diff --git a/p2p/protocol/internal/circuitv1-deprecated/conn.go b/p2p/protocol/internal/circuitv1-deprecated/conn.go
index 11f947633..1e46c4341 100644
--- a/p2p/protocol/internal/circuitv1-deprecated/conn.go
+++ b/p2p/protocol/internal/circuitv1-deprecated/conn.go
@@ -13,10 +13,14 @@ import (
 	manet "github.com/multiformats/go-multiaddr-net"
 )
 
+// HopTagWeight is the connection manager weight for connections carrying relay hop streams
+var HopTagWeight = 5
+
 type Conn struct {
 	stream network.Stream
 	remote peer.AddrInfo
 	host   host.Host
+	relay  *Relay
 }
 
 type NetAddr struct {
@@ -69,13 +73,28 @@ func (c *Conn) RemoteAddr() net.Addr {
 // by the connection manager, taking with them all the relayed connections (that may themselves
 // be protected).
 func (c *Conn) tagHop() {
-	c.host.ConnManager().UpsertTag(c.stream.Conn().RemotePeer(), "relay-hop-stream", incrementTag)
+	c.relay.mx.Lock()
+	defer c.relay.mx.Unlock()
+
+	p := c.stream.Conn().RemotePeer()
+	c.relay.hopCount[p]++
+	if c.relay.hopCount[p] == 1 {
+		c.host.ConnManager().TagPeer(p, "relay-hop-stream", HopTagWeight)
+	}
 }
 
 // Decrement the underlying relay connection tag by 1; this is performed when we close the
 // relayed connection.
 func (c *Conn) untagHop() {
-	c.host.ConnManager().UpsertTag(c.stream.Conn().RemotePeer(), "relay-hop-stream", decrementTag)
+	c.relay.mx.Lock()
+	defer c.relay.mx.Unlock()
+
+	p := c.stream.Conn().RemotePeer()
+	c.relay.hopCount[p]--
+	if c.relay.hopCount[p] == 0 {
+		c.host.ConnManager().UntagPeer(p, "relay-hop-stream")
+		delete(c.relay.hopCount, p)
+	}
 }
 
 // TODO: is it okay to cast c.Conn().RemotePeer() into a multiaddr? might be "user input"
diff --git a/p2p/protocol/internal/circuitv1-deprecated/relay.go b/p2p/protocol/internal/circuitv1-deprecated/relay.go
index 10816233b..ee7464106 100644
--- a/p2p/protocol/internal/circuitv1-deprecated/relay.go
+++ b/p2p/protocol/internal/circuitv1-deprecated/relay.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
+	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 
@@ -52,6 +53,10 @@ type Relay struct {
 	// atomic counters
 	streamCount  int32
 	liveHopCount int32
+
+	// per peer hop counters
+	mx       sync.Mutex
+	hopCount map[peer.ID]int
 }
 
 // RelayOpts are options for configuring the relay transport.
@@ -94,6 +99,7 @@ func NewRelay(ctx context.Context, h host.Host, upgrader *tptu.Upgrader, opts ..
 		ctx:      ctx,
 		self:     h.ID(),
 		incoming: make(chan *Conn),
+		hopCount: make(map[peer.ID]int),
 	}
 
 	for _, opt := range opts {
@@ -186,7 +192,7 @@ func (r *Relay) DialPeer(ctx context.Context, relay peer.AddrInfo, dest peer.Add
 		return nil, RelayError{msg.GetCode()}
 	}
 
-	return &Conn{stream: s, remote: dest, host: r.host}, nil
+	return &Conn{stream: s, remote: dest, host: r.host, relay: r}, nil
 }
 
 func (r *Relay) Matches(addr ma.Multiaddr) bool {
@@ -449,7 +455,7 @@ func (r *Relay) handleStopStream(s network.Stream, msg *pb.CircuitRelay) {
 	}
 
 	select {
-	case r.incoming <- &Conn{stream: s, remote: src, host: r.host}:
+	case r.incoming <- &Conn{stream: s, remote: src, host: r.host, relay: r}:
 	case <-time.After(RelayAcceptTimeout):
 		r.handleError(s, pb.CircuitRelay_STOP_RELAY_REFUSED)
 	}