diff --git a/substrate/core/finality-grandpa/src/communication/mod.rs b/substrate/core/finality-grandpa/src/communication/mod.rs
index 732c14c1a9..ea78c3ea9d 100644
--- a/substrate/core/finality-grandpa/src/communication/mod.rs
+++ b/substrate/core/finality-grandpa/src/communication/mod.rs
@@ -328,18 +328,12 @@ impl<B: BlockT, N: Network<B>> NetworkBridge<B, N> {
 		self.validator.note_set(
 			set_id,
 			voters.voters().iter().map(|(v, _)| v.clone()).collect(),
-			|to, neighbor| self.service.send_message(
-				to,
-				GossipMessage::<B>::from(neighbor).encode()
-			),
+			|to, neighbor| self.neighbor_sender.send(to, neighbor),
 		);
 
 		self.validator.note_round(
 			round,
-			|to, neighbor| self.service.send_message(
-				to,
-				GossipMessage::<B>::from(neighbor).encode()
-			),
+			|to, neighbor| self.neighbor_sender.send(to, neighbor),
 		);
 	}
 
@@ -455,18 +449,25 @@ impl<B: BlockT, N: Network<B>> NetworkBridge<B, N> {
 		self.validator.note_set(
 			set_id,
 			voters.voters().iter().map(|(v, _)| v.clone()).collect(),
-			|to, neighbor| self.service.send_message(to, GossipMessage::<B>::from(neighbor).encode()),
+			|to, neighbor| self.neighbor_sender.send(to, neighbor),
 		);
 
 		let service = self.service.clone();
 		let topic = global_topic::<B>(set_id.0);
-		let incoming = incoming_global(service, topic, voters, self.validator.clone());
+		let incoming = incoming_global(
+			service,
+			topic,
+			voters,
+			self.validator.clone(),
+			self.neighbor_sender.clone(),
+		);
 
 		let outgoing = CommitsOut::<B, N>::new(
 			self.service.clone(),
 			set_id.0,
 			is_voter,
 			self.validator.clone(),
+			self.neighbor_sender.clone(),
 		);
 
 		let outgoing = outgoing.with(|out| {
@@ -483,6 +484,7 @@ fn incoming_global<B: BlockT, N: Network<B>>(
 	topic: B::Hash,
 	voters: Arc<VoterSet<AuthorityId>>,
 	gossip_validator: Arc<GossipValidator<B>>,
+	neighbor_sender: periodic::NeighborPacketSender<B>,
 ) -> impl Stream<Item = CommunicationIn<B>, Error = Error> {
 	let process_commit = move |
 		msg: FullCommitMessage<B>,
@@ -520,6 +522,7 @@ fn incoming_global<B: BlockT, N: Network<B>>(
 		let finalized_number = commit.target_number;
 		let gossip_validator = gossip_validator.clone();
 		let service = service.clone();
+		let neighbor_sender = neighbor_sender.clone();
 		let cb = move |outcome| match outcome {
 			voter::CommitProcessingOutcome::Good(_) => {
 				// if it checks out, gossip it. not accounting for
@@ -527,10 +530,7 @@ fn incoming_global<B: BlockT, N: Network<B>>(
 				// finalized number.
 				gossip_validator.note_commit_finalized(
 					finalized_number,
-					|to, neighbor_msg| service.send_message(
-						to,
-						GossipMessage::<B>::from(neighbor_msg).encode(),
-					),
+					|to, neighbor| neighbor_sender.send(to, neighbor),
 				);
 
 				service.gossip_message(topic, notification.message.clone(), false);
@@ -915,6 +915,7 @@ struct CommitsOut<Block: BlockT, N: Network<Block>> {
 	set_id: SetId,
 	is_voter: bool,
 	gossip_validator: Arc<GossipValidator<Block>>,
+	neighbor_sender: periodic::NeighborPacketSender<Block>,
 }
 
 impl<Block: BlockT, N: Network<Block>> CommitsOut<Block, N> {
@@ -924,12 +925,14 @@ impl<Block: BlockT, N: Network<Block>> CommitsOut<Block, N> {
 		set_id: SetIdNumber,
 		is_voter: bool,
 		gossip_validator: Arc<GossipValidator<Block>>,
+		neighbor_sender: periodic::NeighborPacketSender<Block>,
 	) -> Self {
 		CommitsOut {
 			network,
 			set_id: SetId(set_id),
 			is_voter,
 			gossip_validator,
+			neighbor_sender,
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -972,10 +975,7 @@ impl<Block: BlockT, N: Network<Block>> Sink for CommitsOut<Block, N> {
 		// before gossiping
 		self.gossip_validator.note_commit_finalized(
 			commit.target_number,
-			|to, neighbor| self.network.send_message(
-				to,
-				GossipMessage::<Block>::from(neighbor).encode(),
-			),
+			|to, neighbor| self.neighbor_sender.send(to, neighbor),
 		);
 		self.network.gossip_message(topic, message.encode(), false);
 
diff --git a/substrate/core/finality-grandpa/src/communication/periodic.rs b/substrate/core/finality-grandpa/src/communication/periodic.rs
index 7265fe34a2..54383bb63d 100644
--- a/substrate/core/finality-grandpa/src/communication/periodic.rs
+++ b/substrate/core/finality-grandpa/src/communication/periodic.rs
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ use futures::sync::mpsc;
 use sr_primitives::traits::{NumberFor, Block as BlockT};
 use network::PeerId;
 use tokio_timer::Delay;
-use log::warn;
+use log::{debug, warn};
 use codec::Encode;
 
 use std::time::{Instant, Duration};
@@ -35,7 +35,22 @@ fn rebroadcast_instant() -> Instant {
 }
 
 /// A sender used to send neighbor packets to a background job.
-pub(super) type NeighborPacketSender<B> = mpsc::UnboundedSender<(Vec<PeerId>, NeighborPacket<NumberFor<B>>)>;
+#[derive(Clone)]
+pub(super) struct NeighborPacketSender<B: BlockT>(
+	mpsc::UnboundedSender<(Vec<PeerId>, NeighborPacket<NumberFor<B>>)>
+);
+
+impl<B: BlockT> NeighborPacketSender<B> {
+	pub fn send(
+		&self,
+		who: Vec<network::PeerId>,
+		neighbor_packet: NeighborPacket<NumberFor<B>>,
+	) {
+		if let Err(err) = self.0.unbounded_send((who, neighbor_packet)) {
+			debug!(target: "afg", "Failed to send neighbor packet: {:?}", err);
+		}
+	}
+}
 
 /// Does the work of sending neighbor packets, asynchronously.
 ///
@@ -89,5 +104,5 @@ pub(super) fn neighbor_packet_worker<B, N>(net: N) -> (
 		}
 	});
 
-	(work, tx)
+	(work, NeighborPacketSender(tx))
 }