diff --git a/synced-pool.go b/synced-pool.go
index b39747d..0b1c8dd 100644
--- a/synced-pool.go
+++ b/synced-pool.go
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ type SyncedPool struct {
 	mu          sync.RWMutex
 	Hostname    string
 	local       *GrainLocalPool
-	remotes     []*RemoteHost
+	remotes     map[string]*RemoteHost
 	remoteIndex map[CartId]*RemoteGrain
 }
 
@@ -126,6 +126,10 @@ func (p *SyncedPool) RemoveRemoteGrain(id CartId) {
 }
 
 func (p *SyncedPool) SpawnRemoteGrain(id CartId, host string) {
+	if id.String() == "" {
+		log.Printf("Invalid grain id, %s\n", id)
+		return
+	}
 	if p.local.grains[id] != nil {
 		log.Printf("Grain %s already exists locally, owner is (%s)\n", id, host)
 		p.mu.Lock()
@@ -178,7 +182,7 @@ func NewSyncedPool(local *GrainLocalPool, hostname string, discovery Discovery)
 		Hostname: hostname,
 		local:    local,
 
-		remotes:     make([]*RemoteHost, 0),
+		remotes:     make(map[string]*RemoteHost),
 		remoteIndex: make(map[CartId]*RemoteGrain),
 	}
 
@@ -254,16 +258,15 @@ func (p *SyncedPool) ExcludeKnown(hosts []string) []string {
 }
 
 func (p *SyncedPool) RemoveHost(host *RemoteHost) {
-	toKeep := make([]*RemoteHost, 0, len(p.remotes))
-	for _, r := range p.remotes {
-		if r == host {
-			p.RemoveHostMappedCarts(r)
-		} else {
-			toKeep = append(toKeep, r)
-		}
+	if p.remotes[host.Host] == nil {
+		return
 	}
+	p.mu.Lock()
+	defer p.mu.Unlock()
 
-	p.remotes = toKeep
+	h := p.remotes[host.Host]
+	h.Close()
+	delete(p.remotes, host.Host)
 
 	connectedRemotes.Set(float64(len(p.remotes)))
 }
@@ -350,17 +353,9 @@ func (p *SyncedPool) removeLocalGrain(id CartId) {
 	delete(p.local.grains, id)
 }
 
-func (p *SyncedPool) addRemoteHost(address string, remote *RemoteHost) {
-
-	p.remotes = append(p.remotes, remote)
-	connectedRemotes.Set(float64(len(p.remotes)))
-	log.Printf("Added remote %s\n", remote.Host)
-
-	go remote.Initialize(p)
-}
-
 func (p *SyncedPool) AddRemote(host string) error {
-	if host == "" || p.IsKnown(host) {
+	_, hasHost := p.remotes[host]
+	if host == "" || p.IsKnown(host) || hasHost {
 		return nil
 	}
 	client, err := Dial(fmt.Sprintf("%s:1338", host))
@@ -374,6 +369,7 @@ func (p *SyncedPool) AddRemote(host string) error {
 		MissedPings: 0,
 		Host:        host,
 	}
+	p.remotes[host] = &remote
 	go func() {
 		<-remote.Died
 		log.Printf("Removing host, remote died %s", host)
@@ -395,7 +391,10 @@ func (p *SyncedPool) AddRemote(host string) error {
 		}
 	}()
 
-	go p.addRemoteHost(host, &remote)
+	connectedRemotes.Set(float64(len(p.remotes)))
+	log.Printf("Added remote %s\n", remote.Host)
+
+	go remote.Initialize(p)
 	return nil
 }