diff --git a/management/server/ephemeral.go b/management/server/ephemeral.go
index 590b1d708..6e245ec5a 100644
--- a/management/server/ephemeral.go
+++ b/management/server/ephemeral.go
@@ -20,10 +20,10 @@ var (
 )
 
 type ephemeralPeer struct {
-	id       string
-	account  *Account
-	deadline time.Time
-	next     *ephemeralPeer
+	id        string
+	accountID string
+	deadline  time.Time
+	next      *ephemeralPeer
 }
 
 // todo: consider to remove peer from ephemeral list when the peer has been deleted via API. If we do not do it
@@ -104,12 +104,6 @@ func (e *EphemeralManager) OnPeerDisconnected(ctx context.Context, peer *nbpeer.
 
 	log.WithContext(ctx).Tracef("add peer to ephemeral list: %s", peer.ID)
 
-	a, err := e.store.GetAccountByPeerID(context.Background(), peer.ID)
-	if err != nil {
-		log.WithContext(ctx).Errorf("failed to add peer to ephemeral list: %s", err)
-		return
-	}
-
 	e.peersLock.Lock()
 	defer e.peersLock.Unlock()
 
@@ -117,7 +111,7 @@ func (e *EphemeralManager) OnPeerDisconnected(ctx context.Context, peer *nbpeer.
 		return
 	}
 
-	e.addPeer(peer.ID, a, newDeadLine())
+	e.addPeer(peer.AccountID, peer.ID, newDeadLine())
 	if e.timer == nil {
 		e.timer = time.AfterFunc(e.headPeer.deadline.Sub(timeNow()), func() {
 			e.cleanup(ctx)
@@ -126,17 +120,21 @@ func (e *EphemeralManager) OnPeerDisconnected(ctx context.Context, peer *nbpeer.
 }
 
 func (e *EphemeralManager) loadEphemeralPeers(ctx context.Context) {
-	accounts := e.store.GetAllAccounts(context.Background())
+	peers, err := e.store.GetAllEphemeralPeers(ctx, LockingStrengthShare)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.WithContext(ctx).Debugf("failed to load ephemeral peers: %s", err)
+		return
+	}
+
 	t := newDeadLine()
 	count := 0
-	for _, a := range accounts {
-		for id, p := range a.Peers {
-			if p.Ephemeral {
-				count++
-				e.addPeer(id, a, t)
-			}
+	for _, p := range peers {
+		if p.Ephemeral {
+			count++
+			e.addPeer(p.AccountID, p.ID, t)
 		}
 	}
+
 	log.WithContext(ctx).Debugf("loaded ephemeral peer(s): %d", count)
 }
 
@@ -170,18 +168,18 @@ func (e *EphemeralManager) cleanup(ctx context.Context) {
 
 	for id, p := range deletePeers {
 		log.WithContext(ctx).Debugf("delete ephemeral peer: %s", id)
-		err := e.accountManager.DeletePeer(ctx, p.account.Id, id, activity.SystemInitiator)
+		err := e.accountManager.DeletePeer(ctx, p.accountID, id, activity.SystemInitiator)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.WithContext(ctx).Errorf("failed to delete ephemeral peer: %s", err)
 		}
 	}
 }
 
-func (e *EphemeralManager) addPeer(id string, account *Account, deadline time.Time) {
+func (e *EphemeralManager) addPeer(accountID string, peerID string, deadline time.Time) {
 	ep := &ephemeralPeer{
-		id:       id,
-		account:  account,
-		deadline: deadline,
+		id:        peerID,
+		accountID: accountID,
+		deadline:  deadline,
 	}
 
 	if e.headPeer == nil {
diff --git a/management/server/ephemeral_test.go b/management/server/ephemeral_test.go
index 1390352a5..00e5d777a 100644
--- a/management/server/ephemeral_test.go
+++ b/management/server/ephemeral_test.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	nbpeer "github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/server/peer"
-	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/management/server/status"
 )
 
 type MockStore struct {
@@ -15,17 +14,14 @@ type MockStore struct {
 	account *Account
 }
 
-func (s *MockStore) GetAllAccounts(_ context.Context) []*Account {
-	return []*Account{s.account}
-}
-
-func (s *MockStore) GetAccountByPeerID(_ context.Context, peerId string) (*Account, error) {
-	_, ok := s.account.Peers[peerId]
-	if ok {
-		return s.account, nil
+func (s *MockStore) GetAllEphemeralPeers(_ context.Context, _ LockingStrength) ([]*nbpeer.Peer, error) {
+	var peers []*nbpeer.Peer
+	for _, v := range s.account.Peers {
+		if v.Ephemeral {
+			peers = append(peers, v)
+		}
 	}
-
-	return nil, status.NewPeerNotFoundError(peerId)
+	return peers, nil
 }
 
 type MocAccountManager struct {