diff --git a/p2p/transport/webrtc/connection.go b/p2p/transport/webrtc/connection.go
index a9463a199b..f220360ed4 100644
--- a/p2p/transport/webrtc/connection.go
+++ b/p2p/transport/webrtc/connection.go
@@ -145,7 +145,12 @@ func (c *connection) closeWithError(err error) {
 	c.cancel()
 	// closing peerconnection will close the datachannels associated with the streams
 	c.pc.Close()
-	for _, s := range c.streams {
+
+	c.m.Lock()
+	streams := c.streams
+	c.streams = nil
+	c.m.Unlock()
+	for _, s := range streams {
 		s.closeForShutdown(err)
 	}
 	c.scope.Done()
@@ -207,6 +212,9 @@ func (c *connection) Transport() tpt.Transport      { return c.transport }
 func (c *connection) addStream(str *stream) error {
 	c.m.Lock()
 	defer c.m.Unlock()
+	if c.streams == nil {
+		return c.closeErr
+	}
 	if _, ok := c.streams[str.id]; ok {
 		return errors.New("stream ID already exists")
 	}
diff --git a/p2p/transport/webrtc/stream.go b/p2p/transport/webrtc/stream.go
index 42e90d5fad..23fef07bbc 100644
--- a/p2p/transport/webrtc/stream.go
+++ b/p2p/transport/webrtc/stream.go
@@ -141,7 +141,8 @@ func newStream(
 func (s *stream) Close() error {
 	s.mx.Lock()
 	if s.closeForShutdownErr != nil {
-		return s.closeForShutdownErr
+		s.mx.Unlock()
+		return nil
 	}
 	s.mx.Unlock()
 
@@ -166,6 +167,7 @@ func (s *stream) Close() error {
 func (s *stream) Reset() error {
 	s.mx.Lock()
 	if s.closeForShutdownErr != nil {
+		s.mx.Unlock()
 		return nil
 	}
 	s.mx.Unlock()
@@ -180,6 +182,8 @@ func (s *stream) Reset() error {
 }
 
 func (s *stream) closeForShutdown(closeErr error) {
+	defer s.cleanup()
+
 	s.mx.Lock()
 	defer s.mx.Unlock()
 
@@ -189,7 +193,6 @@ func (s *stream) closeForShutdown(closeErr error) {
 	case s.sendStateChanged <- struct{}{}:
 	default:
 	}
-	s.cleanup()
 }
 
 func (s *stream) SetDeadline(t time.Time) error {
@@ -275,7 +278,8 @@ func (s *stream) spawnControlMessageReader() {
 				s.processIncomingFlag(s.nextMessage.Flag)
 				s.nextMessage = nil
 			}
-			for s.sendState != sendStateDataReceived && s.sendState != sendStateReset {
+			for s.closeForShutdownErr == nil &&
+				s.sendState != sendStateDataReceived && s.sendState != sendStateReset {
 				var msg pb.Message
 				if !setDeadline() {
 					return
diff --git a/p2p/transport/webrtc/stream_read.go b/p2p/transport/webrtc/stream_read.go
index 9d54ec51be..002ebac0ec 100644
--- a/p2p/transport/webrtc/stream_read.go
+++ b/p2p/transport/webrtc/stream_read.go
@@ -37,11 +37,11 @@ func (s *stream) Read(b []byte) (int, error) {
 			var msg pb.Message
 			if err := s.reader.ReadMsg(&msg); err != nil {
 				s.mx.Lock()
+				// connection was closed
+				if s.closeForShutdownErr != nil {
+					return 0, s.closeForShutdownErr
+				}
 				if err == io.EOF {
-					// connection was closed
-					if s.closeForShutdownErr != nil {
-						return 0, s.closeForShutdownErr
-					}
 					// if the channel was properly closed, return EOF
 					if s.receiveState == receiveStateDataRead {
 						return 0, io.EOF
@@ -59,10 +59,6 @@ func (s *stream) Read(b []byte) (int, error) {
 				if s.receiveState == receiveStateDataRead {
 					return 0, io.EOF
 				}
-				// connection was closed
-				if s.closeForShutdownErr != nil {
-					return 0, s.closeForShutdownErr
-				}
 				return 0, err
 			}
 			s.mx.Lock()