diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index b1d01ae5e6..49fcae7f95 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1339,7 +1339,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "nym-client"
-version = "0.3.0"
+version = "0.3.1"
 dependencies = [
  "addressing",
  "base64 0.11.0",
@@ -1372,7 +1372,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "nym-mixnode"
-version = "0.3.0"
+version = "0.3.1"
 dependencies = [
  "addressing",
  "base64 0.11.0",
@@ -1381,13 +1381,14 @@ dependencies = [
  "curve25519-dalek",
  "directory-client",
  "futures 0.3.1",
+ "log",
  "sphinx",
  "tokio 0.2.9",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
 name = "nym-sfw-provider"
-version = "0.3.0"
+version = "0.3.1"
 dependencies = [
  "base64 0.11.0",
  "built",
@@ -1398,6 +1399,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "futures 0.3.1",
  "hex",
  "hmac",
+ "log",
  "rand 0.7.2",
  "serde",
  "serde_json",
diff --git a/mixnode/CHANGELOG.md b/mixnode/CHANGELOG.md
index ca1ccd00b5..553a967807 100644
--- a/mixnode/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/mixnode/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # nym-mixnode Changelog
 
+## 0.3.1
+
+* Fixed crash when directory server goes down
+
 ## 0.3.0
 
 * cleaned up a lot of internal dependencies
diff --git a/mixnode/Cargo.toml b/mixnode/Cargo.toml
index 84097d012e..32859e847a 100644
--- a/mixnode/Cargo.toml
+++ b/mixnode/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 [package]
 build = "build.rs"
 name = "nym-mixnode"
-version = "0.3.0"
+version = "0.3.1"
 authors = ["Dave Hrycyszyn <futurechimp@users.noreply.github.com>", "Jędrzej Stuczyński <andrew@nymtech.net>"]
 edition = "2018"
 
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ base64 = "0.11.0"
 clap = "2.33.0"
 curve25519-dalek = "1.2.3"
 futures = "0.3.1"
+log = "0.4.8"
 tokio = { version = "0.2", features = ["full"] }
 
 ## internal
diff --git a/mixnode/src/node/metrics.rs b/mixnode/src/node/metrics.rs
index db737a2c7d..adc1d74e48 100644
--- a/mixnode/src/node/metrics.rs
+++ b/mixnode/src/node/metrics.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ use directory_client::DirectoryClient;
 use futures::channel::mpsc;
 use futures::lock::Mutex;
 use futures::StreamExt;
+use log::{debug, error};
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 use std::time::Duration;
@@ -80,14 +81,15 @@ impl MetricsReporter {
             tokio::time::delay_for(delay_duration).await;
             let (received, sent) =
                 MetricsReporter::acquire_and_reset_metrics(metrics.clone()).await;
-            directory_client
-                .metrics_post
-                .post(&MixMetric {
-                    pub_key: pub_key_str.clone(),
-                    received,
-                    sent,
-                })
-                .unwrap();
+
+            match directory_client.metrics_post.post(&MixMetric {
+                pub_key: pub_key_str.clone(),
+                received,
+                sent,
+            }) {
+                Err(err) => error!("failed to send metrics - {:?}", err),
+                Ok(_) => debug!("sent metrics information"),
+            }
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/mixnode/src/node/mod.rs b/mixnode/src/node/mod.rs
index a2546d279a..f6e151803d 100644
--- a/mixnode/src/node/mod.rs
+++ b/mixnode/src/node/mod.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 use crate::mix_peer::MixPeer;
+use crate::node;
 use crate::node::metrics::MetricsReporter;
 use curve25519_dalek::montgomery::MontgomeryPoint;
 use curve25519_dalek::scalar::Scalar;
@@ -214,7 +215,7 @@ impl MixNode {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn start(&self) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
+    pub fn start(&self, config: node::Config) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
         // Create the runtime, probably later move it to MixNode itself?
         let mut rt = Runtime::new()?;
 
@@ -227,6 +228,11 @@ impl MixNode {
         let pub_key_str =
             base64::encode_config(&self.public_key.to_bytes().to_vec(), base64::URL_SAFE);
 
+        rt.spawn({
+            let presence_notifier = presence::Notifier::new(&config);
+            presence_notifier.run()
+        });
+
         let metrics = MetricsReporter::new().add_arc_mutex();
         rt.spawn(MetricsReporter::run_received_metrics_control(
             metrics.clone(),
diff --git a/mixnode/src/node/presence.rs b/mixnode/src/node/presence.rs
index 18fcd66136..678d8af880 100644
--- a/mixnode/src/node/presence.rs
+++ b/mixnode/src/node/presence.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ use crate::node;
 use directory_client::presence::MixNodePresence;
 use directory_client::requests::presence_mixnodes_post::PresenceMixNodesPoster;
 use directory_client::DirectoryClient;
-use std::thread;
+use log::{debug, error};
 use std::time::Duration;
 
 pub struct Notifier {
@@ -30,16 +30,18 @@ impl Notifier {
     }
 
     pub fn notify(&self) {
-        self.net_client
-            .presence_mix_nodes_post
-            .post(&self.presence)
-            .unwrap();
+        match self.net_client.presence_mix_nodes_post.post(&self.presence) {
+            Err(err) => error!("failed to send presence - {:?}", err),
+            Ok(_) => debug!("sent presence information"),
+        }
     }
 
-    pub fn run(&self) {
+    pub async fn run(self) {
+        let delay_duration = Duration::from_secs(5);
+
         loop {
             self.notify();
-            thread::sleep(Duration::from_secs(5));
+            tokio::time::delay_for(delay_duration).await;
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/mixnode/src/node/runner.rs b/mixnode/src/node/runner.rs
index 93b16381ab..8f120cc0a7 100644
--- a/mixnode/src/node/runner.rs
+++ b/mixnode/src/node/runner.rs
@@ -1,11 +1,8 @@
 use crate::banner;
 use crate::node;
-use crate::node::presence;
 use crate::node::MixNode;
 use clap::ArgMatches;
-
 use std::net::ToSocketAddrs;
-use std::thread;
 
 fn print_binding_warning(address: &str) {
     println!("\n##### WARNING #####");
@@ -29,11 +26,7 @@ pub fn start(matches: &ArgMatches) {
     );
 
     let mix = MixNode::new(&config);
-    thread::spawn(move || {
-        let notifier = presence::Notifier::new(&config);
-        notifier.run();
-    });
-    mix.start().unwrap();
+    mix.start(config).unwrap();
 }
 
 fn new_config(matches: &ArgMatches) -> node::Config {
diff --git a/nym-client/CHANGELOG.md b/nym-client/CHANGELOG.md
index 798a6b9175..02c638b629 100644
--- a/nym-client/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/nym-client/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # nym-client Changelog
 
+## 0.3.1
+
+* Version increase for consistency with `nym-mixnode` and `nym-sfw-provider`
+
 ## 0.3.0
 
 * cleaned up a lot of internal dependencies
diff --git a/nym-client/Cargo.toml b/nym-client/Cargo.toml
index 913a1a7ad3..4c52dbd0fb 100644
--- a/nym-client/Cargo.toml
+++ b/nym-client/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 [package]
 build = "build.rs"
 name = "nym-client"
-version = "0.3.0"
+version = "0.3.1"
 authors = ["Dave Hrycyszyn <futurechimp@users.noreply.github.com>", "Jędrzej Stuczyński <andrew@nymtech.net>"]
 edition = "2018"
 
diff --git a/sample-configs/validator-config.toml.sample b/sample-configs/validator-config.toml.sample
index ec7be28f32..c60c223287 100644
--- a/sample-configs/validator-config.toml.sample
+++ b/sample-configs/validator-config.toml.sample
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 [healthcheck]
 
-directory-server = "http://localhost:8080"
-#directory-server = "https://directory.nymtech.net"
+#directory-server = "http://localhost:8080"
+directory-server = "https://qa-directory.nymtech.net"
 interval = 10.0
 test-packets-per-node = 2 # in seconds
 resolution-timeout = 5 # in seconds
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/sfw-provider/CHANGELOG.md b/sfw-provider/CHANGELOG.md
index 350d7f519a..6379cbed8a 100644
--- a/sfw-provider/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/sfw-provider/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # nym-sfw-provider Changelog
 
+## 0.3.1
+
+* Fixed crash when directory server goes down
+
 ## 0.3.0
 
 * cleaned up a lot of internal dependencies
diff --git a/sfw-provider/Cargo.toml b/sfw-provider/Cargo.toml
index 214aaaa8ca..2ab7cc691f 100644
--- a/sfw-provider/Cargo.toml
+++ b/sfw-provider/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 [package]
 build = "build.rs"
 name = "nym-sfw-provider"
-version = "0.3.0"
+version = "0.3.1"
 authors = ["Dave Hrycyszyn <futurechimp@users.noreply.github.com>", "Jędrzej Stuczyński <andrew@nymtech.net>"]
 edition = "2018"
 
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ clap = "2.33.0"
 curve25519-dalek = "1.2.3"
 hex = "0.4.0"
 futures = "0.3.1"
+log = "0.4.8"
 rand = "0.7.2"
 tokio = { version = "0.2.4", features = ["full"] }
 sha2 = "0.8.0"
diff --git a/sfw-provider/src/provider/presence.rs b/sfw-provider/src/provider/presence.rs
index 94abc77c54..567b0a56dc 100644
--- a/sfw-provider/src/provider/presence.rs
+++ b/sfw-provider/src/provider/presence.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ use directory_client::presence::MixProviderPresence;
 use directory_client::requests::presence_providers_post::PresenceMixProviderPoster;
 use directory_client::DirectoryClient;
 use futures::lock::Mutex as FMutex;
+use log::{debug, error};
 use std::net::SocketAddr;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 use std::time::Duration;
@@ -52,10 +53,10 @@ impl Notifier {
     }
 
     pub fn notify(&self, presence: MixProviderPresence) {
-        self.net_client
-            .presence_providers_post
-            .post(&presence)
-            .unwrap();
+        match self.net_client.presence_providers_post.post(&presence) {
+            Err(err) => error!("failed to send presence - {:?}", err),
+            Ok(_) => debug!("sent presence information"),
+        }
     }
 
     pub async fn run(self) {