diff --git a/p2p/peer.go b/p2p/peer.go
index 35556a59..ecf2efce 100644
--- a/p2p/peer.go
+++ b/p2p/peer.go
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ func newOutboundPeer(addr *NetAddress, reactorsByCh map[byte]Reactor, chDescs []
 		}
 		return nil, err
 	}
+
 	return peer, nil
 }
 
@@ -218,13 +219,12 @@ func (p *peer) Addr() net.Addr {
 
 // PubKey returns peer's public key.
 func (p *peer) PubKey() crypto.PubKey {
-	if p.config.AuthEnc {
+	if p.NodeInfo() != nil {
+		return p.nodeInfo.PubKey
+	} else if p.config.AuthEnc {
 		return p.conn.(*SecretConnection).RemotePubKey()
 	}
-	if p.NodeInfo() == nil {
-		panic("Attempt to get peer's PubKey before calling Handshake")
-	}
-	return p.PubKey()
+	panic("Attempt to get peer's PubKey before calling Handshake")
 }
 
 // OnStart implements BaseService.
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ func (p *peer) Set(key string, data interface{}) {
 
 // Key returns the peer's ID - the hex encoded hash of its pubkey.
 func (p *peer) ID() ID {
-	return ID(hex.EncodeToString(p.nodeInfo.PubKey.Address()))
+	return ID(hex.EncodeToString(p.PubKey().Address()))
 }
 
 // NodeInfo returns a copy of the peer's NodeInfo.
diff --git a/p2p/switch.go b/p2p/switch.go
index 22d3d5a5..e86acfad 100644
--- a/p2p/switch.go
+++ b/p2p/switch.go
@@ -239,9 +239,8 @@ func (sw *Switch) OnStop() {
 // NOTE: This performs a blocking handshake before the peer is added.
 // NOTE: If error is returned, caller is responsible for calling peer.CloseConn()
 func (sw *Switch) addPeer(peer *peer) error {
-
 	// Avoid self
-	if sw.nodeInfo.PubKey.Equals(peer.PubKey().Wrap()) {
+	if sw.nodeKey.ID() == peer.ID() {
 		return errors.New("Ignoring connection from self")
 	}
 
@@ -385,6 +384,14 @@ func (sw *Switch) DialPeerWithAddress(addr *NetAddress, persistent bool) (Peer,
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	peer.SetLogger(sw.Logger.With("peer", addr))
+
+	// authenticate peer
+	if addr.ID == "" {
+		peer.Logger.Info("Dialed peer with unknown ID - unable to authenticate", "addr", addr)
+	} else if addr.ID != peer.ID() {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Failed to authenticate peer %v. Connected to peer with ID %s", addr, peer.ID())
+	}
+
 	if persistent {
 		peer.makePersistent()
 	}