diff --git a/pkg/router/route_group_test.go b/pkg/router/route_group_test.go
index 46d9f3620..d8a3a42c9 100644
--- a/pkg/router/route_group_test.go
+++ b/pkg/router/route_group_test.go
@@ -465,21 +465,33 @@ func pushPackets(ctx context.Context, t *testing.T, from *transport.Manager, to
 				panic("malformed packet")
 			}
 
-			to.readChMu.Lock()
-			select {
-			case <-ctx.Done():
-				to.readChMu.Unlock()
+			if safeSend(to, ctx, payload) {
 				return
-			case <-to.done:
-				to.readChMu.Unlock()
-				return
-			case to.readCh <- payload:
-				to.readChMu.Unlock()
 			}
 		}
 	}
 }
 
+func safeSend(to *RouteGroup, ctx context.Context, payload []byte) (interrupt bool) {
+	defer func() {
+		if r := recover(); r != nil {
+			interrupt = r != "send on closed channel" // TODO: come up with idea how to handle this case
+		}
+	}()
+
+	to.readChMu.Lock()
+	defer to.readChMu.Unlock()
+
+	select {
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		return true
+	case <-to.done:
+		return true
+	case to.readCh <- payload:
+		return false
+	}
+}
+
 func createRouteGroup() *RouteGroup {
 	rt := routing.NewTable(routing.DefaultConfig())
 
diff --git a/pkg/router/router.go b/pkg/router/router.go
index fb2e5f4c8..efbe6809e 100644
--- a/pkg/router/router.go
+++ b/pkg/router/router.go
@@ -330,7 +330,8 @@ func (r *router) handleDataPacket(ctx context.Context, packet routing.Packet) er
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if rule.Type() == routing.RuleIntermediaryForward {
+	switch rule.Type() {
+	case routing.RuleForward, routing.RuleIntermediaryForward:
 		r.logger.Infoln("Handling intermediary packet")
 		return r.forwardPacket(ctx, packet.Payload(), rule)
 	}
@@ -352,11 +353,6 @@ func (r *router) handleDataPacket(ctx context.Context, packet routing.Packet) er
 	r.logger.Infof("Got new remote packet with route ID %d. Using rule: %s", packet.RouteID(), rule)
 	r.logger.Infof("Packet contents: %s", packet.Payload())
 
-	// TODO: maybe move this up along the execution flow? `rg` doesn't seem to be necessary here
-	if t := rule.Type(); t == routing.RuleForward {
-		return r.forwardPacket(ctx, packet.Payload(), rule)
-	}
-
 	if rg.isClosed() {
 		r.logger.Infoln("RG IS CLOSED")
 		return io.ErrClosedPipe
diff --git a/pkg/router/router_test.go b/pkg/router/router_test.go
index 171b5e705..034455fa7 100644
--- a/pkg/router/router_test.go
+++ b/pkg/router/router_test.go
@@ -218,10 +218,13 @@ func TestRouter_handleTransportPacket(t *testing.T) {
 
 		fwdRule := routing.ForwardRule(1*time.Hour, dstRtIDs[0], routing.RouteID(7), tp1.Entry.ID, keys[0].PK, keys[1].PK, 0, 0)
 		cnsmRule := routing.ConsumeRule(1*time.Hour, dstRtIDs[1], keys[1].PK, keys[0].PK, 0, 0)
+
 		err = r1.rt.SaveRule(fwdRule)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
+
 		err = r1.rt.SaveRule(cnsmRule)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
+
 		fwdRtDesc := fwdRule.RouteDescriptor()
 		r1.saveRouteGroupRules(routing.EdgeRules{
 			Desc:    fwdRtDesc.Invert(),