diff --git a/blockservice/test/blocks_test.go b/blockservice/test/blocks_test.go
index dbbc51562..c94a2357e 100644
--- a/blockservice/test/blocks_test.go
+++ b/blockservice/test/blocks_test.go
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@ func TestBlocks(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Error("returned key is not equal to block key", err)
 	}
 
-	ctx, _ := context.WithTimeout(context.TODO(), time.Second*5)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.TODO(), time.Second*5)
+	defer cancel()
 	b2, err := bs.GetBlock(ctx, b.Key())
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Error("failed to retrieve block from BlockService", err)
@@ -75,7 +76,8 @@ func TestGetBlocksSequential(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Log("one instance at a time, get blocks concurrently")
 
 	for i := 1; i < len(servs); i++ {
-		ctx, _ := context.WithTimeout(context.TODO(), time.Second*50)
+		ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.TODO(), time.Second*50)
+		defer cancel()
 		out := servs[i].GetBlocks(ctx, keys)
 		gotten := make(map[key.Key]*blocks.Block)
 		for blk := range out {
diff --git a/core/bootstrap.go b/core/bootstrap.go
index 2c4752970..a7508de1f 100644
--- a/core/bootstrap.go
+++ b/core/bootstrap.go
@@ -110,7 +110,8 @@ func Bootstrap(n *IpfsNode, cfg BootstrapConfig) (io.Closer, error) {
 
 func bootstrapRound(ctx context.Context, host host.Host, cfg BootstrapConfig) error {
 
-	ctx, _ = context.WithTimeout(ctx, cfg.ConnectionTimeout)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, cfg.ConnectionTimeout)
+	defer cancel()
 	id := host.ID()
 
 	// get bootstrap peers from config. retrieving them here makes
diff --git a/core/core.go b/core/core.go
index b63d88d7c..6a47c04f0 100644
--- a/core/core.go
+++ b/core/core.go
@@ -320,7 +320,8 @@ func setupDiscoveryOption(d config.Discovery) DiscoveryOption {
 
 func (n *IpfsNode) HandlePeerFound(p peer.PeerInfo) {
 	log.Warning("trying peer info: ", p)
-	ctx, _ := context.WithTimeout(n.Context(), time.Second*10)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(n.Context(), time.Second*10)
+	defer cancel()
 	if err := n.PeerHost.Connect(ctx, p); err != nil {
 		log.Warning("Failed to connect to peer found by discovery: ", err)
 	}
diff --git a/diagnostics/diag.go b/diagnostics/diag.go
index 104cb5977..3877ee139 100644
--- a/diagnostics/diag.go
+++ b/diagnostics/diag.go
@@ -298,7 +298,8 @@ func (d *Diagnostics) HandleMessage(ctx context.Context, s inet.Stream) error {
 	if timeout < HopTimeoutDecrement {
 		return fmt.Errorf("timeout too short: %s", timeout)
 	}
-	ctx, _ = context.WithTimeout(ctx, timeout)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, timeout)
+	defer cancel()
 	pmes.SetTimeoutDuration(timeout - HopTimeoutDecrement)
 
 	dpeers, err := d.getDiagnosticFromPeers(ctx, d.getPeers(), pmes)
diff --git a/exchange/bitswap/bitswap_test.go b/exchange/bitswap/bitswap_test.go
index e70b3885a..41f0e6c08 100644
--- a/exchange/bitswap/bitswap_test.go
+++ b/exchange/bitswap/bitswap_test.go
@@ -50,7 +50,8 @@ func TestProviderForKeyButNetworkCannotFind(t *testing.T) { // TODO revisit this
 	solo := g.Next()
 	defer solo.Exchange.Close()
 
-	ctx, _ := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), time.Nanosecond)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), time.Nanosecond)
+	defer cancel()
 	_, err := solo.Exchange.GetBlock(ctx, block.Key())
 
 	if err != context.DeadlineExceeded {
@@ -76,7 +77,8 @@ func TestGetBlockFromPeerAfterPeerAnnounces(t *testing.T) {
 	wantsBlock := peers[1]
 	defer wantsBlock.Exchange.Close()
 
-	ctx, _ := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), time.Second)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
 	received, err := wantsBlock.Exchange.GetBlock(ctx, block.Key())
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Log(err)
@@ -226,14 +228,16 @@ func TestSendToWantingPeer(t *testing.T) {
 
 	alpha := bg.Next()
 	// peerA requests and waits for block alpha
-	ctx, _ := context.WithTimeout(context.TODO(), waitTime)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.TODO(), waitTime)
+	defer cancel()
 	alphaPromise, err := peerA.Exchange.GetBlocks(ctx, []key.Key{alpha.Key()})
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
 	// peerB announces to the network that he has block alpha
-	ctx, _ = context.WithTimeout(context.TODO(), timeout)
+	ctx, cancel = context.WithTimeout(context.TODO(), timeout)
+	defer cancel()
 	err = peerB.Exchange.HasBlock(ctx, alpha)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
@@ -266,7 +270,8 @@ func TestBasicBitswap(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	ctx, _ := context.WithTimeout(context.TODO(), time.Second*5)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.TODO(), time.Second*5)
+	defer cancel()
 	blk, err := instances[1].Exchange.GetBlock(ctx, blocks[0].Key())
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
diff --git a/exchange/bitswap/notifications/notifications_test.go b/exchange/bitswap/notifications/notifications_test.go
index e9be15aa4..8ab9887ff 100644
--- a/exchange/bitswap/notifications/notifications_test.go
+++ b/exchange/bitswap/notifications/notifications_test.go
@@ -112,7 +112,8 @@ func TestSubscribeIsANoopWhenCalledWithNoKeys(t *testing.T) {
 func TestCarryOnWhenDeadlineExpires(t *testing.T) {
 
 	impossibleDeadline := time.Nanosecond
-	fastExpiringCtx, _ := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), impossibleDeadline)
+	fastExpiringCtx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), impossibleDeadline)
+	defer cancel()
 
 	n := New()
 	defer n.Shutdown()
diff --git a/namesys/publisher.go b/namesys/publisher.go
index 3f5e15ae5..e3dd1d81b 100644
--- a/namesys/publisher.go
+++ b/namesys/publisher.go
@@ -60,7 +60,8 @@ func (p *ipnsPublisher) Publish(ctx context.Context, k ci.PrivKey, value path.Pa
 
 	log.Debugf("Storing pubkey at: %s", namekey)
 	// Store associated public key
-	timectx, _ := context.WithDeadline(ctx, time.Now().Add(time.Second*10))
+	timectx, cancel := context.WithDeadline(ctx, time.Now().Add(time.Second*10))
+	defer cancel()
 	err = p.routing.PutValue(timectx, namekey, pkbytes)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -70,9 +71,9 @@ func (p *ipnsPublisher) Publish(ctx context.Context, k ci.PrivKey, value path.Pa
 
 	log.Debugf("Storing ipns entry at: %s", ipnskey)
 	// Store ipns entry at "/ipns/"+b58(h(pubkey))
-	timectx, _ = context.WithDeadline(ctx, time.Now().Add(time.Second*10))
-	err = p.routing.PutValue(timectx, ipnskey, data)
-	if err != nil {
+	timectx, cancel = context.WithDeadline(ctx, time.Now().Add(time.Second*10))
+	defer cancel()
+	if err := p.routing.PutValue(timectx, ipnskey, data); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
diff --git a/pin/pin_test.go b/pin/pin_test.go
index 223beb03e..d3947254d 100644
--- a/pin/pin_test.go
+++ b/pin/pin_test.go
@@ -210,21 +210,21 @@ func TestPinRecursiveFail(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// Note: this isnt a time based test, we expect the pin to fail
-	mctx, _ := context.WithTimeout(ctx, time.Millisecond)
+	mctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, time.Millisecond)
+	defer cancel()
 	err = p.Pin(mctx, a, true)
 	if err == nil {
 		t.Fatal("should have failed to pin here")
 	}
 
-	_, err = dserv.Add(b)
-	if err != nil {
+	if _, err := dserv.Add(b); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
 	// this one is time based... but shouldnt cause any issues
-	mctx, _ = context.WithTimeout(ctx, time.Second)
-	err = p.Pin(mctx, a, true)
-	if err != nil {
+	mctx, cancel = context.WithTimeout(ctx, time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+	if err := p.Pin(mctx, a, true); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/routing/dht/ext_test.go b/routing/dht/ext_test.go
index c77116578..75219da5c 100644
--- a/routing/dht/ext_test.go
+++ b/routing/dht/ext_test.go
@@ -202,7 +202,8 @@ func TestNotFound(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// long timeout to ensure timing is not at play.
-	ctx, _ = context.WithTimeout(ctx, time.Second*20)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, time.Second*20)
+	defer cancel()
 	v, err := d.GetValue(ctx, key.Key("hello"))
 	log.Debugf("get value got %v", v)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -274,7 +275,8 @@ func TestLessThanKResponses(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 
-	ctx, _ = context.WithTimeout(ctx, time.Second*30)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, time.Second*30)
+	defer cancel()
 	if _, err := d.GetValue(ctx, key.Key("hello")); err != nil {
 		switch err {
 		case routing.ErrNotFound: