diff --git a/routing/heap.go b/routing/heap.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..68f14c033
--- /dev/null
+++ b/routing/heap.go
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+package routing
+
+import "github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/channeldb"
+
+// nodeWithDist is a helper struct that couples the distance from the current
+// source to a node with a pointer to the node itself.
+type nodeWithDist struct {
+	// dist is the distance to this node from the source node in our
+	// current context.
+	dist float64
+
+	// node is the vertex itself. This pointer can be used to explore all
+	// the outgoing edges (channels) emanating from a node.
+	node *channeldb.LightningNode
+}
+
+// distanceHeap is a min-distance heap that's used within our path finding
+// algorithm to keep track of the "closest" node to our source node.
+type distanceHeap struct {
+	nodes []nodeWithDist
+}
+
+// Len returns the number of nodes in the priority queue.
+//
+// NOTE: This is part of the heap.Interface implementation.
+func (d *distanceHeap) Len() int { return len(d.nodes) }
+
+// Less returns whether the item in the priority queue with index i should sort
+// before the item with index j.
+//
+// NOTE: This is part of the heap.Interface implementation.
+func (d *distanceHeap) Less(i, j int) bool {
+	return d.nodes[i].dist < d.nodes[j].dist
+}
+
+// Swap swaps the nodes at the passed indices in the priority queue.
+//
+// NOTE: This is part of the heap.Interface implementation.
+func (d *distanceHeap) Swap(i, j int) {
+	d.nodes[i], d.nodes[j] = d.nodes[j], d.nodes[i]
+}
+
+// Push pushes the passed item onto the priority queue.
+//
+// NOTE: This is part of the heap.Interface implementation.
+func (d *distanceHeap) Push(x interface{}) {
+	d.nodes = append(d.nodes, x.(nodeWithDist))
+}
+
+// Pop removes the highest priority item (according to Less) from the priority
+// queue and returns it.
+//
+// NOTE: This is part of the heap.Interface implementation.
+func (d *distanceHeap) Pop() interface{} {
+	n := len(d.nodes)
+	x := d.nodes[n-1]
+	d.nodes = d.nodes[0 : n-1]
+	return x
+}
diff --git a/routing/heap_test.go b/routing/heap_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..70a955e38
--- /dev/null
+++ b/routing/heap_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+package routing
+
+import (
+	"container/heap"
+	prand "math/rand"
+	"reflect"
+	"sort"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// TestHeapOrdering ensures that the items inserted into the heap are properly
+// retrieved in minimum order of distance.
+func TestHeapOrdering(t *testing.T) {
+	// First, create a blank heap, we'll use this to push on randomly
+	// generated items.
+	var nodeHeap distanceHeap
+
+	prand.Seed(time.Now().Unix())
+
+	// Create 100 random entries adding them to the heap created above, but
+	// also a list that we'll sort with the entries.
+	const numEntries = 100
+	sortedEntries := make([]nodeWithDist, 0, numEntries)
+	for i := 0; i < numEntries; i++ {
+		entry := nodeWithDist{
+			dist: prand.Float64(),
+		}
+
+		heap.Push(&nodeHeap, entry)
+		sortedEntries = append(sortedEntries, entry)
+	}
+
+	// Sort the regular slice, we'll compare this against all the entries
+	// popped from the heap.
+	sort.Sort(&distanceHeap{sortedEntries})
+
+	// One by one, pop of all the entries from the heap, they should come
+	// out in sorted order.
+	var poppedEntries []nodeWithDist
+	for nodeHeap.Len() != 0 {
+		e := heap.Pop(&nodeHeap).(nodeWithDist)
+		poppedEntries = append(poppedEntries, e)
+	}
+
+	// Finally, ensure that the items popped from the heap and the items we
+	// sorted are identical at this rate.
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(poppedEntries, sortedEntries) {
+		t.Fatalf("items don't match: expected %v, got %v", sortedEntries,
+			poppedEntries)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/routing/pathfind.go b/routing/pathfind.go
index 41f0c9494..e320d2f2b 100644
--- a/routing/pathfind.go
+++ b/routing/pathfind.go
@@ -208,13 +208,6 @@ func newVertex(pub *btcec.PublicKey) vertex {
 	return v
 }
 
-// nodeWithDist is a helper struct that couples the distance from the current
-// source to a node with a pointer to the node itself.
-type nodeWithDist struct {
-	dist float64
-	node *channeldb.LightningNode
-}
-
 // edgeWithPrev is a helper struct used in path finding that couples an
 // directional edge with the node's ID in the opposite direction.
 type edgeWithPrev struct {