diff --git a/pubsub.go b/pubsub.go
index a9ebbf0..ebccfe6 100644
--- a/pubsub.go
+++ b/pubsub.go
@@ -478,7 +478,7 @@ func (p *PubsubValueStore) handleSubscription(ctx context.Context, ti *topicInfo
 				case <-ctx.Done():
 					return
 				default:
-					log.Errorf("PubsubPeerJoin: error interacting with new peer", err)
+					log.Errorf("PubsubPeerJoin: error interacting with new peer: %s", err)
 				}
 			}
 		}
@@ -524,15 +524,7 @@ func (p *PubsubValueStore) handleNewMsgs(ctx context.Context, sub *pubsub.Subscr
 }
 
 func (p *PubsubValueStore) handleNewPeer(ctx context.Context, peerEvtHandler *pubsub.TopicEventHandler, key string) ([]byte, error) {
-	select {
-	case <-ctx.Done():
-		return nil, ctx.Err()
-	default:
-	}
-
-	var pid peer.ID
-
-	for {
+	for ctx.Err() == nil {
 		peerEvt, err := peerEvtHandler.NextPeerEvent(ctx)
 		if err != nil {
 			if err != context.Canceled {
@@ -540,13 +532,19 @@ func (p *PubsubValueStore) handleNewPeer(ctx context.Context, peerEvtHandler *pu
 			}
 			return nil, err
 		}
-		if peerEvt.Type == pubsub.PeerJoin {
-			pid = peerEvt.Peer
-			break
+
+		if peerEvt.Type != pubsub.PeerJoin {
+			continue
 		}
-	}
 
-	return p.fetch.Fetch(ctx, pid, key)
+		pid := peerEvt.Peer
+		value, err := p.fetch.Fetch(ctx, pid, key)
+		if err == nil {
+			return value, nil
+		}
+		log.Debugf("failed to fetch latest pubsub value for key '%s' from peer '%s': %s", key, pid, err)
+	}
+	return nil, ctx.Err()
 }
 
 func (p *PubsubValueStore) notifyWatchers(key string, data []byte) {