diff --git a/device/device.go b/device/device.go
index ab5e4b0..569c5a8 100644
--- a/device/device.go
+++ b/device/device.go
@@ -201,7 +201,6 @@ func (device *Device) IsUnderLoad() bool {
 }
 
 func (device *Device) SetPrivateKey(sk NoisePrivateKey) error {
-
 	// lock required resources
 
 	device.staticIdentity.Lock()
@@ -214,9 +213,10 @@ func (device *Device) SetPrivateKey(sk NoisePrivateKey) error {
 	device.peers.Lock()
 	defer device.peers.Unlock()
 
+	lockedPeers := make([]*Peer, 0, len(device.peers.keyMap))
 	for _, peer := range device.peers.keyMap {
 		peer.handshake.mutex.RLock()
-		defer peer.handshake.mutex.RUnlock()
+		lockedPeers = append(lockedPeers, peer)
 	}
 
 	// remove peers with matching public keys
@@ -238,8 +238,8 @@ func (device *Device) SetPrivateKey(sk NoisePrivateKey) error {
 
 	rmKey := device.staticIdentity.privateKey.IsZero()
 
+	expiredPeers := make([]*Peer, 0, len(device.peers.keyMap))
 	for key, peer := range device.peers.keyMap {
-
 		handshake := &peer.handshake
 
 		if rmKey {
@@ -251,10 +251,17 @@ func (device *Device) SetPrivateKey(sk NoisePrivateKey) error {
 		if isZero(handshake.precomputedStaticStatic[:]) {
 			unsafeRemovePeer(device, peer, key)
 		} else {
-			peer.ExpireCurrentKeypairs()
+			expiredPeers = append(expiredPeers, peer)
 		}
 	}
 
+	for _, peer := range lockedPeers {
+		peer.handshake.mutex.RUnlock()
+	}
+	for _, peer := range expiredPeers {
+		peer.ExpireCurrentKeypairs()
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }