
--- a/llarp/crypto/crypto.cpp
+++ b/llarp/crypto/crypto.cpp
@@ -262,9 +262,12 @@ namespace llarp
     }
 
     void crypto::derive_decrypt_outer_wrapping(
-        const Ed25519SecretKey& local_sk, const PubKey& remote, const SymmNonce& nonce, uspan encrypted)
+        const Ed25519SecretKey& local_sk,
+        SharedSecret& shared,
+        const PubKey& remote,
+        const SymmNonce& nonce,
+        uspan encrypted)
     {
-        SharedSecret shared;
         // derive shared secret using ephemeral pubkey and our secret key (and nonce)
         if (!crypto::dh_server(shared, remote, local_sk, nonce))
         {
diff --git a/llarp/crypto/crypto.hpp b/llarp/crypto/crypto.hpp
index efbcabbb16..e0faaf3776 100644
--- a/llarp/crypto/crypto.hpp
+++ b/llarp/crypto/crypto.hpp
@@ -73,7 +73,11 @@ namespace llarp
         /// pubkey and the provided nonce. The encrypted payload is mutated in-place. Will throw on failure of either
         /// the server DH derivation or the xchacha20 payload mutation
         void derive_decrypt_outer_wrapping(
-            const Ed25519SecretKey& local, const PubKey& remote, const SymmNonce& nonce, uspan encrypted);
+            const Ed25519SecretKey& local,
+            SharedSecret& shared,
+            const PubKey& remote,
+            const SymmNonce& nonce,
+            uspan encrypted);
 
         bool make_scalar(AlignedBuffer<32>& out, const PubKey& k, uint64_t i);
 
diff --git a/llarp/handlers/session.cpp b/llarp/handlers/session.cpp
index 851f6516b9..e5dc1546f4 100644
--- a/llarp/handlers/session.cpp
+++ b/llarp/handlers/session.cpp
@@ -36,6 +36,12 @@ namespace llarp::handlers
 
         _running = false;
 
+        if (_cc_publisher)
+        {
+            log::debug(logcat, "ClientContact publish ticker stopped!");
+            _cc_publisher->stop();
+        }
+
         Lock_t l{paths_mutex};
 
         _sessions.stop_sessions(send_close);
diff --git a/llarp/link/link_manager.cpp b/llarp/link/link_manager.cpp
index dbf831b73e..28e1283b38 100644
--- a/llarp/link/link_manager.cpp
+++ b/llarp/link/link_manager.cpp
@@ -1267,16 +1267,16 @@ namespace llarp
             log::trace(logcat, "Deserializing frame: {}", buffer_printer{frames.front()});
 
             SymmNonce nonce;
-            PubKey remote_pk;
             ustring hop_payload;
+            SharedSecret shared;
 
-            std::tie(nonce, remote_pk, hop_payload) =
+            std::tie(nonce, shared, hop_payload) =
                 PathBuildMessage::deserialize_hop(oxenc::bt_dict_consumer{frames.front()}, _router.identity());
 
             log::trace(logcat, "Deserializing hop payload: {}", buffer_printer{hop_payload});
 
             auto hop = path::TransitHop::deserialize_hop(
-                oxenc::bt_dict_consumer{hop_payload}, from, _router, remote_pk, nonce);
+                oxenc::bt_dict_consumer{hop_payload}, from, _router, std::move(shared));
 
             hop->started = _router.now();
             set_conn_persist(hop->downstream(), hop->expiry_time() + 10s);
diff --git a/llarp/messages/common.hpp b/llarp/messages/common.hpp
index 48f37d01a2..c70ccac66e 100644
--- a/llarp/messages/common.hpp
+++ b/llarp/messages/common.hpp
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@ namespace llarp
             return std::move(btdp).str();
         }
 
+        // inline static std::string serialize(const SymmNonce& nonce, std::string_view)
+
         inline static std::string serialize(const SymmNonce& nonce, const HopID& hop_id, const ustring_view& payload)
         {
             return serialize(
diff --git a/llarp/messages/path.hpp b/llarp/messages/path.hpp
index 1b5efa2435..802958732b 100644
--- a/llarp/messages/path.hpp
+++ b/llarp/messages/path.hpp
@@ -122,8 +122,8 @@ namespace llarp
             - Generate the XOR nonce by hashing the symmetric key from DH (`hop.shared`) and truncating
 
             Bt-encoded contents:
+            - 'k' : shared pubkey used to derive symmetric key
             - 'n' : symmetric nonce used for DH key-exchange
-            - 's' : shared pubkey used to derive symmetric key
             - 'x' : encrypted payload
                 - 'l' : path lifetime
                 - 'r' : rxID (the path ID for messages going *to* the hop)
@@ -171,26 +171,26 @@ namespace llarp
                 buffer_printer{hop_payload});
 
             oxenc::bt_dict_producer btdp;
-
+            btdp.append("k", ephemeral_key.to_pubkey().to_view());
             btdp.append("n", hop.nonce.to_view());
-            btdp.append("s", ephemeral_key.to_pubkey().to_view());
             btdp.append("x", hop_payload);
 
             return std::move(btdp).str();
         }
 
-        inline static std::tuple<SymmNonce, PubKey, ustring> deserialize_hop(
+        inline static std::tuple<SymmNonce, SharedSecret, ustring> deserialize_hop(
             oxenc::bt_dict_consumer&& btdc, const Ed25519SecretKey& local_sk)
         {
             SymmNonce nonce;
             PubKey remote_pk;
             ustring hop_payload;
+            SharedSecret shared;
 
             try
             {
+                remote_pk.from_string(btdc.require<std::string_view>("k"));
                 nonce.from_string(btdc.require<std::string_view>("n"));
-                remote_pk.from_string(btdc.require<std::string_view>("s"));
-                hop_payload = btdc.require<ustring>("x");
+                hop_payload = btdc.require<ustring_view>("x");
             }
             catch (const std::exception& e)
             {
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ namespace llarp
 
             try
             {
-                crypto::derive_decrypt_outer_wrapping(local_sk, remote_pk, nonce, to_uspan(hop_payload));
+                crypto::derive_decrypt_outer_wrapping(local_sk, shared, remote_pk, nonce, to_uspan(hop_payload));
             }
             catch (...)
             {
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ namespace llarp
                 remote_pk.to_string(),
                 buffer_printer{hop_payload});
 
-            return {std::move(nonce), std::move(remote_pk), std::move(hop_payload)};
+            return {std::move(nonce), std::move(shared), std::move(hop_payload)};
         }
     }  // namespace PathBuildMessage
 }  // namespace llarp
diff --git a/llarp/messages/session.hpp b/llarp/messages/session.hpp
index 60db08131f..11a0049191 100644
--- a/llarp/messages/session.hpp
+++ b/llarp/messages/session.hpp
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ namespace llarp
             SymmNonce nonce;
             RouterID shared_pubkey;
             ustring payload;
+            SharedSecret shared;
 
             try
             {
@@ -89,7 +90,7 @@ namespace llarp
                 shared_pubkey = RouterID{btdc.require<std::string>("s")};
                 payload = btdc.require<ustring>("x");
 
-                crypto::derive_decrypt_outer_wrapping(local, shared_pubkey, nonce, to_uspan(payload));
+                crypto::derive_decrypt_outer_wrapping(local, shared, shared_pubkey, nonce, to_uspan(payload));
 
                 {
                     RouterID remote;
diff --git a/llarp/path/path.cpp b/llarp/path/path.cpp
index 9541fa6c45..218264d7dd 100644
--- a/llarp/path/path.cpp
+++ b/llarp/path/path.cpp
@@ -219,11 +219,9 @@ namespace llarp::path
             });
     }
 
-    bool Path::is_ready() const
+    bool Path::is_ready(std::chrono::milliseconds now) const
     {
-        // if (is_expired(llarp::time_now_ms()))
-        //     return false;
-        return _established;
+        return _established ? is_expired(now) : false;
     }
 
     RouterID Path::upstream_rid()
diff --git a/llarp/path/path.hpp b/llarp/path/path.hpp
index b135dffbda..dc2e7237cb 100644
--- a/llarp/path/path.hpp
+++ b/llarp/path/path.hpp
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ namespace llarp
 
             bool send_path_data_message(std::string body);
 
-            bool is_ready() const;
+            bool is_ready(std::chrono::milliseconds now = llarp::time_now_ms()) const;
 
             RouterID upstream_rid();
             const RouterID& upstream_rid() const;
diff --git a/llarp/path/path_context.cpp b/llarp/path/path_context.cpp
index 56267f4af2..86cf03108f 100644
--- a/llarp/path/path_context.cpp
+++ b/llarp/path/path_context.cpp
@@ -57,22 +57,6 @@ namespace llarp::path
         }
     }
 
-    intro_set PathContext::get_recent_ccs() const
-    {
-        Lock_t l{paths_mutex};
-
-        intro_set intros;
-        auto now = llarp::time_now_ms();
-
-        for (auto& [_, p] : _path_map)
-        {
-            if (p->is_ready() and not p->is_expired(now))
-                intros.emplace(p->intro);
-        }
-
-        return intros;
-    }
-
     void PathContext::drop_path(const std::shared_ptr<Path>& path)
     {
         Lock_t l{paths_mutex};
diff --git a/llarp/path/path_context.hpp b/llarp/path/path_context.hpp
index fc54a36bf9..90321369de 100644
--- a/llarp/path/path_context.hpp
+++ b/llarp/path/path_context.hpp
@@ -47,8 +47,6 @@ namespace llarp::path
 
         void drop_paths(std::vector<std::shared_ptr<Path>> droplist);
 
-        intro_set get_recent_ccs() const;
-
       private:
         const RouterID _local_rid;
 
diff --git a/llarp/path/path_handler.cpp b/llarp/path/path_handler.cpp
index 48d4682304..4c9579e5be 100644
--- a/llarp/path/path_handler.cpp
+++ b/llarp/path/path_handler.cpp
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ namespace llarp::path
 
         for (const auto& [_, p] : _paths)
         {
-            if (p->is_ready() and not p->intro.is_expired(now))
+            if (p and p->is_ready(now))
                 intros.emplace(p->intro);
         }
 
@@ -350,7 +350,8 @@ namespace llarp::path
 
         for (auto& [_, p] : _paths)
         {
-            dissociate_hop_ids(p);
+            if (p)
+                dissociate_hop_ids(p);
         }
 
         _paths.clear();
@@ -555,7 +556,7 @@ namespace llarp::path
         // the same entity from knowing they are part of the same path
         // (unless they're adjacent in the path; nothing we can do about that obviously).
 
-        // i from n_hops downto 0
+        // i from n_hops down to 0
         for (int i = n_hops - 1; i >= 0; --i)
         {
             const auto& next_rid = i == n_hops - 1 ? path_hops[i].rc.router_id() : path_hops[i + 1].rc.router_id();
diff --git a/llarp/path/path_handler.hpp b/llarp/path/path_handler.hpp
index 3b82e07212..aca8398578 100644
--- a/llarp/path/path_handler.hpp
+++ b/llarp/path/path_handler.hpp
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ namespace llarp
             Router& _router;
             size_t num_hops;
             std::chrono::milliseconds last_build{0s};
-            std::chrono::milliseconds build_interval_limit = MIN_PATH_BUILD_INTERVAL;
+            std::chrono::milliseconds build_interval_limit{MIN_PATH_BUILD_INTERVAL};
 
             std::set<RouterID> snode_blacklist;
 
diff --git a/llarp/path/path_types.hpp b/llarp/path/path_types.hpp
index 1956834300..3f17d63b41 100644
--- a/llarp/path/path_types.hpp
+++ b/llarp/path/path_types.hpp
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ namespace llarp
             /// next hop's router id
             RouterID upstream;
             // lifetime
-            std::chrono::milliseconds lifetime = DEFAULT_LIFETIME;
+            std::chrono::milliseconds lifetime{DEFAULT_LIFETIME};
 
             nlohmann::json ExtractStatus() const;
 
@@ -51,8 +51,8 @@ namespace llarp
         };
 
         // milliseconds waiting between builds on a path per router
-        static constexpr auto MIN_PATH_BUILD_INTERVAL = 500ms;
-        static constexpr auto PATH_BUILD_RATE = 100ms;
+        static constexpr auto MIN_PATH_BUILD_INTERVAL{500ms};
+        static constexpr auto PATH_BUILD_RATE{100ms};
     }  // namespace path
 }  // namespace llarp
 
diff --git a/llarp/path/transit_hop.cpp b/llarp/path/transit_hop.cpp
index dc46efd374..9867772e9a 100644
--- a/llarp/path/transit_hop.cpp
+++ b/llarp/path/transit_hop.cpp
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ namespace llarp::path
     static auto logcat = log::Cat("transit-hop");
 
     std::shared_ptr<TransitHop> TransitHop::deserialize_hop(
-        oxenc::bt_dict_consumer&& btdc, const RouterID& src, Router& r, const PubKey& remote_pk, const SymmNonce& nonce)
+        oxenc::bt_dict_consumer&& btdc, const RouterID& src, Router& r, SharedSecret secret)
     {
         auto hop = std::make_shared<TransitHop>();
 
@@ -34,13 +34,14 @@ namespace llarp::path
             throw std::runtime_error{PathBuildMessage::BAD_LIFETIME};
 
         hop->downstream() = src;
+        hop->shared = std::move(secret);
 
         if (r.path_context()->has_transit_hop(hop))
             throw std::runtime_error{PathBuildMessage::BAD_PATHID};
 
         // TODO: get this from the first dh
-        if (!crypto::dh_server(hop->shared, remote_pk, r.identity(), nonce))
-            throw std::runtime_error{PathBuildMessage::BAD_CRYPTO};
+        // if (!crypto::dh_server(hop->shared, remote_pk, r.identity(), nonce))
+        //     throw std::runtime_error{PathBuildMessage::BAD_CRYPTO};
 
         // generate hash of hop key for nonce mutation
         ShortHash xor_hash;
diff --git a/llarp/path/transit_hop.hpp b/llarp/path/transit_hop.hpp
index 13da518f30..d651c0903d 100644
--- a/llarp/path/transit_hop.hpp
+++ b/llarp/path/transit_hop.hpp
@@ -27,19 +27,15 @@ namespace llarp
             // This static factory function is used in path-build logic. The exceptions thrown are the exact response
             // bodies passed to message::respond(...) function
             static std::shared_ptr<TransitHop> deserialize_hop(
-                oxenc::bt_dict_consumer&& btdc,
-                const RouterID& src,
-                Router& r,
-                const PubKey& remote_pk,
-                const SymmNonce& nonce);
+                oxenc::bt_dict_consumer&& btdc, const RouterID& src, Router& r, SharedSecret secret);
 
             SharedSecret shared;
             SymmNonce nonceXOR;
-            std::chrono::milliseconds started = 0s;
+            std::chrono::milliseconds started{0s};
             // 10 minutes default
-            std::chrono::milliseconds lifetime = DEFAULT_LIFETIME;
+            std::chrono::milliseconds lifetime{DEFAULT_LIFETIME};
             uint8_t version;
-            std::chrono::milliseconds _last_activity = 0s;
+            std::chrono::milliseconds _last_activity{0s};
             bool terminal_hop{false};
 
             RouterID& upstream() { return _upstream; }
diff --git a/llarp/router/router.cpp b/llarp/router/router.cpp
index b4696c71d7..951cff1a18 100644
--- a/llarp/router/router.cpp
+++ b/llarp/router/router.cpp
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ namespace llarp
         }
         else
         {
-            _session_endpoint->start_tickers();
+            // _session_endpoint->start_tickers();
             // Resolve needed ONS values now that we have the necessary things prefigured
             _session_endpoint->resolve_ons_mappings();
         }