diff --git a/src/avalanche/peermanager.h b/src/avalanche/peermanager.h
--- a/src/avalanche/peermanager.h
+++ b/src/avalanche/peermanager.h
@@ -214,6 +214,8 @@
 
 private:
     PeerSet::iterator fetchOrCreatePeer(const std::shared_ptr<Proof> &proof);
+    bool addOrUpdateNode(const PeerSet::iterator &it, NodeId nodeid,
+                         CPubKey pubkey);
     bool addNodeToPeer(const PeerSet::iterator &it);
     bool removeNodeFromPeer(const PeerSet::iterator &it, uint32_t count = 1);
 };
diff --git a/src/avalanche/peermanager.cpp b/src/avalanche/peermanager.cpp
--- a/src/avalanche/peermanager.cpp
+++ b/src/avalanche/peermanager.cpp
@@ -26,14 +26,21 @@
         return false;
     }
 
-    const PeerId peerid = it->peerid;
-
     DelegationState state;
     CPubKey pubkey;
     if (!delegation.verify(state, pubkey)) {
         return false;
     }
 
+    return addOrUpdateNode(it, nodeid, std::move(pubkey));
+}
+
+bool PeerManager::addOrUpdateNode(const PeerSet::iterator &it, NodeId nodeid,
+                                  CPubKey pubkey) {
+    assert(it != peers.end());
+
+    const PeerId peerid = it->peerid;
+
     auto nit = nodes.find(nodeid);
     if (nit == nodes.end()) {
         if (!nodes.emplace(nodeid, peerid, std::move(pubkey)).second) {