diff --git a/llarp/config/config.cpp b/llarp/config/config.cpp
index b718de338..12bcee7ec 100644
--- a/llarp/config/config.cpp
+++ b/llarp/config/config.cpp
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ namespace llarp
     constexpr int DefaultWorkerThreads = 1;
     constexpr int DefaultNetThreads = 1;
     constexpr bool DefaultBlockBogons = true;
+    constexpr bool DefaultEnablePeerStats = false;
 
     conf.defineOption<int>("router", "job-queue-size", false, DefaultJobQueueSize, [this](int arg) {
       if (arg < 1024)
@@ -128,6 +129,13 @@ namespace llarp
 
     conf.defineOption<std::string>(
         "router", "transport-privkey", false, "", AssignmentAcceptor(m_transportKeyFile));
+
+    conf.defineOption<bool>(
+        "router",
+        "enable-peer-stats",
+        false,
+        DefaultEnablePeerStats,
+        AssignmentAcceptor(m_enablePeerStats));
   }
 
   void
@@ -987,6 +995,40 @@ namespace llarp
             "File containing service node's seed.",
         });
 
+    // extra [network] options
+    // TODO: probably better to create an [exit] section and only allow it for routers
+    def.addOptionComments(
+        "network",
+        "exit",
+        {
+            "Whether or not we should act as an exit node. Beware that this increases demand",
+            "on the server and may pose liability concerns. Enable at your own risk.",
+        });
+
+    // TODO: define the order of precedence (e.g. is whitelist applied before blacklist?)
+    //       additionally, what's default? What if I don't whitelist anything?
+    def.addOptionComments(
+        "network",
+        "exit-whitelist",
+        {
+            "List of destination protocol:port pairs to whitelist, example: udp:*",
+            "or tcp:80. Multiple values supported.",
+        });
+
+    def.addOptionComments(
+        "network",
+        "exit-blacklist",
+        {
+            "Blacklist of destinations (same format as whitelist).",
+        });
+
+    def.addOptionComments(
+        "router",
+        "enable-peer-stats",
+        {
+            "Enable collection of SNode peer stats",
+        });
+
     return def.generateINIConfig(true);
   }
 
diff --git a/llarp/config/config.hpp b/llarp/config/config.hpp
index 1a2733a95..77d3e5de0 100644
--- a/llarp/config/config.hpp
+++ b/llarp/config/config.hpp
@@ -64,6 +64,8 @@ namespace llarp
     std::string m_identityKeyFile;
     std::string m_transportKeyFile;
 
+    bool m_enablePeerStats = false;
+
     void
     defineConfigOptions(ConfigDefinition& conf, const ConfigGenParameters& params);
   };
diff --git a/llarp/peerstats/peer_db.cpp b/llarp/peerstats/peer_db.cpp
index a7751e22c..a814e65e6 100644
--- a/llarp/peerstats/peer_db.cpp
+++ b/llarp/peerstats/peer_db.cpp
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@
 
 namespace llarp
 {
+  PeerDb::PeerDb()
+  {
+    m_lastFlush.store({});
+  }
+
   void
   PeerDb::loadDatabase(std::optional<std::filesystem::path> file)
   {
@@ -47,6 +52,12 @@ namespace llarp
   void
   PeerDb::flushDatabase()
   {
+    LogDebug("flushing PeerDb...");
+
+    auto start = time_now_ms();
+    if (not shouldFlush(start))
+      LogWarn("Double PeerDb flush?");
+
     if (not m_storage)
       throw std::runtime_error("Cannot flush database before it has been loaded");
 
@@ -65,6 +76,13 @@ namespace llarp
 
       m_storage->replace(entry.second);
     }
+
+    auto end = time_now_ms();
+
+    auto elapsed = end - start;
+    LogDebug("PeerDb flush took about ", elapsed, " millis");
+
+    m_lastFlush.store(end);
   }
 
   void
@@ -93,4 +111,21 @@ namespace llarp
       return itr->second;
   }
 
+  void
+  PeerDb::configure(const RouterConfig& routerConfig)
+  {
+    if (not routerConfig.m_enablePeerStats)
+      throw std::runtime_error("[router]:enable-peer-stats is not enabled");
+
+    fs::path dbPath = routerConfig.m_dataDir / "peerstats.sqlite";
+
+    loadDatabase(dbPath);
+  }
+
+  bool
+  PeerDb::shouldFlush(llarp_time_t now)
+  {
+    return (now - m_lastFlush.load() >= m_targetFlushInterval);
+  }
+
 };  // namespace llarp
diff --git a/llarp/peerstats/peer_db.hpp b/llarp/peerstats/peer_db.hpp
index ea4ebd317..b8ba75efa 100644
--- a/llarp/peerstats/peer_db.hpp
+++ b/llarp/peerstats/peer_db.hpp
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 #pragma once
 
-#include <chrono>
 #include <filesystem>
 #include <unordered_map>
 
 #include <sqlite_orm/sqlite_orm.h>
 
+#include <config/config.hpp>
 #include <router_id.hpp>
 #include <util/time.hpp>
 #include <peerstats/types.hpp>
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ namespace llarp
   /// a flush.
   struct PeerDb
   {
+    /// Constructor
+    PeerDb();
+
     /// Loads the database from disk using the provided filepath. If the file is equal to
     /// `std::nullopt`, the database will be loaded into memory (useful for testing).
     ///
@@ -62,11 +65,27 @@ namespace llarp
     std::optional<PeerStats>
     getCurrentPeerStats(const RouterID& routerId) const;
 
+    /// Configures the PeerDb based on RouterConfig
+    ///
+    /// @param routerConfig
+    void
+    configure(const RouterConfig& routerConfig);
+
+    /// Returns whether or not we should flush, as determined by the last time we flushed and the
+    /// configured flush interval.
+    ///
+    /// @param now is the current[-ish] time
+    bool
+    shouldFlush(llarp_time_t now);
+
    private:
     std::unordered_map<RouterID, PeerStats, RouterID::Hash> m_peerStats;
     std::mutex m_statsLock;
 
     std::unique_ptr<PeerDbStorage> m_storage;
+
+    llarp_time_t m_targetFlushInterval = 30s;
+    std::atomic<llarp_time_t> m_lastFlush;
   };
 
 }  // namespace llarp
diff --git a/llarp/router/router.cpp b/llarp/router/router.cpp
index 7b8f0d336..1d77721d4 100644
--- a/llarp/router/router.cpp
+++ b/llarp/router/router.cpp
@@ -578,6 +578,14 @@ namespace llarp
       hiddenServiceContext().AddEndpoint(*conf);
     }
 
+    // peer stats
+    if (conf->router.m_enablePeerStats)
+    {
+      LogInfo("Initializing peerdb...");
+      m_peerDb = std::make_unique<PeerDb>();
+      m_peerDb->configure(conf->router);
+    }
+
     // Logging config
     LogContext::Instance().Initialize(
         conf->logging.m_logLevel,
@@ -754,6 +762,10 @@ namespace llarp
     {
       nodedb()->AsyncFlushToDisk();
     }
+
+    if (m_peerDb and m_peerDb->shouldFlush(now))
+      diskworker()->addJob([this]() { m_peerDb->flushDatabase(); });
+
     // get connected peers
     std::set<dht::Key_t> peersWeHave;
     _linkManager.ForEachPeer([&peersWeHave](ILinkSession* s) {
diff --git a/llarp/router/router.hpp b/llarp/router/router.hpp
index 22dcb3514..3a3f16445 100644
--- a/llarp/router/router.hpp
+++ b/llarp/router/router.hpp
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #include <messages/link_message_parser.hpp>
 #include <nodedb.hpp>
 #include <path/path_context.hpp>
+#include <peerstats/peer_db.hpp>
 #include <profiling.hpp>
 #include <router_contact.hpp>
 #include <router/outbound_message_handler.hpp>
@@ -495,6 +496,7 @@ namespace llarp
     llarp_time_t m_LastStatsReport = 0s;
 
     std::shared_ptr<llarp::KeyManager> m_keyManager;
+    std::unique_ptr<PeerDb> m_peerDb;
 
     uint32_t path_build_count = 0;