diff --git a/core/bootstrap.go b/core/bootstrap.go
index f40585ff8..6b969c96d 100644
--- a/core/bootstrap.go
+++ b/core/bootstrap.go
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ func bootstrapConnect(ctx context.Context, ph host.Host, peers []peer.PeerInfo)
 	return nil
 }
 
-func toPeerInfos(bpeers []config.BootstrapPeer) ([]peer.PeerInfo, error) {
+func toPeerInfos(bpeers []config.BootstrapPeer) []peer.PeerInfo {
 	pinfos := make(map[peer.ID]*peer.PeerInfo)
 	for _, bootstrap := range bpeers {
 		pinfo, ok := pinfos[bootstrap.ID()]
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ func toPeerInfos(bpeers []config.BootstrapPeer) ([]peer.PeerInfo, error) {
 		peers = append(peers, *pinfo)
 	}
 
-	return peers, nil
+	return peers
 }
 
 func randomSubsetOfPeers(in []peer.PeerInfo, max int) []peer.PeerInfo {
diff --git a/core/core.go b/core/core.go
index 7e2773d6f..fa01d4a69 100644
--- a/core/core.go
+++ b/core/core.go
@@ -468,7 +468,7 @@ func (n *IpfsNode) loadBootstrapPeers() ([]peer.PeerInfo, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	return toPeerInfos(parsed)
+	return toPeerInfos(parsed), nil
 }
 
 func (n *IpfsNode) loadFilesRoot() error {
diff --git a/test/sharness/t0121-bootstrap-iptb.sh b/test/sharness/t0121-bootstrap-iptb.sh
index ffb60f9c1..abf2be049 100755
--- a/test/sharness/t0121-bootstrap-iptb.sh
+++ b/test/sharness/t0121-bootstrap-iptb.sh
@@ -34,6 +34,41 @@ test_expect_success "setup iptb nodes" '
 	iptb init -n 5 -f --bootstrap=none --port=0
 '
 
+test_expect_success "start up iptb nodes" '
+    iptb start
+'
+
+test_expect_success "check peers works" '
+    ipfs swarm peers >peers_out
+'
+
+test_expect_success "correct number of peers" '
+    test -z "`cat peers_out`"
+'
+
+betterwait() {
+	while kill -0 $1; do true; done
+}
+
+test_expect_success "bring down iptb nodes" '
+	PID0=$(cat "$IPTB_ROOT/0/daemon.pid") &&
+	PID1=$(cat "$IPTB_ROOT/1/daemon.pid") &&
+	PID2=$(cat "$IPTB_ROOT/2/daemon.pid") &&
+	PID3=$(cat "$IPTB_ROOT/3/daemon.pid") &&
+	PID4=$(cat "$IPTB_ROOT/4/daemon.pid") &&
+	iptb stop && # TODO: add --wait flag to iptb stop
+	betterwait $PID0
+	betterwait $PID1 
+	betterwait $PID2
+	betterwait $PID3
+	betterwait $PID4
+'
+
+test_expect_success "reset iptb nodes" '
+	# the api doesnt seem to get cleaned up in sharness tests for some reason
+	iptb init -n 5 -f --bootstrap=none --port=0
+'
+
 test_expect_success "set bootstrap addrs" '
 	bsn_peer_id=$(ipfs id -f "<id>") &&
 	BADDR="/ip4/127.0.0.1/tcp/$PORT_SWARM/ipfs/$bsn_peer_id" &&
@@ -53,7 +88,7 @@ test_expect_success "check peers works" '
 '
 
 test_expect_success "correct number of peers" '
-	test `cat peers_out | wc -l` == 5
+	test `cat peers_out | wc -l` = 5
 '
 
 test_kill_ipfs_daemon