diff --git a/routing/dht_protocol.c b/routing/dht_protocol.c
index c512af2..d9811f7 100644
--- a/routing/dht_protocol.c
+++ b/routing/dht_protocol.c
@@ -574,14 +574,16 @@ int libp2p_routing_dht_send_message_nearest_x(const struct RsaPrivateKey* privat
 		if (entry == NULL)
 			break;
 		struct Libp2pPeer* remote_peer = entry->peer;
-		// connect (if not connected)
-		if (libp2p_peer_connect(private_key, remote_peer, peerstore, datastore, 5)) {
-			// send message
-			if (libp2p_routing_dht_send_message(remote_peer->sessionContext, msg))
-				numSent++;
+		if (!remote_peer->is_local) {
+			// connect (if not connected)
+			if (libp2p_peer_connect(private_key, remote_peer, peerstore, datastore, 5)) {
+				// send message
+				if (libp2p_routing_dht_send_message(remote_peer->sessionContext, msg))
+					numSent++;
+			}
+			if (numSent >= numToSend)
+				break;
 		}
-		if (numSent >= numToSend)
-			break;
 		// grab next entry
 		llpeer_entry = llpeer_entry->next;
 	}
diff --git a/secio/secio.c b/secio/secio.c
index 7fcaf0a..6ae5066 100644
--- a/secio/secio.c
+++ b/secio/secio.c
@@ -572,6 +572,10 @@ int libp2p_secio_unencrypted_write(struct SessionContext* session, unsigned char
 int libp2p_secio_unencrypted_read(struct SessionContext* session, unsigned char** results, size_t* results_size, int timeout_secs) {
 	uint32_t buffer_size;
 
+	if (session == NULL || session->insecure_stream == NULL || session->insecure_stream->socket_descriptor == NULL) {
+		libp2p_logger_error("secio", "Attempted unencrypted read on invalid session.\n");
+		return 0;
+	}
 	// first read the 4 byte integer
 	char* size = (char*)&buffer_size;
 	int left = 4;