diff --git a/src/runtime2/component/component_context.rs b/src/runtime2/component/component_context.rs
index bb1d8c6254cdff67386d18035d0d3d23c0ac757f..b2c3435d5606f217b687597005aec6e3b4e3a262 100644
--- a/src/runtime2/component/component_context.rs
+++ b/src/runtime2/component/component_context.rs
@@ -197,58 +197,51 @@ impl CompCtx {
         return port;
     }
 
-    /// Adds a new peer. This must be called for every port, no matter the
-    /// component the channel is connected to. If a `CompHandle` is supplied,
-    /// 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);
-        dbg_code!(assert!(!port.associated_with_peer));
-        if !Self::requires_peer_reference(port, self_id, false) {
-            return;
-        }
-
-        dbg_code!(port.associated_with_peer = true);
-        match self.get_peer_index_by_id(peer_comp_id) {
-            Some(peer_index) => {
-                let peer = &mut self.peers[peer_index];
-                peer.num_associated_ports += 1;
-            },
-            None => {
-                let handle = match handle {
-                    Some(handle) => handle.clone(),
-                    None => sched_ctx.runtime.get_component_public(peer_comp_id)
-                };
-                self.peers.push(Peer{
-                    id: peer_comp_id,
-                    num_associated_ports: 1,
-                    handle,
-                });
+    /// Changes a peer
+    pub(crate) fn change_port_peer(&mut self, sched_ctx: &SchedulerCtx, port_handle: LocalPortHandle, new_peer_comp_id: Option<CompId>) {
+        // If port is currently associated with a peer, then remove that peer
+        let port_index = self.get_port_index(port_handle);
+        let port = &mut self.ports[port_index];
+        let port_is_closed = port.state.is_closed();
+        if port.associated_with_peer {
+            // Remove old peer association
+            port.associated_with_peer = false;
+            let peer_comp_id = port.peer_comp_id;
+            let peer_index = self.get_peer_index_by_id(peer_comp_id).unwrap();
+            let peer = &mut self.peers[peer_index];
+
+            peer.num_associated_ports -= 1;
+            if peer.num_associated_ports == 0 {
+                let mut peer = self.peers.remove(peer_index);
+                if let Some(key) = peer.handle.decrement_users() {
+                    sched_ctx.runtime.destroy_component(key);
+                }
             }
         }
-    }
-
-    /// Removes a peer associated with a port.
-    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, also_remove_if_closed) {
-            return;
-        }
 
-        dbg_code!(assert!(port.associated_with_peer));
-        dbg_code!(port.associated_with_peer = false);
-        let peer_index = self.get_peer_index_by_id(peer_id).unwrap();
-        let peer = &mut self.peers[peer_index];
-        peer.num_associated_ports -= 1;
-        if peer.num_associated_ports == 0 {
-            let mut peer = self.peers.remove(peer_index);
-            if let Some(key) = peer.handle.decrement_users() {
-                debug_assert_ne!(key.downgrade(), self.id); // should be upheld by the code that shuts down a component
-                sched_ctx.runtime.destroy_component(key);
+        // If there is a new peer, then set it as the peer associated with the
+        // port
+        if let Some(peer_id) = new_peer_comp_id {
+            let port = &mut self.ports[port_index];
+            port.peer_comp_id = peer_id;
+
+            if peer_id != self.id && !port_is_closed {
+                port.associated_with_peer = true;
+
+                match self.get_peer_index_by_id(peer_id) {
+                    Some(index) => {
+                        let peer = &mut self.peers[index];
+                        peer.num_associated_ports += 1;
+                    },
+                    None => {
+                        let handle = sched_ctx.runtime.get_component_public(peer_id);
+                        self.peers.push(Peer {
+                            id: peer_id,
+                            num_associated_ports: 1,
+                            handle
+                        })
+                    }
+                }
             }
         }
     }