diff --git a/src/runtime2/component/component_context.rs b/src/runtime2/component/component_context.rs
index 84c5594683bb234fe23c173307648b1b895590cc..4b6f03e7f95c03b7fb010afc0513bcd4f78aa3cb 100644
--- a/src/runtime2/component/component_context.rs
+++ b/src/runtime2/component/component_context.rs
@@ -95,10 +95,11 @@ impl CompCtx {
     /// then it will be used to add the peer. Otherwise it will be retrieved
     /// from the runtime using its ID.
     pub(crate) fn add_peer(&mut self, port_handle: LocalPortHandle, sched_ctx: &SchedulerCtx, peer_comp_id: CompId, handle: Option<&CompHandle>) {
+        let self_id = self.id;
         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) {
+        if !Self::requires_peer_reference(port, self_id) {
             return;
         }
 
@@ -124,9 +125,10 @@ 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) {
+        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) {
+        if !Self::requires_peer_reference(port, self_id) {
             return;
         }
 
@@ -135,6 +137,7 @@ impl CompCtx {
         let peer_index = self.get_peer_index_by_id(peer_id).unwrap();
         let peer = &mut self.peers[peer_index];
         peer.num_associated_ports -= 1;
+        println!(" ****** DEBUG: Removed peer {:?} from {:?}, now at {}", peer.id, self_id, peer.num_associated_ports);
         if peer.num_associated_ports == 0 {
             let mut peer = self.peers.remove(peer_index);
             if let Some(key) = peer.handle.decrement_users() {
@@ -173,6 +176,10 @@ impl CompCtx {
         return &mut self.ports[index];
     }
 
+    pub(crate) fn get_port_by_index_mut(&mut self, index: usize) -> &mut Port {
+        return &mut self.ports[index];
+    }
+
     pub(crate) fn get_peer(&self, peer_handle: LocalPeerHandle) -> &Peer {
         let index = self.must_get_peer_index(peer_handle);
         return &self.peers[index];
@@ -188,6 +195,11 @@ impl CompCtx {
         return self.ports.iter();
     }
 
+    #[inline]
+    pub(crate) fn iter_ports_mut(&mut self) -> impl Iterator<Item=&mut Port> {
+        return self.ports.iter_mut();
+    }
+
     #[inline]
     pub(crate) fn iter_peers(&self) -> impl Iterator<Item=&Peer> {
         return self.peers.iter();
@@ -203,8 +215,8 @@ impl CompCtx {
     // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
     #[inline]
-    fn requires_peer_reference(&self, port: &Port) -> bool {
-        return port.state == PortState::Closed;
+    fn requires_peer_reference(port: &Port, self_id: CompId) -> bool {
+        return port.state != PortState::Closed && port.peer_comp_id != self_id;
     }
 
     fn must_get_port_index(&self, handle: LocalPortHandle) -> usize {