diff --git a/explorer-api/src/mix_node/http.rs b/explorer-api/src/mix_node/http.rs
index eeb737b16c..d9cb546c3e 100644
--- a/explorer-api/src/mix_node/http.rs
+++ b/explorer-api/src/mix_node/http.rs
@@ -34,27 +34,7 @@ pub(crate) struct PrettyMixNodeBondWithLocation {
 pub(crate) async fn list(
     state: &State<ExplorerApiStateContext>,
 ) -> Json<Vec<PrettyMixNodeBondWithLocation>> {
-    Json(
-        state
-            .inner
-            .mix_nodes
-            .get()
-            .await
-            .value
-            .values()
-            .map(|i| {
-                let mix_node = i.bond.clone();
-                PrettyMixNodeBondWithLocation {
-                    location: i.location.clone(),
-                    bond_amount: mix_node.bond_amount,
-                    total_delegation: mix_node.total_delegation,
-                    owner: mix_node.owner,
-                    layer: mix_node.layer,
-                    mix_node: mix_node.mix_node,
-                }
-            })
-            .collect::<Vec<PrettyMixNodeBondWithLocation>>(),
-    )
+    Json(state.inner.mix_nodes.get_mixnodes_with_location().await)
 }
 
 #[openapi(tag = "mix_node")]
diff --git a/explorer-api/src/mix_nodes/mod.rs b/explorer-api/src/mix_nodes/mod.rs
index f04a2dbce0..7952c7b0b0 100644
--- a/explorer-api/src/mix_nodes/mod.rs
+++ b/explorer-api/src/mix_nodes/mod.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ use std::time::{Duration, SystemTime};
 use rocket::tokio::sync::RwLock;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
+use crate::mix_node::http::PrettyMixNodeBondWithLocation;
 use crate::mix_nodes::utils::map_2_letter_to_3_letter_country_code;
 use mixnet_contract::{Delegation, MixNodeBond, RawDelegationData, UnpackedDelegation};
 use network_defaults::{
@@ -53,10 +54,6 @@ impl Location {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
-pub(crate) struct MixNodeBondWithLocation {
-    pub(crate) location: Option<Location>,
-    pub(crate) bond: MixNodeBond,
 }
 
 #[derive(Clone, Debug)]
@@ -92,23 +89,28 @@ impl ThreadsafeMixNodesResult {
         }
     }
 
+    pub(crate) async fn is_location_valid(&self, identity_key: &str) -> bool {
+        self.inner
+            .read()
+            .await
+            .location_cache
+            .get(identity_key)
+            .map(|cache_item| cache_item.valid_until > SystemTime::now())
+            .unwrap_or(false)
+    }
+
     pub(crate) async fn get_location_cache(&self) -> LocationCache {
         self.inner.read().await.location_cache.clone()
     }
 
-    pub(crate) async fn set_location(&self, identity_key: &str, location: Location) {
+    pub(crate) async fn set_location(&self, identity_key: &str, location: Option<Location>) {
         let mut guard = self.inner.write().await;
 
         // cache the location for this mix node so that it can be used when the mix node list is refreshed
-        guard
-            .location_cache
-            .insert(identity_key.to_string(), location.clone());
-
-        // add the location to the mix node
-        guard
-            .value
-            .entry(identity_key.to_string())
-            .and_modify(|item| item.location = Some(location));
+        guard.location_cache.insert(
+            identity_key.to_string(),
+            LocationCacheItem::new_from_location(location),
+        );
     }
 
     pub(crate) async fn get(&self) -> MixNodesResult {
@@ -124,25 +126,34 @@ impl ThreadsafeMixNodesResult {
         self.inner.read().await.clone()
     }
 
-    pub(crate) async fn refresh_and_get(&self) -> MixNodesResult {
-        self.refresh().await;
-        self.inner.read().await.clone()
+    pub(crate) async fn get_mixnodes_with_location(&self) -> Vec<PrettyMixNodeBondWithLocation> {
+        let guard = self.inner.read().await;
+        guard
+            .value
+            .values()
+            .map(|bond| {
+                let location = guard.location_cache.get(&bond.mix_node.identity_key);
+                let copy = bond.clone();
+                PrettyMixNodeBondWithLocation {
+                    location: location.and_then(|l| l.location.clone()),
+                    bond_amount: copy.bond_amount,
+                    total_delegation: copy.total_delegation,
+                    owner: copy.owner,
+                    layer: copy.layer,
+                    mix_node: copy.mix_node,
+                }
+            })
+            .collect()
     }
 
-    async fn refresh(&self) {
+    pub(crate) async fn refresh(&self) {
         // get mixnodes and cache the new value
         let value = retrieve_mixnodes().await;
         let location_cache = self.inner.read().await.location_cache.clone();
         *self.inner.write().await = MixNodesResult {
             value: value
                 .into_iter()
-                .map(|bond| {
-                    let location = location_cache.get(&bond.mix_node.identity_key).cloned(); // add the location, if we've located this mix node before
-                    (
-                        bond.mix_node.identity_key.to_string(),
-                        MixNodeBondWithLocation { location, bond },
-                    )
-                })
+                .map(|bond| (bond.mix_node.identity_key.to_string(), bond))
                 .collect(),
             valid_until: SystemTime::now() + Duration::from_secs(60 * 10), // valid for 10 minutes
             location_cache,
diff --git a/explorer-api/src/state.rs b/explorer-api/src/state.rs
index 7f7862eb68..2be0a42f5d 100644
--- a/explorer-api/src/state.rs
+++ b/explorer-api/src/state.rs
@@ -27,12 +27,7 @@ pub struct ExplorerApiState {
 
 impl ExplorerApiState {
     pub(crate) async fn get_mix_node(&self, pubkey: &str) -> Option<MixNodeBond> {
-        self.mix_nodes
-            .get()
-            .await
-            .value
-            .get(pubkey)
-            .map(|cache_item| cache_item.bond.clone())
+        self.mix_nodes.get().await.value.get(pubkey).cloned()
     }
 }