diff --git a/.github/workflows/validate-1m-linux.sh b/.github/workflows/validate-1m-linux.sh
index 25d6bd473..c044245a0 100755
--- a/.github/workflows/validate-1m-linux.sh
+++ b/.github/workflows/validate-1m-linux.sh
@@ -71,26 +71,6 @@ main() {
 	# Allow forwarding
 	sysctl -w net.ipv4.ip_forward=1
 
-	echo -e "\nPing from host to namespaces"
-
-	ping -c 3 192.168.0.1
-	ping -c 3 192.168.1.1
-
-	echo -e "\nPing from namespace to host"
-
-	$NS1 ping -c 3 192.168.0.1
-	$NS1 ping -c 3 192.168.0.1
-	$NS2 ping -c 3 192.168.0.2
-	$NS2 ping -c 3 192.168.0.2
-
-	echo -e "\nPing from ns1 to ns2"
-
-	$NS1 ping -c 3 192.168.0.1
-
-	echo -e "\nPing from ns2 to ns1"
-
-	$NS2 ping -c 3 192.168.0.1
-
 	################################################################################
 	# Memory Leak Check                                                            #
 	################################################################################
@@ -113,7 +93,34 @@ main() {
 		./zerotier-one node1 -p9996 -U >>node_1.log 2>&1 &
 
 	# Second instance, not run in memory profiler
+	# Don't set up internet access until _after_ zerotier is running
+	# This has been a source of stuckness in the past.
+	$NS2 ip addr del 192.168.1.2/24 dev veth3
 	$NS2 sudo ./zerotier-one node2 -U -p9997 >>node_2.log 2>&1 &
+	sleep 1;
+	$NS2 ip addr add 192.168.1.2/24 dev veth3
+	$NS2 ip route add default via 192.168.1.1
+
+
+	echo -e "\nPing from host to namespaces"
+
+	ping -c 3 192.168.0.1
+	ping -c 3 192.168.1.1
+
+	echo -e "\nPing from namespace to host"
+
+	$NS1 ping -c 3 192.168.0.1
+	$NS1 ping -c 3 192.168.0.1
+	$NS2 ping -c 3 192.168.0.2
+	$NS2 ping -c 3 192.168.0.2
+
+	echo -e "\nPing from ns1 to ns2"
+
+	$NS1 ping -c 3 192.168.0.1
+
+	echo -e "\nPing from ns2 to ns1"
+
+	$NS2 ping -c 3 192.168.0.1
 
 	################################################################################
 	# Online Check                                                                 #
diff --git a/node/Node.cpp b/node/Node.cpp
index e2d5f7bf3..0657cbd0b 100644
--- a/node/Node.cpp
+++ b/node/Node.cpp
@@ -248,9 +248,15 @@ public:
 		const std::vector<InetAddress> *const alwaysContactEndpoints = _alwaysContact.get(p->address());
 		if (alwaysContactEndpoints) {
 
-			// Contact upstream peers as infrequently as possible
 			ZT_PeerRole role = RR->topology->role(p->address());
+
+			// Contact upstream peers as infrequently as possible
 			int roleBasedTimerScale = (role == ZT_PEER_ROLE_LEAF) ? 2 : 16;
+
+			// Unless we don't any have paths to the roots, then we shouldn't wait a long time to contact them
+			bool hasPaths = p->paths(RR->node->now()).size() > 0;
+			roleBasedTimerScale = (role != ZT_PEER_ROLE_LEAF && !hasPaths) ? 0 : roleBasedTimerScale;
+
 			if ((RR->node->now() - p->lastSentFullHello()) <= (ZT_PATH_HEARTBEAT_PERIOD * roleBasedTimerScale)) {
 				return;
 			}