diff --git a/common/repeat_timer.go b/common/repeat_timer.go
index d7d9154d..0f650113 100644
--- a/common/repeat_timer.go
+++ b/common/repeat_timer.go
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 package common
 
 import (
-	"sync"
+	"fmt"
 	"time"
 )
 
@@ -11,54 +11,40 @@ It's good for keeping connections alive.
 A RepeatTimer must be Stop()'d or it will keep a goroutine alive.
 */
 type RepeatTimer struct {
-	Ch chan time.Time
+	Name   string
+	Ch     <-chan time.Time
+	output chan<- time.Time
+	input  chan repeatCommand
 
-	mtx    sync.Mutex
-	name   string
-	ticker *time.Ticker
-	quit   chan struct{}
-	wg     *sync.WaitGroup
-	dur    time.Duration
+	dur   time.Duration
+	timer *time.Timer
 }
 
+type repeatCommand int32
+
+const (
+	Reset repeatCommand = iota
+	RQuit
+)
+
 func NewRepeatTimer(name string, dur time.Duration) *RepeatTimer {
+	c := make(chan time.Time)
 	var t = &RepeatTimer{
-		Ch:     make(chan time.Time),
-		ticker: time.NewTicker(dur),
-		quit:   make(chan struct{}),
-		wg:     new(sync.WaitGroup),
-		name:   name,
-		dur:    dur,
-	}
-	t.wg.Add(1)
-	go t.fireRoutine(t.ticker)
-	return t
-}
+		Name:   name,
+		Ch:     c,
+		output: c,
+		input:  make(chan repeatCommand),
 
-func (t *RepeatTimer) fireRoutine(ticker *time.Ticker) {
-	for {
-		select {
-		case t_ := <-ticker.C:
-			t.Ch <- t_
-		case <-t.quit:
-			// needed so we know when we can reset t.quit
-			t.wg.Done()
-			return
-		}
+		timer: time.NewTimer(dur),
+		dur:   dur,
 	}
+	go t.run()
+	return t
 }
 
 // Wait the duration again before firing.
 func (t *RepeatTimer) Reset() {
-	t.Stop()
-
-	t.mtx.Lock() // Lock
-	defer t.mtx.Unlock()
-
-	t.ticker = time.NewTicker(t.dur)
-	t.quit = make(chan struct{})
-	t.wg.Add(1)
-	go t.fireRoutine(t.ticker)
+	t.input <- Reset
 }
 
 // For ease of .Stop()'ing services before .Start()'ing them,
@@ -67,20 +53,55 @@ func (t *RepeatTimer) Stop() bool {
 	if t == nil {
 		return false
 	}
-	t.mtx.Lock() // Lock
-	defer t.mtx.Unlock()
-
-	exists := t.ticker != nil
-	if exists {
-		t.ticker.Stop() // does not close the channel
-		select {
-		case <-t.Ch:
-			// read off channel if there's anything there
-		default:
-		}
-		close(t.quit)
-		t.wg.Wait() // must wait for quit to close else we race Reset
-		t.ticker = nil
-	}
-	return exists
+	t.input <- RQuit
+	return true
+}
+
+func (t *RepeatTimer) run() {
+	for {
+		fmt.Println("for")
+		select {
+		case cmd := <-t.input:
+			// stop goroutine if the input says so
+			// don't close channels, as closed channels mess up select reads
+			if t.processInput(cmd) {
+				t.timer.Stop()
+				return
+			}
+		case <-t.timer.C:
+			fmt.Println("tick")
+			// send if not blocked, then start the next tick
+			// for blocking send, just
+			// t.output <- time.Now()
+			t.trySend()
+			t.timer.Reset(t.dur)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// trySend performs non-blocking send on t.Ch
+func (t *RepeatTimer) trySend() {
+	// TODO: this was blocking in previous version (t.Ch <- t_)
+	// should I use that behavior unstead of unblocking as per throttle?
+	select {
+	case t.output <- time.Now():
+	default:
+	}
+}
+
+// all modifications of the internal state of ThrottleTimer
+// happen in this method. It is only called from the run goroutine
+// so we avoid any race conditions
+func (t *RepeatTimer) processInput(cmd repeatCommand) (shutdown bool) {
+	fmt.Printf("process: %d\n", cmd)
+	switch cmd {
+	case Reset:
+		t.timer.Reset(t.dur)
+	case RQuit:
+		t.timer.Stop()
+		shutdown = true
+	default:
+		panic("unknown command!")
+	}
+	return shutdown
 }
diff --git a/common/repeat_timer_test.go b/common/repeat_timer_test.go
index 87f34b95..d66cd315 100644
--- a/common/repeat_timer_test.go
+++ b/common/repeat_timer_test.go
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 type rCounter struct {
-	input chan time.Time
+	input <-chan time.Time
 	mtx   sync.Mutex
 	count int
 }
@@ -74,5 +74,5 @@ func TestRepeat(test *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(6, c.Count())
 
 	// close channel to stop counter
-	close(t.Ch)
+	t.Stop()
 }
diff --git a/common/throttle_timer.go b/common/throttle_timer.go
index ab2ad2e6..c148d990 100644
--- a/common/throttle_timer.go
+++ b/common/throttle_timer.go
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ at most once every "dur".
 type ThrottleTimer struct {
 	Name   string
 	Ch     <-chan struct{}
-	input  chan command
+	input  chan throttleCommand
 	output chan<- struct{}
 	dur    time.Duration
 
@@ -21,12 +21,12 @@ type ThrottleTimer struct {
 	isSet bool
 }
 
-type command int32
+type throttleCommand int32
 
 const (
-	Set command = iota
+	Set throttleCommand = iota
 	Unset
-	Quit
+	TQuit
 )
 
 // NewThrottleTimer creates a new ThrottleTimer.
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ func NewThrottleTimer(name string, dur time.Duration) *ThrottleTimer {
 		Name:   name,
 		Ch:     c,
 		dur:    dur,
-		input:  make(chan command),
+		input:  make(chan throttleCommand),
 		output: c,
 		timer:  time.NewTimer(dur),
 	}
@@ -74,14 +74,14 @@ func (t *ThrottleTimer) trySend() {
 // all modifications of the internal state of ThrottleTimer
 // happen in this method. It is only called from the run goroutine
 // so we avoid any race conditions
-func (t *ThrottleTimer) processInput(cmd command) (shutdown bool) {
+func (t *ThrottleTimer) processInput(cmd throttleCommand) (shutdown bool) {
 	switch cmd {
 	case Set:
 		if !t.isSet {
 			t.isSet = true
 			t.timer.Reset(t.dur)
 		}
-	case Quit:
+	case TQuit:
 		shutdown = true
 		fallthrough
 	case Unset:
@@ -122,6 +122,6 @@ func (t *ThrottleTimer) Stop() bool {
 	if t == nil {
 		return false
 	}
-	t.input <- Quit
+	t.input <- TQuit
 	return true
 }