diff --git a/network/router/default.go b/network/router/default.go
index 0d153920..ca336619 100644
--- a/network/router/default.go
+++ b/network/router/default.go
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ const (
 	AdvertiseEventsTick = 5 * time.Second
 	// AdvertiseTableTick is time interval in which router advertises all routes found in routing table
 	AdvertiseTableTick = 1 * time.Minute
+	// AdvertiseFlushTick is time the yet unconsumed advertisements are flush i.e. discarded
+	AdvertiseFlushTick = 15 * time.Second
 	// AdvertSuppress is advert suppression threshold
 	AdvertSuppress = 2000.0
 	// AdvertRecover is advert recovery threshold
@@ -38,13 +40,14 @@ var (
 	PenaltyDecay = math.Log(2) / PenaltyHalfLife
 )
 
-// router provides default router implementation
+// router implements default router
 type router struct {
 	// embed the table
 	table.Table
 	opts       Options
 	status     Status
 	exit       chan struct{}
+	errChan    chan error
 	eventChan  chan *table.Event
 	advertChan chan *Advert
 	advertWg   *sync.WaitGroup
@@ -52,7 +55,7 @@ type router struct {
 	sync.RWMutex
 }
 
-// newRouter creates a new router and returns it
+// newRouter creates new router and returns it
 func newRouter(opts ...Option) Router {
 	// get default options
 	options := DefaultOptions()
@@ -62,16 +65,17 @@ func newRouter(opts ...Option) Router {
 		o(&options)
 	}
 
-	return &router{
-		Table:      options.Table,
-		opts:       options,
-		status:     Status{Error: nil, Code: Stopped},
-		exit:       make(chan struct{}),
-		eventChan:  make(chan *table.Event),
-		advertChan: make(chan *Advert),
-		advertWg:   &sync.WaitGroup{},
-		wg:         &sync.WaitGroup{},
+	r := &router{
+		Table:    options.Table,
+		opts:     options,
+		status:   Status{Code: Stopped, Error: nil},
+		advertWg: &sync.WaitGroup{},
+		wg:       &sync.WaitGroup{},
 	}
+
+	go r.run()
+
+	return r
 }
 
 // Init initializes router with given options
@@ -87,7 +91,7 @@ func (r *router) Options() Options {
 	return r.opts
 }
 
-// manageRoute applies route action on the routing table
+// manageRoute applies action on a given route
 func (r *router) manageRoute(route table.Route, action string) error {
 	switch action {
 	case "create":
@@ -109,8 +113,8 @@ func (r *router) manageRoute(route table.Route, action string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// manageServiceRoutes manages routes for a given service.
-// It returns error of the routing table action fails.
+// manageServiceRoutes applies action on all routes of given service.
+// It returns error of the action fails with error.
 func (r *router) manageServiceRoutes(service *registry.Service, action string) error {
 	// action is the routing table action
 	action = strings.ToLower(action)
@@ -134,7 +138,7 @@ func (r *router) manageServiceRoutes(service *registry.Service, action string) e
 	return nil
 }
 
-// manageRegistryRoutes manages routes for each service found in the registry.
+// manageRegistryRoutes applies action on all routes of each service found in the registry.
 // It returns error if either the services failed to be listed or the routing table action fails.
 func (r *router) manageRegistryRoutes(reg registry.Registry, action string) error {
 	services, err := reg.ListServices()
@@ -228,8 +232,9 @@ func (r *router) watchTable(w table.Watcher) error {
 	return watchErr
 }
 
-// advertiseEvents advertises events to event subscribers
-func (r *router) advertiseEvents(advType AdvertType, events []*table.Event) {
+// publishAdvert publishes router advert to advert channel
+// NOTE: this might cease to be a dedicated method in the future
+func (r *router) publishAdvert(advType AdvertType, events []*table.Event) {
 	defer r.advertWg.Done()
 
 	a := &Advert{
@@ -274,7 +279,7 @@ func (r *router) advertiseTable() error {
 			// advertise all routes as Update events to subscribers
 			if len(events) > 0 {
 				r.advertWg.Add(1)
-				go r.advertiseEvents(Update, events)
+				go r.publishAdvert(Update, events)
 			}
 		case <-r.exit:
 			return nil
@@ -295,14 +300,29 @@ type routeAdvert struct {
 	suppressTime time.Time
 }
 
-// processEvents processes routing table events.
+// advertiseEvents advertises routing table events
 // It suppresses unhealthy flapping events and advertises healthy events upstream.
-func (r *router) processEvents() error {
+func (r *router) advertiseEvents() error {
 	// ticker to periodically scan event for advertising
 	ticker := time.NewTicker(AdvertiseEventsTick)
 	// advertMap is a map of advert events
 	advertMap := make(map[uint64]*routeAdvert)
 
+	// routing table watcher
+	tableWatcher, err := r.Watch()
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed creating routing table watcher: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	r.wg.Add(1)
+	go func() {
+		defer r.wg.Done()
+		select {
+		case r.errChan <- r.watchTable(tableWatcher):
+		case <-r.exit:
+		}
+	}()
+
 	for {
 		select {
 		case <-ticker.C:
@@ -344,7 +364,7 @@ func (r *router) processEvents() error {
 			// advertise all Update events to subscribers
 			if len(events) > 0 {
 				r.advertWg.Add(1)
-				go r.advertiseEvents(Update, events)
+				go r.publishAdvert(Update, events)
 			}
 		case e := <-r.eventChan:
 			// if event is nil, continue
@@ -399,30 +419,18 @@ func (r *router) processEvents() error {
 }
 
 // watchErrors watches router errors and takes appropriate actions
-func (r *router) watchErrors(errChan <-chan error) {
-	defer r.wg.Done()
-
-	var code StatusCode
+func (r *router) watchErrors() {
 	var err error
 
 	select {
 	case <-r.exit:
-		code = Stopped
-	case err = <-errChan:
-		code = Error
+	case err = <-r.errChan:
 	}
 
 	r.Lock()
 	defer r.Unlock()
-	status := Status{
-		Code:  code,
-		Error: err,
-	}
-	r.status = status
-
-	// stop the router if some error happened
-	if err != nil && code != Stopped {
-		// this will stop watchers which will close r.advertChan
+	if r.status.Code != Stopped {
+		// notify all goroutines to finish
 		close(r.exit)
 		// drain the advertise channel
 		for range r.advertChan {
@@ -432,20 +440,88 @@ func (r *router) watchErrors(errChan <-chan error) {
 		}
 	}
 
+	if err != nil {
+		r.status = Status{Code: Error, Error: err}
+	}
 }
 
-// Advertise advertises the routes to the network.
-// It returns error if any of the launched goroutines fail with error.
+// Run runs the router.
+// It returns error if the router is already running.
+func (r *router) run() {
+	r.Lock()
+	defer r.Unlock()
+
+	switch r.status.Code {
+	case Stopped, Error:
+		// add all local service routes into the routing table
+		if err := r.manageRegistryRoutes(r.opts.Registry, "create"); err != nil {
+			r.status = Status{Code: Error, Error: fmt.Errorf("failed adding registry routes: %s", err)}
+			return
+		}
+
+		// add default gateway into routing table
+		if r.opts.Gateway != "" {
+			// note, the only non-default value is the gateway
+			route := table.Route{
+				Service: "*",
+				Address: "*",
+				Gateway: r.opts.Gateway,
+				Network: "*",
+				Metric:  table.DefaultLocalMetric,
+			}
+			if err := r.Create(route); err != nil {
+				r.status = Status{Code: Error, Error: fmt.Errorf("failed adding default gateway route: %s", err)}
+				return
+			}
+		}
+
+		// create error and exit channels
+		r.errChan = make(chan error, 1)
+		r.exit = make(chan struct{})
+
+		// registry watcher
+		regWatcher, err := r.opts.Registry.Watch()
+		if err != nil {
+			r.status = Status{Code: Error, Error: fmt.Errorf("failed creating registry watcher: %v", err)}
+			return
+		}
+
+		r.wg.Add(1)
+		go func() {
+			defer r.wg.Done()
+			select {
+			case r.errChan <- r.watchRegistry(regWatcher):
+			case <-r.exit:
+			}
+		}()
+
+		// watch for errors and cleanup
+		r.wg.Add(1)
+		go func() {
+			defer r.wg.Done()
+			r.watchErrors()
+		}()
+
+		// mark router as Running and set its Error to nil
+		r.status = Status{Code: Running, Error: nil}
+
+		return
+	}
+
+	return
+}
+
+// Advertise stars advertising the routes to the network and returns the advertisements channel to consume from.
+// If the router is already advertising it returns the channel to consume from.
+// It returns error if either the router is not running or if the routing table fails to list the routes to advertise.
 func (r *router) Advertise() (<-chan *Advert, error) {
 	r.Lock()
 	defer r.Unlock()
 
-	if r.status.Code != Running {
-		// add all local service routes into the routing table
-		if err := r.manageRegistryRoutes(r.opts.Registry, "create"); err != nil {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed adding routes: %s", err)
-		}
-
+	switch r.status.Code {
+	case Advertising:
+		return r.advertChan, nil
+	case Running:
 		// list routing table routes to announce
 		routes, err := r.List()
 		if err != nil {
@@ -462,85 +538,42 @@ func (r *router) Advertise() (<-chan *Advert, error) {
 			events[i] = event
 		}
 
-		// add default gateway into routing table
-		if r.opts.Gateway != "" {
-			// note, the only non-default value is the gateway
-			route := table.Route{
-				Service: "*",
-				Address: "*",
-				Gateway: r.opts.Gateway,
-				Network: "*",
-				Metric:  table.DefaultLocalMetric,
+		// create advertise and event channels
+		r.advertChan = make(chan *Advert)
+		r.eventChan = make(chan *table.Event)
+
+		// advertise your presence
+		r.advertWg.Add(1)
+		go r.publishAdvert(Announce, events)
+
+		r.wg.Add(1)
+		go func() {
+			defer r.wg.Done()
+			select {
+			case r.errChan <- r.advertiseEvents():
+			case <-r.exit:
 			}
-			if err := r.Create(route); err != nil {
-				return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed adding default gateway route: %s", err)
-			}
-		}
-
-		// NOTE: we only need to recreate these if the router errored or was stopped
-		// TODO: These probably dont need to be struct members
-		if r.status.Code == Error || r.status.Code == Stopped {
-			r.exit = make(chan struct{})
-			r.eventChan = make(chan *table.Event)
-			r.advertChan = make(chan *Advert)
-		}
-
-		// routing table watcher
-		tableWatcher, err := r.Watch()
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed creating routing table watcher: %v", err)
-		}
-
-		// registry watcher
-		regWatcher, err := r.opts.Registry.Watch()
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed creating service registry watcher: %v", err)
-		}
-
-		// error channel collecting goroutine errors
-		errChan := make(chan error, 4)
-
-		r.wg.Add(1)
-		go func() {
-			defer r.wg.Done()
-			// watch local registry and register routes in routine table
-			errChan <- r.watchRegistry(regWatcher)
-		}()
-
-		r.wg.Add(1)
-		go func() {
-			defer r.wg.Done()
-			// watch local registry and register routes in routing table
-			errChan <- r.watchTable(tableWatcher)
-		}()
-
-		r.wg.Add(1)
-		go func() {
-			defer r.wg.Done()
-			// watch routing table events and process them
-			errChan <- r.processEvents()
 		}()
 
 		r.advertWg.Add(1)
 		go func() {
 			defer r.advertWg.Done()
 			// advertise the whole routing table
-			errChan <- r.advertiseTable()
+			select {
+			case r.errChan <- r.advertiseTable():
+			case <-r.exit:
+			}
 		}()
 
-		// advertise your presence
-		r.advertWg.Add(1)
-		go r.advertiseEvents(Announce, events)
+		// mark router as Running and set its Error to nil
+		r.status = Status{Code: Advertising, Error: nil}
 
-		// watch for errors and cleanup
-		r.wg.Add(1)
-		go r.watchErrors(errChan)
-
-		// mark router as running and set its Error to nil
-		r.status = Status{Code: Running, Error: nil}
+		return r.advertChan, nil
+	case Stopped:
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("not running")
 	}
 
-	return r.advertChan, nil
+	return nil, fmt.Errorf("error: %s", r.status.Error)
 }
 
 // Process updates the routing table using the advertised values
@@ -579,9 +612,9 @@ func (r *router) Status() Status {
 
 // Stop stops the router
 func (r *router) Stop() error {
-	r.RLock()
-	// only close the channel if the router is running
-	if r.status.Code == Running {
+	r.Lock()
+	// only close the channel if the router is running and/or advertising
+	if r.status.Code == Running || r.status.Code == Advertising {
 		// notify all goroutines to finish
 		close(r.exit)
 		// drain the advertise channel
@@ -590,8 +623,11 @@ func (r *router) Stop() error {
 		// drain the event channel
 		for range r.eventChan {
 		}
+
+		// mark the router as Stopped and set its Error to nil
+		r.status = Status{Code: Stopped, Error: nil}
 	}
-	r.RUnlock()
+	r.Unlock()
 
 	// wait for all goroutines to finish
 	r.wg.Wait()
diff --git a/network/router/options.go b/network/router/options.go
index 1405ed6e..d64aca01 100644
--- a/network/router/options.go
+++ b/network/router/options.go
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@ type Options struct {
 	Id string
 	// Address is router address
 	Address string
-	// Gateway is micro network gateway
+	// Gateway is network gateway
 	Gateway string
-	// Network is micro network
+	// Network is network address
 	Network string
 	// Registry is the local registry
 	Registry registry.Registry
@@ -57,13 +57,6 @@ func Network(n string) Option {
 	}
 }
 
-// Table sets the routing table
-func Table(t table.Table) Option {
-	return func(o *Options) {
-		o.Table = t
-	}
-}
-
 // Registry sets the local registry
 func Registry(r registry.Registry) Option {
 	return func(o *Options) {
@@ -71,6 +64,13 @@ func Registry(r registry.Registry) Option {
 	}
 }
 
+// Table sets the routing table
+func Table(t table.Table) Option {
+	return func(o *Options) {
+		o.Table = t
+	}
+}
+
 // DefaultOptions returns router default options
 func DefaultOptions() Options {
 	return Options{
diff --git a/network/router/router.go b/network/router/router.go
index 724f38be..8ce84fb1 100644
--- a/network/router/router.go
+++ b/network/router/router.go
@@ -7,20 +7,9 @@ import (
 	"github.com/micro/go-micro/network/router/table"
 )
 
-const (
-	// Status codes
-	// Running means the router is up and running
-	Running StatusCode = iota
-	// Stopped means the router has been stopped
-	Stopped
-	// Error means the router has encountered error
-	Error
-
-	// Advert types
-	// Announce is advertised when the router announces itself
-	Announce AdvertType = iota
-	// Update advertises route updates
-	Update
+var (
+	// DefaultRouter is default network router
+	DefaultRouter = NewRouter()
 )
 
 // Router is an interface for a routing control plane
@@ -46,9 +35,38 @@ type Router interface {
 // Option used by the router
 type Option func(*Options)
 
+// StatusCode defines router status
+type StatusCode int
+
+const (
+	// Running means the router is up and running
+	Running StatusCode = iota
+	// Advertising means the router is advertising
+	Advertising
+	// Stopped means the router has been stopped
+	Stopped
+	// Error means the router has encountered error
+	Error
+)
+
+// Status is router status
+type Status struct {
+	// Error is router error
+	Error error
+	// Code defines router status
+	Code StatusCode
+}
+
 // AdvertType is route advertisement type
 type AdvertType int
 
+const (
+	// Announce is advertised when the router announces itself
+	Announce AdvertType = iota
+	// Update advertises route updates
+	Update
+)
+
 // Advert contains a list of events advertised by the router to the network
 type Advert struct {
 	// Id is the router Id
@@ -63,22 +81,6 @@ type Advert struct {
 	Events []*table.Event
 }
 
-// StatusCode defines router status
-type StatusCode int
-
-// Status is router status
-type Status struct {
-	// Error is router error
-	Error error
-	// Code defines router status
-	Code StatusCode
-}
-
-var (
-	// DefaultRouter is default network router
-	DefaultRouter = NewRouter()
-)
-
 // NewRouter creates new Router and returns it
 func NewRouter(opts ...Option) Router {
 	return newRouter(opts...)