diff --git a/server.go b/server.go
index 9634040d9..92ca6a422 100644
--- a/server.go
+++ b/server.go
@@ -690,16 +690,6 @@ func (s *server) peerBootstrapper(numTargetPeers uint32,
 				return
 			}
 
-			// Add bootstrapped peer as persistent to maintain
-			// connectivity even if we have no open channels.
-			targetPub := string(conn.RemotePub().SerializeCompressed())
-			s.mu.Lock()
-			s.persistentPeers[targetPub] = struct{}{}
-			if _, ok := s.persistentPeersBackoff[targetPub]; !ok {
-				s.persistentPeersBackoff[targetPub] = defaultBackoff
-			}
-			s.mu.Unlock()
-
 			s.OutboundPeerConnected(nil, conn)
 		}(addr)
 	}
@@ -805,16 +795,6 @@ func (s *server) peerBootstrapper(numTargetPeers uint32,
 						return
 					}
 
-					// Add bootstrapped peer as persistent to maintain
-					// connectivity even if we have no open channels.
-					targetPub := string(conn.RemotePub().SerializeCompressed())
-					s.mu.Lock()
-					s.persistentPeers[targetPub] = struct{}{}
-					if _, ok := s.persistentPeersBackoff[targetPub]; !ok {
-						s.persistentPeersBackoff[targetPub] = defaultBackoff
-					}
-					s.mu.Unlock()
-
 					s.OutboundPeerConnected(nil, conn)
 				}(addr)
 			}