diff --git a/libi2pd_client/ClientContext.cpp b/libi2pd_client/ClientContext.cpp
index e7197f27..b57cf4cd 100644
--- a/libi2pd_client/ClientContext.cpp
+++ b/libi2pd_client/ClientContext.cpp
@@ -262,6 +262,10 @@ namespace client
 		ReadSocksProxy ();
 
 		// handle tunnels
+		// take the acceptors off first, a tunnel still in the config sets its own back
+		// while it is read, incoming streams wait in the queue meanwhile
+		for (auto& it: m_ServerTunnels)
+			it.second->DetachAcceptor ();
 		// reset isUpdated for each tunnel
 		VisitTunnels (false);
 		// reload tunnels
@@ -980,6 +984,8 @@ namespace client
 							ins.first->second->SetLocalDestination (serverTunnel->GetLocalDestination ());
 							ins.first->second->Start ();
 						}
+						else
+							ins.first->second->Accept (); // still in the config, take the acceptor back
 						ins.first->second->isUpdated = true;
 						LogPrint (eLogInfo, "Clients: I2P server tunnel for destination/port ", m_AddressBook.ToAddress(localDestination->GetIdentHash ()), "/", inPort, " already exists");
 					}
diff --git a/libi2pd_client/I2PTunnel.cpp b/libi2pd_client/I2PTunnel.cpp
index 7ed7528e..b8fd4604 100644
--- a/libi2pd_client/I2PTunnel.cpp
+++ b/libi2pd_client/I2PTunnel.cpp
@@ -803,7 +803,7 @@ namespace client
 
 	I2PServerTunnel::I2PServerTunnel (const std::string& name, const std::string& address,
 		uint16_t port, std::shared_ptr<ClientDestination> localDestination, uint16_t inport, bool gzip):
-		I2PService (localDestination), m_IsUniqueLocal(true), m_Name (name), m_Address (address), m_Port (port), m_IsAccessList (false)
+		I2PService (localDestination), m_IsUniqueLocal(true), m_IsDefaultAcceptor (false), m_Name (name), m_Address (address), m_Port (port), m_IsAccessList (false)
 	{
 		m_PortDestination = localDestination->GetStreamingDestination (inport);
 		if (!m_PortDestination) // default destination
@@ -822,13 +822,22 @@ namespace client
 		Accept ();
 	}
 
-	void I2PServerTunnel::Stop ()
+	void I2PServerTunnel::DetachAcceptor ()
 	{
 		if (m_PortDestination)
 			m_PortDestination->ResetAcceptor ();
 		auto localDestination = GetLocalDestination ();
-		if (localDestination)
+		// the default acceptor may belong to another tunnel on the same destination
+		if (localDestination && m_IsDefaultAcceptor)
+		{
 			localDestination->StopAcceptingStreams ();
+			m_IsDefaultAcceptor = false;
+		}
+	}
+
+	void I2PServerTunnel::Stop ()
+	{
+		DetachAcceptor ();
 		if (m_Resolver)
 			m_Resolver->cancel ();
 
@@ -935,7 +944,10 @@ namespace client
 		if (localDestination)
 		{
 			if (!localDestination->IsAcceptingStreams ()) // set it as default if not set yet
+			{
 				localDestination->AcceptStreams (std::bind (&I2PServerTunnel::HandleAccept, this, std::placeholders::_1));
+				m_IsDefaultAcceptor = true;
+			}
 		}
 		else
 			LogPrint (eLogError, "I2PTunnel: Local destination not set for server tunnel");
diff --git a/libi2pd_client/I2PTunnel.h b/libi2pd_client/I2PTunnel.h
index 626fc0f2..c6aa3083 100644
--- a/libi2pd_client/I2PTunnel.h
+++ b/libi2pd_client/I2PTunnel.h
@@ -213,13 +213,15 @@ namespace client
 
 			const char* GetName() const override { return m_Name.c_str (); }
 
+			void Accept ();
+			void DetachAcceptor (); // called before the tunnels are read again on reload
+
 		private:
 
 			bool Resolve (std::shared_ptr<i2p::stream::Stream> stream);
 			void HandleResolve (const boost::system::error_code& ecode, boost::asio::ip::tcp::resolver::results_type endpoints,
 				std::shared_ptr<i2p::stream::Stream> stream);
 
-			void Accept ();
 			void HandleAccept (std::shared_ptr<i2p::stream::Stream> stream);
 			void Connect (std::shared_ptr<i2p::stream::Stream> stream);
 			virtual std::shared_ptr<I2PTunnelConnection> CreateI2PConnection (std::shared_ptr<i2p::stream::Stream> stream);
@@ -227,6 +229,7 @@ namespace client
 		private:
 
 			bool m_IsUniqueLocal;
+			bool m_IsDefaultAcceptor; // this tunnel is the one accepting on the destination
 			std::string m_Name, m_Address;
 			uint16_t m_Port;
 			boost::asio::ip::tcp::endpoint m_Endpoint;