diff --git a/plugins/autopeering/protocol/outgoing_request_processor.go b/plugins/autopeering/protocol/outgoing_request_processor.go
index 31fb40cf38a562cabba789b1a121b32958563c2b..88b95669ef2931d1b5d3080b42da70d7bf872242 100644
--- a/plugins/autopeering/protocol/outgoing_request_processor.go
+++ b/plugins/autopeering/protocol/outgoing_request_processor.go
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ package protocol
 import (
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/iotaledger/goshimmer/packages/timeutil"
+
 	"github.com/iotaledger/goshimmer/packages/accountability"
 	"github.com/iotaledger/goshimmer/packages/daemon"
 	"github.com/iotaledger/goshimmer/packages/node"
@@ -41,11 +43,7 @@ func createOutgoingRequestProcessor(plugin *node.Plugin) func() {
 
 func sendOutgoingRequests(plugin *node.Plugin) {
 	for _, chosenNeighborCandidate := range chosenneighbors.CANDIDATES.Clone() {
-		select {
-		case <-daemon.ShutdownSignal:
-			return
-		case <-time.After(5 * time.Second):
-		}
+		timeutil.Sleep(5 * time.Second)
 
 		if candidateShouldBeContacted(chosenNeighborCandidate) {
 			if dialed, err := chosenNeighborCandidate.Send(outgoingrequest.INSTANCE.Marshal(), types.PROTOCOL_TYPE_TCP, true); err != nil {