diff --git a/veilid-core/src/network_manager/mod.rs b/veilid-core/src/network_manager/mod.rs
index d1b7bc74..b48e4519 100644
--- a/veilid-core/src/network_manager/mod.rs
+++ b/veilid-core/src/network_manager/mod.rs
@@ -1008,7 +1008,10 @@ impl NetworkManager {
             let some_relay_nr = if self.check_client_whitelist(sender_id) {
                 // Full relay allowed, do a full resolve_node
                 match rpc
-                    .resolve_node(recipient_id, SafetySelection::Unsafe(Sequencing::default()))
+                    .lookup_or_resolve_node(
+                        recipient_id,
+                        SafetySelection::Unsafe(Sequencing::default()),
+                    )
                     .await
                 {
                     Ok(v) => v,
diff --git a/veilid-core/src/rpc_processor/mod.rs b/veilid-core/src/rpc_processor/mod.rs
index fbcf2bf2..447045ba 100644
--- a/veilid-core/src/rpc_processor/mod.rs
+++ b/veilid-core/src/rpc_processor/mod.rs
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ mod rpc_status;
 mod rpc_validate_dial_info;
 mod rpc_value_changed;
 mod rpc_watch_value;
+mod resolve_node;
 
 #[cfg(feature = "unstable-blockstore")]
 mod rpc_find_block;
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ use receipt_manager::*;
 use routing_table::*;
 use stop_token::future::FutureExt;
 use storage_manager::*;
+use resolve_node::*;
 
 /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
@@ -453,79 +455,9 @@ impl RPCProcessor {
 
     //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-    /// Search the network for a single node and add it to the routing table and return the node reference
-    /// If no node was found in the timeout, this returns None
-    async fn search_for_node_id(
-        &self,
-        node_id: TypedKey,
-        count: usize,
-        fanout: usize,
-        timeout_us: TimestampDuration,
-        safety_selection: SafetySelection,
-    ) -> TimeoutOr<Result<Option<NodeRef>, RPCError>> {
-        let routing_table = self.routing_table();
-
-        // Routine to call to generate fanout
-        let call_routine = |next_node: NodeRef| {
-            let this = self.clone();
-            async move {
-                match this
-                    .clone()
-                    .rpc_call_find_node(
-                        Destination::direct(next_node).with_safety(safety_selection),
-                        node_id,
-                        vec![],
-                    )
-                    .await
-                {
-                    Ok(v) => {
-                        let v = network_result_value_or_log!(v => [ format!(": node_id={} count={} fanout={} fanout={} safety_selection={:?}", node_id, count, fanout, timeout_us, safety_selection) ] {
-                            // Any other failures, just try the next node
-                            return Ok(None);
-                        });
-                        Ok(Some(v.answer))
-                    }
-                    Err(e) => Err(e),
-                }
-            }
-        };
-
-        // Routine to call to check if we're done at each step
-        let check_done = |_:&[NodeRef]| {
-            let Ok(Some(nr)) = routing_table
-                .lookup_node_ref(node_id) else {
-                    return None;
-                };
-        
-            // ensure we have some dial info for the entry already,
-            // and that the node is still alive
-            // if not, we should keep looking for better info
-            if !matches!(nr.state(get_aligned_timestamp()),BucketEntryState::Dead) &&
-                nr.has_any_dial_info() {
-                return Some(nr);
-            }
-    
-            None
-        };
-
-        // Call the fanout
-        let fanout_call = FanoutCall::new(
-            routing_table.clone(),
-            node_id,
-            count,
-            fanout,
-            timeout_us,
-            empty_fanout_node_info_filter(),
-            call_routine,
-            check_done,
-        );
-
-        fanout_call.run().await
-    }
-
     /// Search the DHT for a specific node corresponding to a key unless we have that node in our routing table already, and return the node reference
     /// Note: This routine can possible be recursive, hence the SendPinBoxFuture async form
-    pub fn resolve_node(
+    pub fn lookup_or_resolve_node(
         &self,
         node_id: TypedKey,
         safety_selection: SafetySelection,
@@ -548,20 +480,9 @@ impl RPCProcessor {
                 }
             }
 
-            // If nobody knows where this node is, ask the DHT for it
-            let (node_count, _consensus_count, fanout, timeout) = {
-                let c = this.config.get();
-                (
-                    c.network.dht.max_find_node_count as usize,
-                    c.network.dht.resolve_node_count as usize,
-                    c.network.dht.resolve_node_fanout as usize,
-                    TimestampDuration::from(ms_to_us(c.network.dht.resolve_node_timeout_ms)),
-                )
-            };
-
             // Search in preferred cryptosystem order
             let nr = match this
-                .search_for_node_id(node_id, node_count, fanout, timeout, safety_selection)
+                .resolve_node(node_id, safety_selection)
                 .await
             {
                 TimeoutOr::Timeout => None,
diff --git a/veilid-core/src/veilid_api/debug.rs b/veilid-core/src/veilid_api/debug.rs
index 5d633868..c9c98633 100644
--- a/veilid-core/src/veilid_api/debug.rs
+++ b/veilid-core/src/veilid_api/debug.rs
@@ -344,14 +344,14 @@ fn resolve_node_ref(
                 let node_id = TypedKey::new(best_crypto_kind(), key);
                 routing_table
                     .rpc_processor()
-                    .resolve_node(node_id, safety_selection)
+                    .lookup_or_resolve_node(node_id, safety_selection)
                     .await
                     .ok()
                     .flatten()?
             } else if let Some(node_id) = get_typed_key(text) {
                 routing_table
                     .rpc_processor()
-                    .resolve_node(node_id, safety_selection)
+                    .lookup_or_resolve_node(node_id, safety_selection)
                     .await
                     .ok()
                     .flatten()?
diff --git a/veilid-core/src/veilid_api/routing_context.rs b/veilid-core/src/veilid_api/routing_context.rs
index 6e7a9a49..fb5ddede 100644
--- a/veilid-core/src/veilid_api/routing_context.rs
+++ b/veilid-core/src/veilid_api/routing_context.rs
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ impl RoutingContext {
             Target::NodeId(node_id) => {
                 // Resolve node
                 let mut nr = match rpc_processor
-                    .resolve_node(node_id, self.unlocked_inner.safety_selection)
+                    .lookup_or_resolve_node(node_id, self.unlocked_inner.safety_selection)
                     .await
                 {
                     Ok(Some(nr)) => nr,