diff --git a/device/device.go b/device/device.go
index 8e5572432..7deaa7c5e 100644
--- a/device/device.go
+++ b/device/device.go
@@ -392,11 +392,10 @@ func (device *Device) SendKeepalivesToPeersWithCurrentKeypair() {
 
 	device.peers.RLock()
 	for _, peer := range device.peers.keyMap {
-		peer.keypairs.RLock()
-		sendKeepalive := peer.keypairs.current != nil && !peer.keypairs.current.created.Add(RejectAfterTime).Before(time.Now())
-		peer.keypairs.RUnlock()
-		if sendKeepalive {
-			peer.SendKeepalive()
+		if current := peer.keypairs.Current(); current != nil {
+			if current.created.Add(RejectAfterTime).Before(time.Now()) {
+				peer.SendKeepalive()
+			}
 		}
 	}
 	device.peers.RUnlock()
diff --git a/device/keypair.go b/device/keypair.go
index e3540d7d4..eea75c060 100644
--- a/device/keypair.go
+++ b/device/keypair.go
@@ -33,15 +33,15 @@ type Keypair struct {
 }
 
 type Keypairs struct {
-	sync.RWMutex
+	sync.Mutex
 	current  *Keypair
 	previous *Keypair
-	next     atomic.Pointer[Keypair]
+	next     *Keypair
 }
 
 func (kp *Keypairs) Current() *Keypair {
-	kp.RLock()
-	defer kp.RUnlock()
+	kp.Lock()
+	defer kp.Unlock()
 	return kp.current
 }
 
diff --git a/device/noise-protocol.go b/device/noise-protocol.go
index 117e960a8..405be7c68 100644
--- a/device/noise-protocol.go
+++ b/device/noise-protocol.go
@@ -581,12 +581,12 @@ func (peer *Peer) BeginSymmetricSession() error {
 	defer keypairs.Unlock()
 
 	previous := keypairs.previous
-	next := keypairs.next.Load()
+	next := keypairs.next
 	current := keypairs.current
 
 	if isInitiator {
 		if next != nil {
-			keypairs.next.Store(nil)
+			keypairs.next = nil
 			keypairs.previous = next
 			device.DeleteKeypair(current)
 		} else {
@@ -595,7 +595,7 @@ func (peer *Peer) BeginSymmetricSession() error {
 		device.DeleteKeypair(previous)
 		keypairs.current = keypair
 	} else {
-		keypairs.next.Store(keypair)
+		keypairs.next = keypair
 		device.DeleteKeypair(next)
 		keypairs.previous = nil
 		device.DeleteKeypair(previous)
@@ -607,18 +607,15 @@ func (peer *Peer) BeginSymmetricSession() error {
 func (peer *Peer) ReceivedWithKeypair(receivedKeypair *Keypair) bool {
 	keypairs := &peer.keypairs
 
-	if keypairs.next.Load() != receivedKeypair {
-		return false
-	}
 	keypairs.Lock()
 	defer keypairs.Unlock()
-	if keypairs.next.Load() != receivedKeypair {
+	if keypairs.next != receivedKeypair {
 		return false
 	}
 	old := keypairs.previous
 	keypairs.previous = keypairs.current
 	peer.device.DeleteKeypair(old)
-	keypairs.current = keypairs.next.Load()
-	keypairs.next.Store(nil)
+	keypairs.current = keypairs.next
+	keypairs.next = nil
 	return true
 }
diff --git a/device/noise_test.go b/device/noise_test.go
index 587d1e55d..278b6451d 100644
--- a/device/noise_test.go
+++ b/device/noise_test.go
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ func TestNoiseHandshake(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("failed to derive keypair for peer 2", err)
 	}
 
-	key1 := peer1.keypairs.next.Load()
+	key1 := peer1.keypairs.next
 	key2 := peer2.keypairs.current
 
 	// encrypting / decryption test
diff --git a/device/peer.go b/device/peer.go
index 8266dacc0..904dd083c 100644
--- a/device/peer.go
+++ b/device/peer.go
@@ -202,10 +202,10 @@ func (peer *Peer) ZeroAndFlushAll() {
 	keypairs.Lock()
 	device.DeleteKeypair(keypairs.previous)
 	device.DeleteKeypair(keypairs.current)
-	device.DeleteKeypair(keypairs.next.Load())
+	device.DeleteKeypair(keypairs.next)
 	keypairs.previous = nil
 	keypairs.current = nil
-	keypairs.next.Store(nil)
+	keypairs.next = nil
 	keypairs.Unlock()
 
 	// clear handshake state
@@ -232,8 +232,8 @@ func (peer *Peer) ExpireCurrentKeypairs() {
 	if keypairs.current != nil {
 		keypairs.current.sendNonce.Store(RejectAfterMessages)
 	}
-	if next := keypairs.next.Load(); next != nil {
-		next.sendNonce.Store(RejectAfterMessages)
+	if keypairs.next != nil {
+		keypairs.next.sendNonce.Store(RejectAfterMessages)
 	}
 	keypairs.Unlock()
 }