diff --git a/client/internal/conn_mgr.go b/client/internal/conn_mgr.go
index 119ddc1bd..f7b1f6a05 100644
--- a/client/internal/conn_mgr.go
+++ b/client/internal/conn_mgr.go
@@ -98,14 +98,14 @@ func (e *ConnMgr) UpdatedRemoteFeatureFlag(ctx context.Context, enabled bool) er
 }
 
 // SetExcludeList sets the list of peer IDs that should always have permanent connections.
-func (e *ConnMgr) SetExcludeList(peerIDs []string) {
+func (e *ConnMgr) SetExcludeList(peerIDs map[string]bool) {
 	if e.lazyConnMgr == nil {
 		return
 	}
 
 	excludedPeers := make([]lazyconn.PeerConfig, 0, len(peerIDs))
 
-	for _, peerID := range peerIDs {
+	for peerID := range peerIDs {
 		var peerConn *peer.Conn
 		var exists bool
 		if peerConn, exists = e.peerStore.PeerConn(peerID); !exists {
diff --git a/client/internal/engine.go b/client/internal/engine.go
index d6bcc66f6..e04ccc9b8 100644
--- a/client/internal/engine.go
+++ b/client/internal/engine.go
@@ -1927,14 +1927,16 @@ func (e *Engine) updateForwardRules(rules []*mgmProto.ForwardingRule) ([]firewal
 	return forwardingRules, nberrors.FormatErrorOrNil(merr)
 }
 
-func (e *Engine) toExcludedLazyPeers(routes []*route.Route, rules []firewallManager.ForwardRule, peers []*mgmProto.RemotePeerConfig) []string {
-	excludedPeers := make([]string, 0)
+func (e *Engine) toExcludedLazyPeers(routes []*route.Route, rules []firewallManager.ForwardRule, peers []*mgmProto.RemotePeerConfig) map[string]bool {
+	excludedPeers := make(map[string]bool)
 	for _, r := range routes {
 		if r.Peer == "" {
 			continue
 		}
-		log.Infof("exclude router peer from lazy connection: %s", r.Peer)
-		excludedPeers = append(excludedPeers, r.Peer)
+		if !excludedPeers[r.Peer] {
+			log.Infof("exclude router peer from lazy connection: %s", r.Peer)
+			excludedPeers[r.Peer] = true
+		}
 	}
 
 	for _, r := range rules {
@@ -1945,7 +1947,7 @@ func (e *Engine) toExcludedLazyPeers(routes []*route.Route, rules []firewallMana
 					continue
 				}
 				log.Infof("exclude forwarder peer from lazy connection: %s", p.GetWgPubKey())
-				excludedPeers = append(excludedPeers, p.GetWgPubKey())
+				excludedPeers[p.GetWgPubKey()] = true
 			}
 		}
 	}