diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 622f6ae0e..83cd5b921 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1505,7 +1505,7 @@ checksum = "37909eebbb50d72f9059c3b6d82c0463f2ff062c9e95845c43a6c9c0355411be"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "fdev"
-version = "0.3.16"
+version = "0.3.17"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "axum",
@@ -1635,7 +1635,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "freenet"
-version = "0.1.38"
+version = "0.1.39"
 dependencies = [
  "aes-gcm",
  "ahash",
diff --git a/crates/core/Cargo.toml b/crates/core/Cargo.toml
index f387d8476..c8c2ecb1d 100644
--- a/crates/core/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/core/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "freenet"
-version = "0.1.38"
+version = "0.1.39"
 edition = "2021"
 rust-version = "1.80"
 publish = true
diff --git a/crates/core/src/ring/connection_manager.rs b/crates/core/src/ring/connection_manager.rs
index 2ffadb5e2..8ba4bfb31 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/ring/connection_manager.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/ring/connection_manager.rs
@@ -148,13 +148,25 @@ impl ConnectionManager {
     /// Will panic if the node checking for this condition has no location assigned.
     pub fn should_accept(&self, location: Location, peer_id: &PeerId) -> bool {
         // Don't accept connections from ourselves
+        // Primary check: compare full PeerId (address-based equality)
         if let Some(own_id) = self.get_peer_key() {
             if &own_id == peer_id {
-                tracing::warn!(%peer_id, "should_accept: rejecting self-connection attempt");
+                tracing::warn!(%peer_id, "should_accept: rejecting self-connection attempt (address match)");
                 return false;
             }
         }
 
+        // Secondary check: compare pub_key directly
+        // This catches self-connections even when peer_key is not yet set,
+        // which can happen early in initialization. Same pub_key means same node.
+        if *self.pub_key == peer_id.pub_key {
+            tracing::warn!(
+                %peer_id,
+                "should_accept: rejecting self-connection attempt (pub_key match)"
+            );
+            return false;
+        }
+
         tracing::info!("Checking if should accept connection");
         let open = self.connection_count();
         let reserved_before = self.pending_reservations.read().len();
@@ -725,4 +737,44 @@ mod tests {
             "should_accept must accept connection from different peer"
         );
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn rejects_self_connection_by_pubkey_when_peer_key_not_set() {
+        // Create a keypair for our node
+        let keypair = TransportKeypair::new();
+
+        // Create connection manager WITHOUT peer_id set (simulating early initialization)
+        let cm = ConnectionManager::init(
+            Rate::new_per_second(1_000_000.0),
+            Rate::new_per_second(1_000_000.0),
+            1,
+            10,
+            7,
+            (
+                keypair.public().clone(),
+                None, // peer_id is None - simulating early initialization
+                AtomicU64::new(u64::from_le_bytes(0.5f64.to_le_bytes())),
+            ),
+            false,
+            10,
+            Duration::from_secs(60),
+        );
+
+        // Verify the connection manager does NOT have peer_key set
+        assert_eq!(cm.get_peer_key(), None);
+
+        // Create a PeerId with our pub_key but a different address
+        // This simulates a scenario where we receive a connection request
+        // that somehow references our own pub_key
+        let self_like_addr: SocketAddr = "127.0.0.1:9999".parse().unwrap();
+        let self_like_peer_id = PeerId::new(self_like_addr, keypair.public().clone());
+
+        // Attempt to accept - should be rejected because pub_key matches
+        let location = Location::new(0.5);
+        let accepted = cm.should_accept(location, &self_like_peer_id);
+        assert!(
+            !accepted,
+            "should_accept must reject self-connection by pub_key even when peer_key is not set"
+        );
+    }
 }
diff --git a/crates/fdev/Cargo.toml b/crates/fdev/Cargo.toml
index c434dd744..449e3e301 100644
--- a/crates/fdev/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/fdev/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "fdev"
-version = "0.3.16"
+version = "0.3.17"
 edition = "2021"
 rust-version = "1.80"
 publish = true
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ reqwest = { version = "0.12", features = ["json"] }
 http = "1.4"
 
 # internal
-freenet = { path = "../core", version = "0.1.38" }
+freenet = { path = "../core", version = "0.1.39" }
 freenet-stdlib = { workspace = true }
 
 [features]