diff --git a/blockchain/pool.go b/blockchain/pool.go
index 688cc9e64..1245a23ca 100644
--- a/blockchain/pool.go
+++ b/blockchain/pool.go
@@ -11,10 +11,10 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	requestIntervalMS         = 500
+	requestIntervalMS         = 250
 	maxTotalRequests          = 300
 	maxPendingRequests        = maxTotalRequests
-	maxPendingRequestsPerPeer = 50
+	maxPendingRequestsPerPeer = 75
 	peerTimeoutSeconds        = 15
 	minRecvRate               = 10240 // 10Kb/s
 )
@@ -148,10 +148,10 @@ func (pool *BlockPool) PeekTwoBlocks() (first *types.Block, second *types.Block)
 	defer pool.mtx.Unlock()
 
 	if r := pool.requests[pool.height]; r != nil {
-		first = r.block
+		first = r.getBlock()
 	}
 	if r := pool.requests[pool.height+1]; r != nil {
-		second = r.block
+		second = r.getBlock()
 	}
 	return
 }
@@ -162,9 +162,11 @@ func (pool *BlockPool) PopRequest() {
 	pool.mtx.Lock() // Lock
 	defer pool.mtx.Unlock()
 
+	/*  The block can disappear at any time, due to removePeer().
 	if r := pool.requests[pool.height]; r == nil || r.block == nil {
 		PanicSanity("PopRequest() requires a valid block")
 	}
+	*/
 
 	delete(pool.requests, pool.height)
 	pool.height++
@@ -332,46 +334,46 @@ func newBPPeer(pool *BlockPool, peerID string, height int) *bpPeer {
 	return peer
 }
 
-func (bpp *bpPeer) resetMonitor() {
-	bpp.recvMonitor = flow.New(time.Second, time.Second*40)
+func (peer *bpPeer) resetMonitor() {
+	peer.recvMonitor = flow.New(time.Second, time.Second*40)
 	var initialValue = float64(minRecvRate) * math.E
-	bpp.recvMonitor.SetREMA(initialValue)
+	peer.recvMonitor.SetREMA(initialValue)
 }
 
-func (bpp *bpPeer) resetTimeout() {
-	if bpp.timeout == nil {
-		bpp.timeout = time.AfterFunc(time.Second*peerTimeoutSeconds, bpp.onTimeout)
+func (peer *bpPeer) resetTimeout() {
+	if peer.timeout == nil {
+		peer.timeout = time.AfterFunc(time.Second*peerTimeoutSeconds, peer.onTimeout)
 	} else {
-		bpp.timeout.Reset(time.Second * peerTimeoutSeconds)
+		peer.timeout.Reset(time.Second * peerTimeoutSeconds)
 	}
 }
 
-func (bpp *bpPeer) incrPending() {
-	if bpp.numPending == 0 {
-		bpp.resetMonitor()
-		bpp.resetTimeout()
+func (peer *bpPeer) incrPending() {
+	if peer.numPending == 0 {
+		peer.resetMonitor()
+		peer.resetTimeout()
 	}
-	bpp.numPending++
+	peer.numPending++
 }
 
-func (bpp *bpPeer) decrPending(recvSize int) {
-	bpp.numPending--
-	if bpp.numPending == 0 {
-		bpp.timeout.Stop()
+func (peer *bpPeer) decrPending(recvSize int) {
+	peer.numPending--
+	if peer.numPending == 0 {
+		peer.timeout.Stop()
 	} else {
-		bpp.recvMonitor.Update(recvSize)
-		bpp.resetTimeout()
+		peer.recvMonitor.Update(recvSize)
+		peer.resetTimeout()
 	}
 }
 
-func (bpp *bpPeer) onTimeout() {
-	bpp.pool.sendTimeout(bpp.id)
-	log.Warn("SendTimeout", "peer", bpp.id, "reason", "onTimeout")
-	bpp.didTimeout = true
+func (peer *bpPeer) onTimeout() {
+	peer.pool.sendTimeout(peer.id)
+	log.Warn("SendTimeout", "peer", peer.id, "reason", "onTimeout")
+	peer.didTimeout = true
 }
 
-func (bpp *bpPeer) isBad() bool {
-	return bpp.didTimeout
+func (peer *bpPeer) isBad() bool {
+	return peer.didTimeout
 }
 
 //-------------------------------------
@@ -422,6 +424,12 @@ func (bpr *bpRequester) setBlock(block *types.Block, peerID string) bool {
 	return true
 }
 
+func (bpr *bpRequester) getBlock() *types.Block {
+	bpr.mtx.Lock()
+	defer bpr.mtx.Unlock()
+	return bpr.block
+}
+
 func (bpr *bpRequester) getPeerID() string {
 	bpr.mtx.Lock()
 	defer bpr.mtx.Unlock()