diff --git a/src/runtime2/component/component_context.rs b/src/runtime2/component/component_context.rs
index 4b6f03e7f95c03b7fb010afc0513bcd4f78aa3cb..2c3f6870dbcc6e49553b8daeedc118627150ab69 100644
--- a/src/runtime2/component/component_context.rs
+++ b/src/runtime2/component/component_context.rs
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ impl CompCtx {
         let port = self.get_port_mut(port_handle);
         debug_assert_eq!(port.peer_comp_id, peer_comp_id);
         debug_assert!(!port.associated_with_peer);
-        if !Self::requires_peer_reference(port, self_id) {
+        if !Self::requires_peer_reference(port, self_id, false) {
             return;
         }
 
@@ -124,11 +124,11 @@ impl CompCtx {
     }
 
     /// Removes a peer associated with a port.
-    pub(crate) fn remove_peer(&mut self, sched_ctx: &SchedulerCtx, port_handle: LocalPortHandle, peer_id: CompId) {
+    pub(crate) fn remove_peer(&mut self, sched_ctx: &SchedulerCtx, port_handle: LocalPortHandle, peer_id: CompId, also_remove_if_closed: bool) {
         let self_id = self.id;
         let port = self.get_port_mut(port_handle);
         debug_assert_eq!(port.peer_comp_id, peer_id);
-        if !Self::requires_peer_reference(port, self_id) {
+        if !Self::requires_peer_reference(port, self_id, also_remove_if_closed) {
             return;
         }
 
@@ -215,8 +215,8 @@ impl CompCtx {
     // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
     #[inline]
-    fn requires_peer_reference(port: &Port, self_id: CompId) -> bool {
-        return port.state != PortState::Closed && port.peer_comp_id != self_id;
+    fn requires_peer_reference(port: &Port, self_id: CompId, required_if_closed: bool) -> bool {
+        return (port.state != PortState::Closed || required_if_closed) && port.peer_comp_id != self_id;
     }
 
     fn must_get_port_index(&self, handle: LocalPortHandle) -> usize {