From ed6d31a696d69937b008163dd70f119a816ec1b3 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Chase Wright <chase.wright@ethereum.org>
Date: Thu, 16 Jul 2026 18:25:22 -0500
Subject: [PATCH 1/2] Fix startup session/pool bugs: set node on initiator
 sessions, lock LoadInitialNodesFromDB

---
 discv5/protocol/handler.go | 4 ++++
 nodes/flattable.go         | 7 +++++++
 2 files changed, 11 insertions(+)

diff --git a/discv5/protocol/handler.go b/discv5/protocol/handler.go
index 3d3a256..cc8987f 100644
--- a/discv5/protocol/handler.go
+++ b/discv5/protocol/handler.go
@@ -704,6 +704,10 @@ func (h *Handler) handleWHOAREYOUPacket(packet *Packet, from *net.UDPAddr, local
 		}
 	}
 
+	if sess.GetNode() == nil && remoteNode != nil {
+		sess.SetNode(remoteNode)
+	}
+
 	h.config.Sessions.Put(sess)
 
 	// Call OnHandshakeComplete callback for outgoing handshake
diff --git a/nodes/flattable.go b/nodes/flattable.go
index a412713..98e4c76 100644
--- a/nodes/flattable.go
+++ b/nodes/flattable.go
@@ -195,7 +195,14 @@ func (t *FlatTable) LoadInitialNodesFromDB() error {
 	// Load random nodes from DB to bootstrap the active pool
 	randomNodes := t.db.LoadRandomNodes(t.maxActiveNodes)
 
+	t.mu.Lock()
+	defer t.mu.Unlock()
+
 	for _, n := range randomNodes {
+		if _, exists := t.activeNodes[n.ID()]; exists {
+			continue
+		}
+
 		if t.ipLimiter.CanAdd(n) {
 			t.activeNodes[n.ID()] = n
 			t.ipLimiter.Add(n)

From e10a691b495f9b7b5d609a4475b6f4f3fd45a564 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Chase Wright <chase.wright@ethereum.org>
Date: Thu, 16 Jul 2026 18:30:20 -0500
Subject: [PATCH 2/2] Re-admit demoted nodes to the active pool on traffic

---
 bootnode/service.go | 3 +++
 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+)

diff --git a/bootnode/service.go b/bootnode/service.go
index b28017b..ca3d6ef 100644
--- a/bootnode/service.go
+++ b/bootnode/service.go
@@ -1046,12 +1046,15 @@ func (s *Service) onNodeSeen(n *v5node.Node, timestamp time.Time) {
 			// Look up the generic node from the table
 			if genericNode := s.elTable.Get(nodeID); genericNode != nil {
 				genericNode.SetLastSeen(timestamp) // This marks it dirty
+				// Get falls back to the DB, so Add re-admits demoted nodes
+				s.elTable.Add(genericNode)
 				s.elNodeDB.QueueUpdate(genericNode)
 			}
 		} else if s.enrManager.FilterCLNode(n.Record()) && s.clTable != nil && s.clNodeDB != nil {
 			// Look up the generic node from the table
 			if genericNode := s.clTable.Get(nodeID); genericNode != nil {
 				genericNode.SetLastSeen(timestamp) // This marks it dirty
+				s.clTable.Add(genericNode)
 				s.clNodeDB.QueueUpdate(genericNode)
 			}
 		}