diff --git a/squeakserver/common/lnd_lightning_client.py b/squeakserver/common/lnd_lightning_client.py
index a34ba95f..50731eed 100644
--- a/squeakserver/common/lnd_lightning_client.py
+++ b/squeakserver/common/lnd_lightning_client.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 # we need to use that cipher suite otherwise there will be a handhsake
 # error when we communicate with the lnd rpc server.
 os.environ["GRPC_SSL_CIPHER_SUITES"] = "HIGH+ECDSA"
-os.environ["GRPC_VERBOSITY"] = "DEBUG"
+# os.environ["GRPC_VERBOSITY"] = "DEBUG"
 
 
 class LNDLightningClient:
diff --git a/squeakserver/node/peer_download.py b/squeakserver/node/peer_download.py
index f3bc1c14..72a8012d 100644
--- a/squeakserver/node/peer_download.py
+++ b/squeakserver/node/peer_download.py
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ class PeerDownload:
         self.squeak_store.save_downloaded_squeak(squeak)
 
     def _download_squeak(self, squeak_hash):
+        logger.info("Downloading squeak: {}".format(squeak_hash.hex()))
         squeak = self.peer_client.get_squeak(squeak_hash)
         self._save_squeak(squeak)
 
diff --git a/squeakserver/node/peer_upload.py b/squeakserver/node/peer_upload.py
index d5133a5a..d695747f 100644
--- a/squeakserver/node/peer_upload.py
+++ b/squeakserver/node/peer_upload.py
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ class PeerUpload:
         return squeak_entry.squeak
 
     def _upload_squeak(self, squeak_hash):
+        logger.info("Uploading squeak: {}".format(squeak_hash.hex()))
         squeak = self._get_local_squeak(squeak_hash)
         self.peer_client.post_squeak(squeak)
 
diff --git a/squeakserver/node/squeak_node.py b/squeakserver/node/squeak_node.py
index fc5c9bc8..f4791aef 100644
--- a/squeakserver/node/squeak_node.py
+++ b/squeakserver/node/squeak_node.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ from squeakserver.node.squeak_maker import SqueakMaker
 from squeakserver.node.squeak_rate_limiter import SqueakRateLimiter
 from squeakserver.node.squeak_whitelist import SqueakWhitelist
 from squeakserver.node.squeak_store import SqueakStore
-from squeakserver.node.squeak_peer_downloader import SqueakPeerDownloader
+from squeakserver.node.squeak_peer_sync_worker import SqueakPeerSyncWorker
 from squeakserver.node.squeak_sync_status import SqueakSyncController
 from squeakserver.server.buy_offer import BuyOffer
 from squeakserver.server.squeak_profile import SqueakProfile
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ class SqueakNode:
             self.squeak_store,
             self.postgres_db,
         )
-        self.squeak_peer_downloader = SqueakPeerDownloader(
+        self.squeak_peer_sync_worker = SqueakPeerSyncWorker(
             postgres_db,
             self.squeak_sync_controller,
         )
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ class SqueakNode:
     def start_running(self):
         self.squeak_block_periodic_worker.start_running()
         self.squeak_block_queue_worker.start_running()
-        self.squeak_peer_downloader.start_running()
+        self.squeak_peer_sync_worker.start_running()
 
     def save_uploaded_squeak(self, squeak):
         return self.squeak_store.save_uploaded_squeak(squeak)
diff --git a/squeakserver/node/squeak_peer_downloader.py b/squeakserver/node/squeak_peer_sync_worker.py
similarity index 96%
rename from squeakserver/node/squeak_peer_downloader.py
rename to squeakserver/node/squeak_peer_sync_worker.py
index 8bc9d2dd..88563d8a 100644
--- a/squeakserver/node/squeak_peer_downloader.py
+++ b/squeakserver/node/squeak_peer_sync_worker.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 SUBSCRIBE_UPDATE_INTERVAL_S = 10.0
 
 
-class SqueakPeerDownloader:
+class SqueakPeerSyncWorker:
     def __init__(self,
                  postgres_db,
                  squeak_sync_controller,
diff --git a/squeakserver/node/squeak_sync_status.py b/squeakserver/node/squeak_sync_status.py
index 2ef34e58..76205347 100644
--- a/squeakserver/node/squeak_sync_status.py
+++ b/squeakserver/node/squeak_sync_status.py
@@ -61,12 +61,20 @@ class SqueakSyncController:
     def _download_from_peers(self, peers, block_height):
         for peer in peers:
             if peer.downloading:
-                self._download_from_peer(peer, block_height)
+                download_thread = threading.Thread(
+                    target=self._download_from_peer,
+                    args=(peer, block_height,),
+                )
+                download_thread.start()
 
     def _upload_to_peers(self, peers, block_height):
         for peer in peers:
             if peer.uploading:
-                self._upload_to_peer(peer, block_height)
+                upload_thread = threading.Thread(
+                    target=self._upload_to_peer,
+                    args=(peer, block_height,),
+                )
+                upload_thread.start()
 
     def _download_from_peer(self, peer, block_height):
         peer_download = PeerDownload(
@@ -78,8 +86,7 @@ class SqueakSyncController:
         try:
             logger.debug("Trying to download from peer: {}".format(peer))
             with self.DownloadingContextManager(peer, peer_download, self.squeak_sync_status) as downloading_manager:
-                download_thread = threading.Thread(target=peer_download.download)
-                download_thread.start()
+                peer_download.download()
         except Exception as e:
             logger.error("Download from peer failed.", exc_info=True)
 
@@ -93,8 +100,7 @@ class SqueakSyncController:
         try:
             logger.debug("Trying to upload to peer: {}".format(peer))
             with self.UploadingContextManager(peer, peer_upload, self.squeak_sync_status) as uploading_manager:
-                upload_thread = threading.Thread(target=peer_upload.upload)
-                upload_thread.start()
+                peer_upload.upload()
         except Exception as e:
             logger.error("Upload from peer failed.", exc_info=True)