diff --git a/node/transport.go b/node/transport.go
index 6004aed..08eee04 100644
--- a/node/transport.go
+++ b/node/transport.go
@@ -969,12 +969,7 @@ func (t *Transport) keepalive(pc *PeerConnection) {
 }
 
 func (t *Transport) removeConnection(pc *PeerConnection) {
-	t.mutex.Lock()
-	delete(t.connections, pc.Peer.ID)
-	t.mutex.Unlock()
-
-	t.peerRegistry.SetConnected(pc.Peer.ID, false)
-	pc.Close()
+	_ = pc.Close()
 }
 
 // err := peerConnection.Send(message)
@@ -1008,6 +1003,9 @@ func (pc *PeerConnection) sendLocked(msg *Message) error {
 func (pc *PeerConnection) Close() error {
 	var err error
 	pc.closeOnce.Do(func() {
+		if pc.transport != nil {
+			pc.transport.detachConnection(pc)
+		}
 		connection := pc.webSocketConnection()
 		if connection == nil {
 			return
@@ -1034,35 +1032,40 @@ const (
 
 // err := peerConnection.GracefulClose("server shutdown", DisconnectShutdown)
 func (pc *PeerConnection) GracefulClose(reason string, code int) error {
-	var err error
-	pc.closeOnce.Do(func() {
-		pc.writeMutex.Lock()
-		defer pc.writeMutex.Unlock()
-
-		connection := pc.webSocketConnection()
-		if connection == nil {
-			return
-		}
-
-		// Try to send disconnect message (best effort).
-		if pc.transport != nil && pc.SharedSecret != nil {
-			identity := pc.transport.nodeManager.GetIdentity()
-			if identity != nil {
-				payload := DisconnectPayload{
-					Reason: reason,
-					Code:   code,
-				}
-				msg, msgErr := NewMessage(MessageDisconnect, identity.ID, pc.Peer.ID, payload)
-				if msgErr == nil {
-					_ = pc.sendLocked(msg)
-				}
+	pc.writeMutex.Lock()
+	connection := pc.webSocketConnection()
+	if connection != nil && pc.transport != nil && pc.SharedSecret != nil {
+		identity := pc.transport.nodeManager.GetIdentity()
+		if identity != nil {
+			payload := DisconnectPayload{
+				Reason: reason,
+				Code:   code,
+			}
+			msg, msgErr := NewMessage(MessageDisconnect, identity.ID, pc.Peer.ID, payload)
+			if msgErr == nil {
+				_ = pc.sendLocked(msg)
 			}
 		}
+	}
+	pc.writeMutex.Unlock()
 
-		// Close the underlying connection
-		err = connection.Close()
-	})
-	return err
+	return pc.Close()
+}
+
+func (t *Transport) detachConnection(pc *PeerConnection) {
+	if pc == nil || pc.Peer == nil {
+		return
+	}
+
+	t.mutex.Lock()
+	current, exists := t.connections[pc.Peer.ID]
+	if exists && current == pc {
+		delete(t.connections, pc.Peer.ID)
+		t.mutex.Unlock()
+		t.peerRegistry.SetConnected(pc.Peer.ID, false)
+		return
+	}
+	t.mutex.Unlock()
 }
 
 func (t *Transport) encryptMessage(msg *Message, sharedSecret []byte) ([]byte, error) {
diff --git a/node/transport_test.go b/node/transport_test.go
index 5d00ab7..378f8b8 100644
--- a/node/transport_test.go
+++ b/node/transport_test.go
@@ -619,6 +619,37 @@ func TestTransport_GracefulClose_Ugly(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestTransport_PeerConnectionClose_ReleasesState_Good(t *testing.T) {
+	tp := setupTestTransportPair(t)
+
+	pc := tp.connectClient(t)
+	clientID := tp.ClientNode.GetIdentity().ID
+	if tp.Client.GetConnection(tp.ServerNode.GetIdentity().ID) == nil {
+		t.Fatal("client should have an active connection before close")
+	}
+
+	if err := pc.Close(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("close peer connection: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	deadline := time.After(2 * time.Second)
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-deadline:
+			t.Fatal("connection state was not released after close")
+		default:
+			if tp.Client.GetConnection(tp.ServerNode.GetIdentity().ID) == nil && tp.Client.ConnectedPeerCount() == 0 {
+				peer := tp.ClientReg.GetPeer(clientID)
+				if peer != nil && peer.Connected {
+					t.Fatal("registry should show peer as disconnected after close")
+				}
+				return
+			}
+			time.Sleep(20 * time.Millisecond)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func TestTransport_ConcurrentSends_Ugly(t *testing.T) {
 	tp := setupTestTransportPair(t)