diff --git a/peer.go b/peer.go
index b0a9aac8f..89c216011 100644
--- a/peer.go
+++ b/peer.go
@@ -64,8 +64,9 @@ const (
 // a buffered channel which will be sent upon once the write is complete. This
 // buffered channel acts as a semaphore to be used for synchronization purposes.
 type outgoingMsg struct {
-	msg     lnwire.Message
-	errChan chan error // MUST be buffered.
+	priority bool
+	msg      lnwire.Message
+	errChan  chan error // MUST be buffered.
 }
 
 // newChannelMsg packages a channeldb.OpenChannel with a channel that allows
@@ -1479,24 +1480,45 @@ out:
 func (p *peer) queueHandler() {
 	defer p.wg.Done()
 
-	// pendingMsgs will hold all messages waiting to be added
-	// to the sendQueue.
-	pendingMsgs := list.New()
+	// priorityMsgs holds an in order list of messages deemed high-priority
+	// to be added to the sendQueue. This predominately includes messages
+	// from the funding manager and htlcswitch.
+	priorityMsgs := list.New()
+
+	// lazyMsgs holds an in order list of messages deemed low-priority to be
+	// added to the sendQueue only after all high-priority messages have
+	// been queued. This predominately includes messages from the gossiper.
+	lazyMsgs := list.New()
 
 	for {
-		// Examine the front of the queue.
-		elem := pendingMsgs.Front()
+		// Examine the front of the priority queue, if it is empty check
+		// the low priority queue.
+		elem := priorityMsgs.Front()
+		if elem == nil {
+			elem = lazyMsgs.Front()
+		}
+
 		if elem != nil {
+			front := elem.Value.(outgoingMsg)
+
 			// There's an element on the queue, try adding
 			// it to the sendQueue. We also watch for
 			// messages on the outgoingQueue, in case the
 			// writeHandler cannot accept messages on the
 			// sendQueue.
 			select {
-			case p.sendQueue <- elem.Value.(outgoingMsg):
-				pendingMsgs.Remove(elem)
+			case p.sendQueue <- front:
+				if front.priority {
+					priorityMsgs.Remove(elem)
+				} else {
+					lazyMsgs.Remove(elem)
+				}
 			case msg := <-p.outgoingQueue:
-				pendingMsgs.PushBack(msg)
+				if msg.priority {
+					priorityMsgs.PushBack(msg)
+				} else {
+					lazyMsgs.PushBack(msg)
+				}
 			case <-p.quit:
 				return
 			}
@@ -1506,7 +1528,11 @@ func (p *peer) queueHandler() {
 			// into the queue from outside sub-systems.
 			select {
 			case msg := <-p.outgoingQueue:
-				pendingMsgs.PushBack(msg)
+				if msg.priority {
+					priorityMsgs.PushBack(msg)
+				} else {
+					lazyMsgs.PushBack(msg)
+				}
 			case <-p.quit:
 				return
 			}
@@ -1544,13 +1570,26 @@ func (p *peer) PingTime() int64 {
 	return atomic.LoadInt64(&p.pingTime)
 }
 
-// queueMsg queues a new lnwire.Message to be eventually sent out on the
-// wire. It returns an error if we failed to queue the message. An error
-// is sent on errChan if the message fails being sent to the peer, or
-// nil otherwise.
+// queueMsg adds the lnwire.Message to the back of the high priority send queue.
+// If the errChan is non-nil, an error is sent back if the msg failed to queue
+// or failed to write, and nil otherwise.
 func (p *peer) queueMsg(msg lnwire.Message, errChan chan error) {
+	p.queue(true, msg, errChan)
+}
+
+// queueMsgLazy adds the lnwire.Message to the back of the low priority send
+// queue. If the errChan is non-nil, an error is sent back if the msg failed to
+// queue or failed to write, and nil otherwise.
+func (p *peer) queueMsgLazy(msg lnwire.Message, errChan chan error) {
+	p.queue(false, msg, errChan)
+}
+
+// queue sends a given message to the queueHandler using the passed priority. If
+// the errChan is non-nil, an error is sent back if the msg failed to queue or
+// failed to write, and nil otherwise.
+func (p *peer) queue(priority bool, msg lnwire.Message, errChan chan error) {
 	select {
-	case p.outgoingQueue <- outgoingMsg{msg, errChan}:
+	case p.outgoingQueue <- outgoingMsg{priority, msg, errChan}:
 	case <-p.quit:
 		peerLog.Tracef("Peer shutting down, could not enqueue msg.")
 		if errChan != nil {