diff --git a/cmd/syncthing/connections.go b/cmd/syncthing/connections.go
index 7b175e842..f02489ee1 100644
--- a/cmd/syncthing/connections.go
+++ b/cmd/syncthing/connections.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/syncthing/syncthing/lib/events"
 	"github.com/syncthing/syncthing/lib/model"
 	"github.com/syncthing/syncthing/lib/osutil"
+	"github.com/syncthing/syncthing/lib/relay"
 
 	"github.com/thejerf/suture"
 )
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ type connectionSvc struct {
 	tlsCfg     *tls.Config
 	discoverer *discover.Discoverer
 	conns      chan model.IntermediateConnection
+	relaySvc   *relay.Svc
 
 	lastRelayCheck map[protocol.DeviceID]time.Time
 
@@ -52,7 +54,7 @@ type connectionSvc struct {
 	relaysEnabled bool
 }
 
-func newConnectionSvc(cfg *config.Wrapper, myID protocol.DeviceID, mdl *model.Model, tlsCfg *tls.Config, discoverer *discover.Discoverer) *connectionSvc {
+func newConnectionSvc(cfg *config.Wrapper, myID protocol.DeviceID, mdl *model.Model, tlsCfg *tls.Config, discoverer *discover.Discoverer, relaySvc *relay.Svc) *connectionSvc {
 	svc := &connectionSvc{
 		Supervisor: suture.NewSimple("connectionSvc"),
 		cfg:        cfg,
@@ -60,6 +62,7 @@ func newConnectionSvc(cfg *config.Wrapper, myID protocol.DeviceID, mdl *model.Mo
 		model:      mdl,
 		tlsCfg:     tlsCfg,
 		discoverer: discoverer,
+		relaySvc:   relaySvc,
 		conns:      make(chan model.IntermediateConnection),
 
 		connType:       make(map[protocol.DeviceID]model.ConnectionType),
@@ -104,6 +107,10 @@ func newConnectionSvc(cfg *config.Wrapper, myID protocol.DeviceID, mdl *model.Mo
 	}
 	svc.Add(serviceFunc(svc.handle))
 
+	if svc.relaySvc != nil {
+		svc.Add(serviceFunc(svc.acceptRelayConns))
+	}
+
 	return svc
 }
 
@@ -385,6 +392,12 @@ func (s *connectionSvc) connect() {
 	}
 }
 
+func (s *connectionSvc) acceptRelayConns() {
+	for {
+		s.conns <- s.relaySvc.Accept()
+	}
+}
+
 func (s *connectionSvc) shouldLimit(addr net.Addr) bool {
 	if s.cfg.Options().LimitBandwidthInLan {
 		return true
diff --git a/cmd/syncthing/main.go b/cmd/syncthing/main.go
index 04fa9eb1f..6210136ed 100644
--- a/cmd/syncthing/main.go
+++ b/cmd/syncthing/main.go
@@ -711,16 +711,19 @@ func syncthingMain() {
 
 	setupGUI(mainSvc, cfg, m, apiSub, discoverer)
 
+	// Start relay management
+
+	var relaySvc *relay.Svc
+	if opts.RelaysEnabled && (opts.GlobalAnnEnabled || opts.RelayWithoutGlobalAnn) {
+		relaySvc = relay.NewSvc(cfg, tlsCfg)
+		mainSvc.Add(relaySvc)
+	}
+
 	// Start connection management
 
-	connectionSvc := newConnectionSvc(cfg, myID, m, tlsCfg, discoverer)
+	connectionSvc := newConnectionSvc(cfg, myID, m, tlsCfg, discoverer, relaySvc)
 	mainSvc.Add(connectionSvc)
 
-	if opts.RelaysEnabled && (opts.GlobalAnnEnabled || opts.RelayWithoutGlobalAnn) {
-		relaySvc = relay.NewSvc(cfg, tlsCfg, connectionSvc.conns)
-		connectionSvc.Add(relaySvc)
-	}
-
 	if cpuProfile {
 		f, err := os.Create(fmt.Sprintf("cpu-%d.pprof", os.Getpid()))
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/lib/relay/relay.go b/lib/relay/relay.go
index e97bb1107..a651a2156 100644
--- a/lib/relay/relay.go
+++ b/lib/relay/relay.go
@@ -25,7 +25,9 @@ import (
 	"github.com/thejerf/suture"
 )
 
-func NewSvc(cfg *config.Wrapper, tlsCfg *tls.Config, conns chan<- model.IntermediateConnection) *Svc {
+func NewSvc(cfg *config.Wrapper, tlsCfg *tls.Config) *Svc {
+	conns := make(chan model.IntermediateConnection)
+
 	svc := &Svc{
 		Supervisor: suture.New("Svc", suture.Spec{
 			Log: func(log string) {
@@ -40,11 +42,11 @@ func NewSvc(cfg *config.Wrapper, tlsCfg *tls.Config, conns chan<- model.Intermed
 		cfg:    cfg,
 		tlsCfg: tlsCfg,
 
-		tokens:  make(map[string]suture.ServiceToken),
-		clients: make(map[string]*client.ProtocolClient),
-		mut:     sync.NewRWMutex(),
-
+		tokens:      make(map[string]suture.ServiceToken),
+		clients:     make(map[string]*client.ProtocolClient),
+		mut:         sync.NewRWMutex(),
 		invitations: make(chan protocol.SessionInvitation),
+		conns:       conns,
 	}
 
 	rcfg := cfg.Raw()
@@ -72,6 +74,7 @@ type Svc struct {
 	clients     map[string]*client.ProtocolClient
 	mut         sync.RWMutex
 	invitations chan protocol.SessionInvitation
+	conns       chan model.IntermediateConnection
 }
 
 func (s *Svc) VerifyConfiguration(from, to config.Configuration) error {
@@ -207,6 +210,10 @@ func (s *Svc) ClientStatus() map[string]bool {
 	return status
 }
 
+func (s *Svc) Accept() model.IntermediateConnection {
+	return <-s.conns
+}
+
 type invitationReceiver struct {
 	invitations chan protocol.SessionInvitation
 	tlsCfg      *tls.Config