diff --git a/src/autonat/index.ts b/src/autonat/index.ts
index d8f466d9ff..bc76cfe7c2 100644
--- a/src/autonat/index.ts
+++ b/src/autonat/index.ts
@@ -364,6 +364,8 @@ export class AutonatService implements Startable {
       )
     } catch (err) {
       log.error(err)
+    } finally {
+      signal.clear()
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/src/identify/index.ts b/src/identify/index.ts
index 27e5cafc9a..b05962e7f5 100644
--- a/src/identify/index.ts
+++ b/src/identify/index.ts
@@ -305,18 +305,14 @@ class DefaultIdentifyService implements Startable, IdentifyService {
   }
 
   async _identify (connection: Connection, options: AbortOptions = {}): Promise<Identify> {
-    let signal = options.signal
     let stream: Stream | undefined
 
-    // create a timeout if no abort signal passed
-    if (signal == null) {
-      signal = anySignal([AbortSignal.timeout(this.timeout), options.signal])
+    const signal = anySignal([AbortSignal.timeout(this.timeout), options?.signal])
 
-      try {
-        // fails on node < 15.4
-        setMaxListeners?.(Infinity, signal)
-      } catch {}
-    }
+    try {
+      // fails on node < 15.4
+      setMaxListeners?.(Infinity, signal)
+    } catch {}
 
     try {
       stream = await connection.newStream([this.identifyProtocolStr], {
@@ -348,6 +344,7 @@ class DefaultIdentifyService implements Startable, IdentifyService {
       if (stream != null) {
         stream.close()
       }
+      signal.clear()
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/src/peer-routing.ts b/src/peer-routing.ts
index 9357c11c68..9a0dbad45c 100644
--- a/src/peer-routing.ts
+++ b/src/peer-routing.ts
@@ -104,10 +104,11 @@ export class DefaultPeerRouting implements PeerRouting, Startable {
       return
     }
 
-    try {
-      this.abortController = new AbortController()
-      const signal = anySignal([this.abortController.signal, AbortSignal.timeout(this.refreshManagerInit.timeout ?? 10e3)])
+    this.abortController = new AbortController()
+
+    const signal = anySignal([this.abortController.signal, AbortSignal.timeout(this.refreshManagerInit.timeout ?? 10e3)])
 
+    try {
       // this controller may be used while dialing lots of peers so prevent MaxListenersExceededWarning
       // appearing in the console
       try {
@@ -121,6 +122,7 @@ export class DefaultPeerRouting implements PeerRouting, Startable {
     } finally {
       this.abortController?.abort()
       this.abortController = undefined
+      signal.clear()
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/src/ping/index.ts b/src/ping/index.ts
index d5cf30ea5b..0087e9ad36 100644
--- a/src/ping/index.ts
+++ b/src/ping/index.ts
@@ -97,18 +97,14 @@ class DefaultPingService implements Startable, PingService {
     const start = Date.now()
     const data = randomBytes(PING_LENGTH)
     const connection = await this.components.connectionManager.openConnection(peer, options)
-    let signal = options.signal
     let stream: Stream | undefined
 
-    // create a timeout if no abort signal passed
-    if (signal == null) {
-      signal = anySignal([AbortSignal.timeout(this.timeout), options.signal])
+    const signal = anySignal([AbortSignal.timeout(this.timeout), options?.signal])
 
-      try {
-        // fails on node < 15.4
-        setMaxListeners?.(Infinity, signal)
-      } catch {}
-    }
+    try {
+      // fails on node < 15.4
+      setMaxListeners?.(Infinity, signal)
+    } catch {}
 
     try {
       stream = await connection.newStream([this.protocol], {
@@ -134,6 +130,7 @@ class DefaultPingService implements Startable, PingService {
       if (stream != null) {
         stream.close()
       }
+      signal.clear()
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/upgrader.ts b/src/upgrader.ts
index d6f1eedd35..8115931b08 100644
--- a/src/upgrader.ts
+++ b/src/upgrader.ts
@@ -254,6 +254,7 @@ export class DefaultUpgrader implements Upgrader {
       })
     } finally {
       this.components.connectionManager.afterUpgradeInbound()
+      signal.clear()
     }
   }