diff --git a/linux.go b/linux.go
index 6ee3e72..bba88a7 100644
--- a/linux.go
+++ b/linux.go
@@ -55,11 +55,20 @@ func closeClients() {
 	}
 }
 
-func clientsHandleNewtConnection(publicKey string) {
+func clientsHandleNewtConnection(publicKey string, endpoint string) {
 	if wgService == nil {
 		return
 	}
-	wgService.SetServerPubKey(publicKey)
+
+	// split off the port from the endpoint
+	parts := strings.Split(endpoint, ":")
+	if len(parts) < 2 {
+		logger.Error("Invalid endpoint format: %s", endpoint)
+		return
+	}
+	endpoint = strings.Join(parts[:len(parts)-1], ":")
+
+	wgService.StartHolepunch(publicKey, endpoint)
 }
 
 func clientsOnConnect() {
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 95d3122..b7e2555 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -334,8 +334,6 @@ func main() {
 			return
 		}
 
-		clientsHandleNewtConnection(wgData.PublicKey)
-
 		logger.Debug("Received: %+v", msg)
 		tun, tnet, err = netstack.CreateNetTUN(
 			[]netip.Addr{netip.MustParseAddr(wgData.TunnelIP)},
@@ -365,6 +363,8 @@ func main() {
 			return
 		}
 
+		clientsHandleNewtConnection(wgData.PublicKey, endpoint)
+
 		// Configure WireGuard
 		config := fmt.Sprintf(`private_key=%s
 public_key=%s
@@ -578,30 +578,34 @@ persistent_keepalive_interval=5`, fixKey(privateKey.String()), fixKey(wgData.Pub
 				WasPreviouslyConnected: res.Node.WasPreviouslyConnected,
 			})
 		}
+
 		// If we were previously connected and there is at least one other good node,
-		// exclude the previously connected node from pingResults sent to the cloud.
-		var filteredPingResults []ExitNodePingResult
-		previouslyConnectedNodeIdx := -1
-		for i, res := range pingResults {
-			if res.WasPreviouslyConnected {
-				previouslyConnectedNodeIdx = i
-			}
-		}
-		// Count good nodes (latency > 0, no error, not previously connected)
-		goodNodeCount := 0
-		for i, res := range pingResults {
-			if i != previouslyConnectedNodeIdx && res.LatencyMs > 0 && res.Error == "" {
-				goodNodeCount++
-			}
-		}
-		if previouslyConnectedNodeIdx != -1 && goodNodeCount > 0 {
+		// exclude the previously connected node from pingResults sent to the cloud so we don't try to reconnect to it
+		// This is to avoid issues where the previously connected node might be down or unreachable
+		if connected {
+			var filteredPingResults []ExitNodePingResult
+			previouslyConnectedNodeIdx := -1
 			for i, res := range pingResults {
-				if i != previouslyConnectedNodeIdx {
-					filteredPingResults = append(filteredPingResults, res)
+				if res.WasPreviouslyConnected {
+					previouslyConnectedNodeIdx = i
 				}
 			}
-			pingResults = filteredPingResults
-			logger.Info("Excluding previously connected exit node from ping results due to other available nodes")
+			// Count good nodes (latency > 0, no error, not previously connected)
+			goodNodeCount := 0
+			for i, res := range pingResults {
+				if i != previouslyConnectedNodeIdx && res.LatencyMs > 0 && res.Error == "" {
+					goodNodeCount++
+				}
+			}
+			if previouslyConnectedNodeIdx != -1 && goodNodeCount > 0 {
+				for i, res := range pingResults {
+					if i != previouslyConnectedNodeIdx {
+						filteredPingResults = append(filteredPingResults, res)
+					}
+				}
+				pingResults = filteredPingResults
+				logger.Info("Excluding previously connected exit node from ping results due to other available nodes")
+			}
 		}
 
 		// Send the ping results to the cloud for selection
diff --git a/wg/wg.go b/wg/wg.go
index 5bf68e7..a09cab8 100644
--- a/wg/wg.go
+++ b/wg/wg.go
@@ -49,21 +49,22 @@ type PeerReading struct {
 }
 
 type WireGuardService struct {
-	interfaceName string
-	mtu           int
-	client        *websocket.Client
-	wgClient      *wgctrl.Client
-	config        WgConfig
-	key           wgtypes.Key
-	newtId        string
-	lastReadings  map[string]PeerReading
-	mu            sync.Mutex
-	Port          uint16
-	stopHolepunch chan struct{}
-	host          string
-	serverPubKey  string
-	token         string
-	stopGetConfig func()
+	interfaceName     string
+	mtu               int
+	client            *websocket.Client
+	wgClient          *wgctrl.Client
+	config            WgConfig
+	key               wgtypes.Key
+	newtId            string
+	lastReadings      map[string]PeerReading
+	mu                sync.Mutex
+	Port              uint16
+	stopHolepunch     chan struct{}
+	host              string
+	serverPubKey      string
+	holePunchEndpoint string
+	token             string
+	stopGetConfig     func()
 }
 
 // Add this type definition
@@ -211,13 +212,6 @@ func NewWireGuardService(interfaceName string, mtu int, generateAndSaveKeyTo str
 	wsClient.RegisterHandler("newt/wg/peer/remove", service.handleRemovePeer)
 	wsClient.RegisterHandler("newt/wg/peer/update", service.handleUpdatePeer)
 
-	if err := service.sendUDPHolePunch(service.host + ":21820"); err != nil {
-		logger.Error("Failed to send UDP hole punch: %v", err)
-	}
-
-	// start the UDP holepunch
-	go service.keepSendingUDPHolePunch(service.host)
-
 	return service, nil
 }
 
@@ -241,8 +235,14 @@ func (s *WireGuardService) Close(rm bool) {
 	}
 }
 
-func (s *WireGuardService) SetServerPubKey(serverPubKey string) {
+func (s *WireGuardService) StartHolepunch(serverPubKey string, endpoint string) {
 	s.serverPubKey = serverPubKey
+	s.holePunchEndpoint = endpoint
+
+	logger.Debug("Starting UDP hole punch to %s", s.holePunchEndpoint)
+
+	// start the UDP holepunch
+	go s.keepSendingUDPHolePunch(s.holePunchEndpoint)
 }
 
 func (s *WireGuardService) SetToken(token string) {
@@ -926,6 +926,11 @@ func (s *WireGuardService) encryptPayload(payload []byte) (interface{}, error) {
 }
 
 func (s *WireGuardService) keepSendingUDPHolePunch(host string) {
+	// send initial hole punch
+	if err := s.sendUDPHolePunch(host + ":21820"); err != nil {
+		logger.Error("Failed to send initial UDP hole punch: %v", err)
+	}
+
 	ticker := time.NewTicker(3 * time.Second)
 	defer ticker.Stop()