diff --git a/llarp/router/router.cpp b/llarp/router/router.cpp
index 38de414e0..9bf76deab 100644
--- a/llarp/router/router.cpp
+++ b/llarp/router/router.cpp
@@ -361,6 +361,7 @@ namespace llarp
           _identity = RpcClient()->ObtainIdentityKey();
           const RouterID pk{pubkey()};
           LogWarn("Obtained lokid identity key: ", pk);
+          RpcClient()->StartPings();
           break;
         }
         catch (const std::exception& e)
diff --git a/llarp/rpc/lokid_rpc_client.cpp b/llarp/rpc/lokid_rpc_client.cpp
index 313ed4eb5..1bf6b4feb 100644
--- a/llarp/rpc/lokid_rpc_client.cpp
+++ b/llarp/rpc/lokid_rpc_client.cpp
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ namespace llarp
         LogInfo("connecting to lokid via LMQ at ", url.full_address());
         m_Connection = m_lokiMQ->connect_remote(
             url,
-            [self = shared_from_this()](oxenmq::ConnectionID) { self->Connected(); },
+            [](oxenmq::ConnectionID) {},
             [self = shared_from_this(), url](oxenmq::ConnectionID, std::string_view f) {
               llarp::LogWarn("Failed to connect to lokid: ", f);
               if (auto router = self->m_Router.lock())
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ namespace llarp
     }
 
     void
-    LokidRpcClient::Connected()
+    LokidRpcClient::StartPings()
     {
       constexpr auto PingInterval = 30s;
       auto makePingRequest = [self = shared_from_this()]() {
diff --git a/llarp/rpc/lokid_rpc_client.hpp b/llarp/rpc/lokid_rpc_client.hpp
index bfc267480..cbd9b459f 100644
--- a/llarp/rpc/lokid_rpc_client.hpp
+++ b/llarp/rpc/lokid_rpc_client.hpp
@@ -46,11 +46,10 @@ namespace llarp
       void
       InformConnection(RouterID router, bool success);
 
-     private:
-      /// called when we have connected to lokid via lokimq
       void
-      Connected();
+      StartPings();
 
+     private:
       /// do a lmq command on the current connection
       void
       Command(std::string_view cmd);