diff --git a/dot/network/service.go b/dot/network/service.go
index effb2b7506..32d23cc852 100644
--- a/dot/network/service.go
+++ b/dot/network/service.go
@@ -67,12 +67,13 @@ type Service struct {
 	ctx    context.Context
 	cancel context.CancelFunc
 
-	cfg       *Config
-	host      *host
-	mdns      *mdns
-	gossip    *gossip
-	syncQueue *syncQueue
-	bufPool   *sizedBufferPool
+	cfg           *Config
+	host          *host
+	mdns          *mdns
+	gossip        *gossip
+	syncQueue     *syncQueue
+	bufPool       *sizedBufferPool
+	streamManager *streamManager
 
 	notificationsProtocols map[byte]*notificationsProtocol // map of sub-protocol msg ID to protocol info
 	notificationsMu        sync.RWMutex
@@ -162,6 +163,7 @@ func NewService(cfg *Config) (*Service, error) {
 		telemetryInterval:      cfg.telemetryInterval,
 		closeCh:                make(chan interface{}),
 		bufPool:                bufPool,
+		streamManager:          newStreamManager(ctx),
 	}
 
 	network.syncQueue = newSyncQueue(network)
@@ -267,6 +269,7 @@ func (s *Service) Start() error {
 	go s.logPeerCount()
 	go s.publishNetworkTelemetry(s.closeCh)
 	go s.sentBlockIntervalTelemetry()
+	s.streamManager.start()
 
 	return nil
 }
@@ -529,6 +532,8 @@ func isInbound(stream libp2pnetwork.Stream) bool {
 }
 
 func (s *Service) readStream(stream libp2pnetwork.Stream, decoder messageDecoder, handler messageHandler) {
+	s.streamManager.logNewStream(stream)
+
 	peer := stream.Conn().RemotePeer()
 	msgBytes := s.bufPool.get()
 	defer s.bufPool.put(&msgBytes)
@@ -543,6 +548,8 @@ func (s *Service) readStream(stream libp2pnetwork.Stream, decoder messageDecoder
 			return
 		}
 
+		s.streamManager.logMessageReceived(stream.ID())
+
 		// decode message based on message type
 		msg, err := decoder(msgBytes[:tot], peer, isInbound(stream))
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/dot/network/stream_manager.go b/dot/network/stream_manager.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6755f5c3da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dot/network/stream_manager.go
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+package network
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"sync"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/network"
+)
+
+var cleanupStreamInterval = time.Minute
+
+type streamData struct {
+	lastReceivedMessage time.Time
+	stream              network.Stream
+}
+
+// streamManager tracks inbound streams and runs a cleanup goroutine every `cleanupStreamInterval` to close streams that
+// we haven't received any data on for the last time period. this prevents keeping stale streams open and continuously trying to
+// read from it, which takes up lots of CPU over time.
+type streamManager struct {
+	ctx           context.Context
+	streamDataMap *sync.Map //map[string]*streamData
+}
+
+func newStreamManager(ctx context.Context) *streamManager {
+	return &streamManager{
+		ctx:           ctx,
+		streamDataMap: new(sync.Map),
+	}
+}
+
+func (sm *streamManager) start() {
+	go func() {
+		ticker := time.NewTicker(cleanupStreamInterval)
+		defer ticker.Stop()
+
+		for {
+			select {
+			case <-sm.ctx.Done():
+				return
+			case <-ticker.C:
+				sm.cleanupStreams()
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+}
+
+func (sm *streamManager) cleanupStreams() {
+	sm.streamDataMap.Range(func(id, data interface{}) bool {
+		sdata := data.(*streamData)
+		lastReceived := sdata.lastReceivedMessage
+		stream := sdata.stream
+
+		if time.Since(lastReceived) > cleanupStreamInterval {
+			_ = stream.Close()
+			sm.streamDataMap.Delete(id)
+		}
+
+		return true
+	})
+}
+
+func (sm *streamManager) logNewStream(stream network.Stream) {
+	data := &streamData{
+		lastReceivedMessage: time.Now(), // prevents closing just opened streams, in case the cleanup goroutine runs at the same time stream is opened
+		stream:              stream,
+	}
+	sm.streamDataMap.Store(stream.ID(), data)
+}
+
+func (sm *streamManager) logMessageReceived(streamID string) {
+	data, has := sm.streamDataMap.Load(streamID)
+	if !has {
+		return
+	}
+
+	sdata := data.(*streamData)
+	sdata.lastReceivedMessage = time.Now()
+	sm.streamDataMap.Store(streamID, sdata)
+}
diff --git a/dot/network/stream_manager_test.go b/dot/network/stream_manager_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c831f01144
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dot/network/stream_manager_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+package network
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p"
+	libp2phost "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/host"
+	"github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/network"
+	"github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/peer"
+	ma "github.com/multiformats/go-multiaddr"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func setupStreamManagerTest(t *testing.T) (context.Context, []libp2phost.Host, []*streamManager) {
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+
+	cleanupStreamInterval = time.Millisecond * 500
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		cleanupStreamInterval = time.Minute
+		cancel()
+	})
+
+	smA := newStreamManager(ctx)
+	smB := newStreamManager(ctx)
+
+	portA := 7001
+	portB := 7002
+	addrA, err := ma.NewMultiaddr(fmt.Sprintf("/ip4/0.0.0.0/tcp/%d", portA))
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	addrB, err := ma.NewMultiaddr(fmt.Sprintf("/ip4/0.0.0.0/tcp/%d", portB))
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	ha, err := libp2p.New(
+		ctx, libp2p.ListenAddrs(addrA),
+	)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	hb, err := libp2p.New(
+		ctx, libp2p.ListenAddrs(addrB),
+	)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	err = ha.Connect(ctx, peer.AddrInfo{
+		ID:    hb.ID(),
+		Addrs: hb.Addrs(),
+	})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	hb.SetStreamHandler("", func(stream network.Stream) {
+		smB.logNewStream(stream)
+	})
+
+	return ctx, []libp2phost.Host{ha, hb}, []*streamManager{smA, smB}
+}
+
+func TestStreamManager(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx, hosts, sms := setupStreamManagerTest(t)
+	ha, hb := hosts[0], hosts[1]
+	smA, smB := sms[0], sms[1]
+
+	stream, err := ha.NewStream(ctx, hb.ID(), "")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	smA.logNewStream(stream)
+	smA.start()
+	smB.start()
+
+	time.Sleep(cleanupStreamInterval * 2)
+	connsAToB := ha.Network().ConnsToPeer(hb.ID())
+	require.Equal(t, 1, len(connsAToB))
+	require.Equal(t, 0, len(connsAToB[0].GetStreams()))
+
+	connsBToA := hb.Network().ConnsToPeer(ha.ID())
+	require.Equal(t, 1, len(connsBToA))
+	require.Equal(t, 0, len(connsBToA[0].GetStreams()))
+}
+
+func TestStreamManager_KeepStream(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx, hosts, sms := setupStreamManagerTest(t)
+	ha, hb := hosts[0], hosts[1]
+	smA, smB := sms[0], sms[1]
+
+	stream, err := ha.NewStream(ctx, hb.ID(), "")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	smA.logNewStream(stream)
+	smA.start()
+	smB.start()
+
+	time.Sleep(cleanupStreamInterval / 2)
+	connsAToB := ha.Network().ConnsToPeer(hb.ID())
+	require.Equal(t, 1, len(connsAToB))
+	require.Equal(t, 1, len(connsAToB[0].GetStreams()))
+
+	connsBToA := hb.Network().ConnsToPeer(ha.ID())
+	require.Equal(t, 1, len(connsBToA))
+	require.Equal(t, 1, len(connsBToA[0].GetStreams()))
+}
diff --git a/dot/network/utils.go b/dot/network/utils.go
index 771cabda08..211f247a8f 100644
--- a/dot/network/utils.go
+++ b/dot/network/utils.go
@@ -184,9 +184,7 @@ func readStream(stream libp2pnetwork.Stream, buf []byte) (int, error) {
 	)
 
 	length, err := readLEB128ToUint64(stream, buf[:1])
-	if err == io.EOF {
-		return 0, err
-	} else if err != nil {
+	if err != nil {
 		return 0, err // TODO: return bytes read from readLEB128ToUint64
 	}
 
@@ -196,13 +194,11 @@ func readStream(stream libp2pnetwork.Stream, buf []byte) (int, error) {
 
 	if length > uint64(len(buf)) {
 		logger.Warn("received message with size greater than allocated message buffer", "length", length, "buffer size", len(buf))
-		_ = stream.Close()
 		return 0, fmt.Errorf("message size greater than allocated message buffer: got %d", length)
 	}
 
 	if length > maxBlockResponseSize {
 		logger.Warn("received message with size greater than maxBlockResponseSize, closing stream", "length", length)
-		_ = stream.Close()
 		return 0, fmt.Errorf("message size greater than maximum: got %d", length)
 	}