diff --git a/src/openvpn/dco.c b/src/openvpn/dco.c
index f190d038b..47fb00037 100644
--- a/src/openvpn/dco.c
+++ b/src/openvpn/dco.c
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ dco_install_key(struct tls_multi *multi, struct key_state *ks,
                 const char *ciphername)
 
 {
-    msg(D_DCO_DEBUG, "%s: peer_id=%d keyid=%d", __func__, multi->peer_id,
+    msg(D_DCO_DEBUG, "%s: peer_id=%d keyid=%d", __func__, multi->dco_peer_id,
         ks->key_id);
 
     /* Install a key in the PRIMARY slot only when no other key exist.
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ dco_install_key(struct tls_multi *multi, struct key_state *ks,
         slot = OVPN_KEY_SLOT_SECONDARY;
     }
 
-    int ret = dco_new_key(multi->dco, multi->peer_id, ks->key_id, slot,
+    int ret = dco_new_key(multi->dco, multi->dco_peer_id, ks->key_id, slot,
                           encrypt_key, encrypt_iv,
                           decrypt_key, decrypt_iv,
                           ciphername);
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ dco_get_secondary_key(struct tls_multi *multi, const struct key_state *primary)
 void
 dco_update_keys(dco_context_t *dco, struct tls_multi *multi)
 {
-    msg(D_DCO_DEBUG, "%s: peer_id=%d", __func__, multi->peer_id);
+    msg(D_DCO_DEBUG, "%s: peer_id=%d", __func__, multi->dco_peer_id);
 
     /* this function checks if keys have to be swapped or erased, therefore it
      * can't do much if we don't have any key installed
@@ -151,14 +151,14 @@ dco_update_keys(dco_context_t *dco, struct tls_multi *multi)
     {
         msg(D_DCO, "No encryption key found. Purging data channel keys");
 
-        int ret = dco_del_key(dco, multi->peer_id, OVPN_KEY_SLOT_PRIMARY);
+        int ret = dco_del_key(dco, multi->dco_peer_id, OVPN_KEY_SLOT_PRIMARY);
         if (ret < 0)
         {
             msg(D_DCO, "Cannot delete primary key during wipe: %s (%d)", strerror(-ret), ret);
             return;
         }
 
-        ret = dco_del_key(dco, multi->peer_id, OVPN_KEY_SLOT_SECONDARY);
+        ret = dco_del_key(dco, multi->dco_peer_id, OVPN_KEY_SLOT_SECONDARY);
         if (ret < 0)
         {
             msg(D_DCO, "Cannot delete secondary key during wipe: %s (%d)", strerror(-ret), ret);
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ dco_update_keys(dco_context_t *dco, struct tls_multi *multi)
         msg(D_DCO_DEBUG, "Swapping primary and secondary keys, now: id1=%d id2=%d",
             primary->key_id, secondary ? secondary->key_id : -1);
 
-        int ret = dco_swap_keys(dco, multi->peer_id);
+        int ret = dco_swap_keys(dco, multi->dco_peer_id);
         if (ret < 0)
         {
             msg(D_DCO, "Cannot swap keys: %s (%d)", strerror(-ret), ret);
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ dco_update_keys(dco_context_t *dco, struct tls_multi *multi)
     /* if we have no secondary key anymore, inform DCO about it */
     if (!secondary && multi->dco_keys_installed == 2)
     {
-        int ret = dco_del_key(dco, multi->peer_id, OVPN_KEY_SLOT_SECONDARY);
+        int ret = dco_del_key(dco, multi->dco_peer_id, OVPN_KEY_SLOT_SECONDARY);
         if (ret < 0)
         {
             msg(D_DCO, "Cannot delete secondary key: %s (%d)", strerror(-ret), ret);
@@ -465,7 +465,7 @@ dco_p2p_add_new_peer(struct context *c)
         return ret;
     }
 
-    c->c2.tls_multi->dco_peer_added = true;
+    c->c2.tls_multi->dco_peer_id = multi->peer_id;
     c->c2.link_socket->info.lsa->actual.dco_installed = true;
 
     return 0;
@@ -479,10 +479,10 @@ dco_remove_peer(struct context *c)
         return;
     }
 
-    if (c->c1.tuntap && c->c2.tls_multi && c->c2.tls_multi->dco_peer_added)
+    if (c->c1.tuntap && c->c2.tls_multi && c->c2.tls_multi->dco_peer_id != -1)
     {
-        dco_del_peer(&c->c1.tuntap->dco, c->c2.tls_multi->peer_id);
-        c->c2.tls_multi->dco_peer_added = false;
+        dco_del_peer(&c->c1.tuntap->dco, c->c2.tls_multi->dco_peer_id);
+        c->c2.tls_multi->dco_peer_id = -1;
     }
 }
 
@@ -585,7 +585,7 @@ dco_multi_add_new_peer(struct multi_context *m, struct multi_instance *mi)
         return ret;
     }
 
-    c->c2.tls_multi->dco_peer_added = true;
+    c->c2.tls_multi->dco_peer_id = peer_id;
 
     if (c->mode == CM_CHILD_TCP)
     {
diff --git a/src/openvpn/forward.c b/src/openvpn/forward.c
index 1dcaabd8e..3b5b04074 100644
--- a/src/openvpn/forward.c
+++ b/src/openvpn/forward.c
@@ -1734,7 +1734,7 @@ process_outgoing_link(struct context *c)
                 if (should_use_dco_socket(c->c2.to_link_addr))
                 {
                     size = dco_do_write(&c->c1.tuntap->dco,
-                                        c->c2.tls_multi->peer_id,
+                                        c->c2.tls_multi->dco_peer_id,
                                         &c->c2.to_link);
                 }
                 else
diff --git a/src/openvpn/init.c b/src/openvpn/init.c
index 1b30c8f0a..0e4769775 100644
--- a/src/openvpn/init.c
+++ b/src/openvpn/init.c
@@ -2151,14 +2151,14 @@ do_deferred_options_part2(struct context *c)
         && (c->options.ping_send_timeout || c->c2.frame.mss_fix))
     {
         int ret = dco_set_peer(&c->c1.tuntap->dco,
-                               c->c2.tls_multi->peer_id,
+                               c->c2.tls_multi->dco_peer_id,
                                c->options.ping_send_timeout,
                                c->options.ping_rec_timeout,
                                c->c2.frame.mss_fix);
         if (ret < 0)
         {
             msg(D_DCO, "Cannot set parameters for DCO peer (id=%u): %s",
-                c->c2.tls_multi->peer_id, strerror(-ret));
+                c->c2.tls_multi->dco_peer_id, strerror(-ret));
             return false;
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/openvpn/multi.c b/src/openvpn/multi.c
index b9b087e01..0a23c2bcf 100644
--- a/src/openvpn/multi.c
+++ b/src/openvpn/multi.c
@@ -2305,6 +2305,42 @@ cleanup:
     return ret;
 }
 
+static bool
+multi_client_setup_dco_initial(struct multi_context *m,
+                               struct multi_instance *mi,
+                               struct gc_arena *gc)
+{
+    if (!dco_enabled(&mi->context.options))
+    {
+        /* DCO not enabled, nothing to do, return sucess */
+        return true;
+    }
+    int ret = dco_multi_add_new_peer(m, mi);
+    if (ret < 0)
+    {
+        msg(D_DCO, "Cannot add peer to DCO for %s: %s (%d)",
+            multi_instance_string(mi, false, gc), strerror(-ret), ret);
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    if (mi->context.options.ping_send_timeout || mi->context.c2.frame.mss_fix)
+    {
+        ret = dco_set_peer(&mi->context.c1.tuntap->dco,
+                           mi->context.c2.tls_multi->dco_peer_id,
+                           mi->context.options.ping_send_timeout,
+                           mi->context.options.ping_rec_timeout,
+                           mi->context.c2.frame.mss_fix);
+        if (ret < 0)
+        {
+            msg(D_DCO, "Cannot set DCO peer parameters for %s (id=%u): %s",
+                multi_instance_string(mi, false, gc),
+                mi->context.c2.tls_multi->dco_peer_id, strerror(-ret));
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+    return true;
+}
+
 /**
  * Generates the data channel keys
  */
@@ -2432,39 +2468,16 @@ multi_client_connect_late_setup(struct multi_context *m,
     {
         mi->context.c2.tls_multi->multi_state = CAS_FAILED;
     }
+    /* only continue if setting protocol options worked */
+    else if (!multi_client_setup_dco_initial(m, mi, &gc))
+    {
+        mi->context.c2.tls_multi->multi_state = CAS_FAILED;
+    }
     /* Generate data channel keys only if setting protocol options
-     * has not failed */
-    else
+     * and DCO initial setup has not failed */
+    else if (!multi_client_generate_tls_keys(&mi->context))
     {
-        if (dco_enabled(&mi->context.options))
-        {
-            int ret = dco_multi_add_new_peer(m, mi);
-            if (ret < 0)
-            {
-                msg(D_DCO, "Cannot add peer to DCO: %s (%d)", strerror(-ret), ret);
-                mi->context.c2.tls_multi->multi_state = CAS_FAILED;
-            }
-
-            if (mi->context.options.ping_send_timeout || mi->context.c2.frame.mss_fix)
-            {
-                int ret = dco_set_peer(&mi->context.c1.tuntap->dco,
-                                       mi->context.c2.tls_multi->peer_id,
-                                       mi->context.options.ping_send_timeout,
-                                       mi->context.options.ping_rec_timeout,
-                                       mi->context.c2.frame.mss_fix);
-                if (ret < 0)
-                {
-                    msg(D_DCO, "Cannot set parameters for DCO peer (id=%u): %s",
-                        mi->context.c2.tls_multi->peer_id, strerror(-ret));
-                    mi->context.c2.tls_multi->multi_state = CAS_FAILED;
-                }
-            }
-        }
-
-        if (!multi_client_generate_tls_keys(&mi->context))
-        {
-            mi->context.c2.tls_multi->multi_state = CAS_FAILED;
-        }
+        mi->context.c2.tls_multi->multi_state = CAS_FAILED;
     }
 
     /* send push reply if ready */
@@ -2472,7 +2485,6 @@ multi_client_connect_late_setup(struct multi_context *m,
     {
         process_incoming_push_request(&mi->context);
     }
-
     gc_free(&gc);
 }
 
@@ -3226,8 +3238,8 @@ process_incoming_del_peer(struct multi_context *m, struct multi_instance *mi,
     }
 
     /* When kernel already deleted the peer, the socket is no longer
-     * installed and we don't need to cleanup the state in the kernel */
-    mi->context.c2.tls_multi->dco_peer_added = false;
+     * installed, and we do not need to clean up the state in the kernel */
+    mi->context.c2.tls_multi->dco_peer_id = -1;
     mi->context.sig->signal_text = reason;
     multi_signal_instance(m, mi, SIGTERM);
 }
diff --git a/src/openvpn/ssl.c b/src/openvpn/ssl.c
index a73a2b714..818100c23 100644
--- a/src/openvpn/ssl.c
+++ b/src/openvpn/ssl.c
@@ -1315,6 +1315,7 @@ tls_multi_init(struct tls_options *tls_options)
 
     /* get command line derived options */
     ret->opt = *tls_options;
+    ret->dco_peer_id = -1;
 
     return ret;
 }
diff --git a/src/openvpn/ssl_common.h b/src/openvpn/ssl_common.h
index 24d40ab83..e967970dd 100644
--- a/src/openvpn/ssl_common.h
+++ b/src/openvpn/ssl_common.h
@@ -661,7 +661,14 @@ struct tls_multi
     /* Only used when DCO is used to remember how many keys we installed
      * for this session */
     int dco_keys_installed;
-    bool dco_peer_added;
+    /**
+     * This is the handle that DCO uses to identify this session with the
+     * kernel.
+     *
+     * We keep this separate as the normal peer_id can change during
+     * p2p NCP and we need to track the id that is really used.
+     */
+    int dco_peer_id;
 
     dco_context_t *dco;
 };
