diff --git a/peer/ping_manager.go b/peer/ping_manager.go
index b840d47c4..c456a0581 100644
--- a/peer/ping_manager.go
+++ b/peer/ping_manager.go
@@ -98,16 +98,20 @@ func NewPingManager(cfg *PingManagerConfig) *PingManager {
 func (m *PingManager) Start() error {
 	var err error
 	m.started.Do(func() {
-		err = m.start()
+		m.pingTicker = time.NewTicker(m.cfg.IntervalDuration)
+		m.pingTimeout = time.NewTimer(0)
+
+		m.wg.Add(1)
+		go m.pingHandler()
 	})
 
 	return err
 }
 
-func (m *PingManager) start() error {
-	m.pingTicker = time.NewTicker(m.cfg.IntervalDuration)
-
-	m.pingTimeout = time.NewTimer(0)
+// pingHandler is the main goroutine responsible for enforcing the ping/pong
+// protocol.
+func (m *PingManager) pingHandler() {
+	defer m.wg.Done()
 	defer m.pingTimeout.Stop()
 
 	// Ensure that the pingTimeout channel is empty.
@@ -115,89 +119,81 @@ func (m *PingManager) start() error {
 		<-m.pingTimeout.C
 	}
 
-	m.wg.Add(1)
-	go func() {
-		defer m.wg.Done()
-		for {
-			select {
-			case <-m.pingTicker.C:
-				// If this occurs it means that the new ping
-				// cycle has begun while there is still an
-				// outstanding ping awaiting a pong response.
-				// This should never occur, but if it does, it
-				// implies a timeout.
-				if m.outstandingPongSize >= 0 {
-					e := errors.New("impossible: new ping" +
-						"in unclean state",
-					)
-					m.cfg.OnPongFailure(e)
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-m.pingTicker.C:
+			// If this occurs it means that the new ping cycle has
+			// begun while there is still an outstanding ping
+			// awaiting a pong response.  This should never occur,
+			// but if it does, it implies a timeout.
+			if m.outstandingPongSize >= 0 {
+				e := errors.New("impossible: new ping" +
+					"in unclean state",
+				)
+				m.cfg.OnPongFailure(e)
 
-					return
-				}
+				return
+			}
 
-				pongSize := m.cfg.NewPongSize()
-				ping := &lnwire.Ping{
-					NumPongBytes: pongSize,
-					PaddingBytes: m.cfg.NewPingPayload(),
-				}
+			pongSize := m.cfg.NewPongSize()
+			ping := &lnwire.Ping{
+				NumPongBytes: pongSize,
+				PaddingBytes: m.cfg.NewPingPayload(),
+			}
 
-				// Set up our bookkeeping for the new Ping.
-				if err := m.setPingState(pongSize); err != nil {
+			// Set up our bookkeeping for the new Ping.
+			if err := m.setPingState(pongSize); err != nil {
+				m.cfg.OnPongFailure(err)
 
-					m.cfg.OnPongFailure(err)
+				return
+			}
 
-					return
-				}
+			m.cfg.SendPing(ping)
 
-				m.cfg.SendPing(ping)
+		case <-m.pingTimeout.C:
+			m.resetPingState()
 
-			case <-m.pingTimeout.C:
-				m.resetPingState()
+			e := errors.New("timeout while waiting for " +
+				"pong response",
+			)
 
-				e := errors.New("timeout while waiting for " +
-					"pong response",
+			m.cfg.OnPongFailure(e)
+
+			return
+
+		case pong := <-m.pongChan:
+			pongSize := int32(len(pong.PongBytes))
+
+			// Save off values we are about to override when we
+			// call resetPingState.
+			expected := m.outstandingPongSize
+			lastPing := m.pingLastSend
+
+			m.resetPingState()
+
+			// If the pong we receive doesn't match the ping we
+			// sent out, then we fail out.
+			if pongSize != expected {
+				e := errors.New("pong response does " +
+					"not match expected size",
 				)
 
 				m.cfg.OnPongFailure(e)
 
 				return
-
-			case pong := <-m.pongChan:
-				pongSize := int32(len(pong.PongBytes))
-
-				// Save off values we are about to override
-				// when we call resetPingState.
-				expected := m.outstandingPongSize
-				lastPing := m.pingLastSend
-
-				m.resetPingState()
-
-				// If the pong we receive doesn't match the
-				// ping we sent out, then we fail out.
-				if pongSize != expected {
-					e := errors.New("pong response does " +
-						"not match expected size",
-					)
-
-					m.cfg.OnPongFailure(e)
-
-					return
-				}
-
-				// Compute RTT of ping and save that for future
-				// querying.
-				if lastPing != nil {
-					rtt := time.Since(*lastPing)
-					m.pingTime.Store(&rtt)
-				}
-
-			case <-m.quit:
-				return
 			}
-		}
-	}()
 
-	return nil
+			// Compute RTT of ping and save that for future
+			// querying.
+			if lastPing != nil {
+				rtt := time.Since(*lastPing)
+				m.pingTime.Store(&rtt)
+			}
+
+		case <-m.quit:
+			return
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 // Stop interrupts the goroutines that the PingManager owns. Can only be called