diff --git a/lightningd/channel.c b/lightningd/channel.c
index a87bc1d9d..cc48c0527 100644
--- a/lightningd/channel.c
+++ b/lightningd/channel.c
@@ -386,17 +386,6 @@ void channel_fail_transient(struct channel *channel, const char *fmt, ...)
 	channel_set_owner(channel, NULL);
 
 	/* Reconnect unless we've dropped/are dropping to chain. */
-	if (channel_active(channel)) {
-		struct lightningd *ld = channel->peer->ld;
-
-#if DEVELOPER
-		/* Don't schedule an attempt if we disabled reconnections with
-		 * the `--dev-no-reconnect` flag */
-		if (ld->no_reconnect)
-			return;
-#endif /* DEVELOPER */
-		u8 *msg = towire_gossipctl_reach_peer(NULL,
-						      &channel->peer->id);
-		subd_send_msg(ld->gossip, take(msg));
-	}
+	if (channel_active(channel))
+		try_reconnect(channel->peer);
 }
diff --git a/lightningd/peer_control.c b/lightningd/peer_control.c
index 984811f64..c77ce3e52 100644
--- a/lightningd/peer_control.c
+++ b/lightningd/peer_control.c
@@ -1071,6 +1071,22 @@ static const struct json_command close_command = {
 };
 AUTODATA(json_command, &close_command);
 
+void try_reconnect(struct peer *peer)
+{
+	struct lightningd *ld = peer->ld;
+	u8 *msg;
+
+#if DEVELOPER
+	/* Don't schedule an attempt if we disabled reconnections with
+	 * the `--dev-no-reconnect` flag */
+	if (ld->no_reconnect)
+		return;
+#endif /* DEVELOPER */
+
+	msg = towire_gossipctl_reach_peer(NULL, &peer->id);
+	subd_send_msg(ld->gossip, take(msg));
+}
+
 static void activate_peer(struct peer *peer)
 {
 	u8 *msg;
@@ -1083,10 +1099,8 @@ static void activate_peer(struct peer *peer)
 
 	/* We can only have one active channel: reconnect if not already. */
 	channel = peer_active_channel(peer);
-	if (channel && !channel->owner) {
-		msg = towire_gossipctl_reach_peer(peer, &peer->id);
-		subd_send_msg(peer->ld->gossip, take(msg));
-	}
+	if (channel && !channel->owner)
+		try_reconnect(peer);
 
 	list_for_each(&peer->channels, channel, list) {
 		/* Watching lockin may be unnecessary, but it's harmless. */
diff --git a/lightningd/peer_control.h b/lightningd/peer_control.h
index dd8b524f1..4cac8e46d 100644
--- a/lightningd/peer_control.h
+++ b/lightningd/peer_control.h
@@ -61,6 +61,9 @@ struct peer *new_peer(struct lightningd *ld, u64 dbid,
 /* Also removes from db. */
 void delete_peer(struct peer *peer);
 
+/* Tell gossipd to try to reconnect (unless --dev-no-reconnect) */
+void try_reconnect(struct peer *peer);
+
 struct peer *peer_by_id(struct lightningd *ld, const struct pubkey *id);
 struct peer *peer_from_json(struct lightningd *ld,
 			    const char *buffer,