diff --git a/internal/routewatch/peeringhandler.go b/internal/routewatch/peeringhandler.go
index 050cb23..820ccde 100644
--- a/internal/routewatch/peeringhandler.go
+++ b/internal/routewatch/peeringhandler.go
@@ -21,19 +21,15 @@ const (
 	// than 2 ASNs cannot contain any peering information.
 	minPathLengthForPeering = 2
 
-	// pathExpirationTime determines how long AS paths are kept in memory
-	// before being eligible for pruning. Paths older than this are removed
-	// to prevent unbounded memory growth.
-	pathExpirationTime = 30 * time.Minute
-
 	// peeringProcessInterval controls how frequently the handler processes
 	// accumulated AS paths and extracts peering relationships to store
 	// in the database.
 	peeringProcessInterval = 30 * time.Second
 
-	// pathPruneInterval determines how often the handler checks for and
-	// removes expired AS paths from memory.
-	pathPruneInterval = 5 * time.Minute
+	// maxTrackedPaths bounds how many distinct AS paths are held in memory
+	// between processing runs. Once the map is full, further new paths are
+	// dropped and counted until the next run empties it.
+	maxTrackedPaths = 500000
 )
 
 // PeeringHandler processes BGP UPDATE messages to extract and track
@@ -46,17 +42,17 @@ type PeeringHandler struct {
 	logger *logger.Logger
 
 	// In-memory AS path tracking
-	mu      sync.RWMutex
-	asPaths map[string]time.Time // key is JSON-encoded AS path
+	mu           sync.Mutex
+	asPaths      map[string]time.Time // key is JSON-encoded AS path
+	droppedPaths int                  // paths dropped because the map was full
 
 	stopCh chan struct{}
 }
 
 // NewPeeringHandler creates and initializes a new PeeringHandler with the
-// provided database store and logger. It starts two background goroutines:
-// one for periodic processing of accumulated AS paths into peering records,
-// and one for pruning expired paths from memory. The handler begins
-// processing immediately upon creation.
+// provided database store and logger. It starts one background goroutine that
+// periodically processes accumulated AS paths into peering records. The
+// handler begins processing immediately upon creation.
 func NewPeeringHandler(db database.Store, logger *logger.Logger) *PeeringHandler {
 	h := &PeeringHandler{
 		db:      db,
@@ -65,9 +61,8 @@ func NewPeeringHandler(db database.Store, logger *logger.Logger) *PeeringHandler
 		stopCh:  make(chan struct{}),
 	}
 
-	// Start the periodic processing goroutines
+	// Start the periodic processing goroutine
 	go h.processLoop()
-	go h.pruneLoop()
 
 	return h
 }
@@ -106,9 +101,18 @@ func (h *PeeringHandler) HandleMessage(msg *ristypes.RISMessage) {
 
 		return
 	}
+	key := string(pathJSON)
 
 	h.mu.Lock()
-	h.asPaths[string(pathJSON)] = timestamp
+	if _, exists := h.asPaths[key]; exists {
+		// Already tracked: refresh its timestamp.
+		h.asPaths[key] = timestamp
+	} else if len(h.asPaths) >= maxTrackedPaths {
+		// Map is full; drop this new path and count it.
+		h.droppedPaths++
+	} else {
+		h.asPaths[key] = timestamp
+	}
 	h.mu.Unlock()
 }
 
@@ -130,41 +134,6 @@ func (h *PeeringHandler) processLoop() {
 	}
 }
 
-// pruneLoop runs periodically to remove old AS paths
-func (h *PeeringHandler) pruneLoop() {
-	ticker := time.NewTicker(pathPruneInterval)
-	defer ticker.Stop()
-
-	for {
-		select {
-		case <-ticker.C:
-			h.prunePaths()
-		case <-h.stopCh:
-			return
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-// prunePaths removes AS paths older than pathExpirationTime
-func (h *PeeringHandler) prunePaths() {
-	cutoff := time.Now().Add(-pathExpirationTime)
-	var removed int
-
-	h.mu.Lock()
-	for pathKey, timestamp := range h.asPaths {
-		if timestamp.Before(cutoff) {
-			delete(h.asPaths, pathKey)
-			removed++
-		}
-	}
-	pathCount := len(h.asPaths)
-	h.mu.Unlock()
-
-	if removed > 0 {
-		h.logger.Debug("Pruned old AS paths", "removed", removed, "remaining", pathCount)
-	}
-}
-
 // ProcessPeeringsNow triggers immediate processing of all accumulated AS
 // paths into peering records. This bypasses the normal periodic processing
 // schedule and is primarily intended for testing purposes.
@@ -174,15 +143,16 @@ func (h *PeeringHandler) ProcessPeeringsNow() {
 
 // processPeerings extracts peerings from AS paths and writes to database
 func (h *PeeringHandler) processPeerings() {
-	// Take a snapshot of current AS paths
-	h.mu.RLock()
-	pathsCopy := make(map[string]time.Time, len(h.asPaths))
-	for k, v := range h.asPaths {
-		pathsCopy[k] = v
-	}
-	h.mu.RUnlock()
+	// Take the accumulated paths and replace the map with a fresh empty one
+	// under the lock. Each path is processed exactly once and the memory is
+	// released, so the map never grows past a single interval's traffic.
+	h.mu.Lock()
+	paths := h.asPaths
+	h.asPaths = make(map[string]time.Time)
+	dropped := h.droppedPaths
+	h.mu.Unlock()
 
-	if len(pathsCopy) == 0 {
+	if len(paths) == 0 {
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -192,7 +162,7 @@ func (h *PeeringHandler) processPeerings() {
 	}
 	peerings := make(map[peeringKey]time.Time)
 
-	for pathJSON, timestamp := range pathsCopy {
+	for pathJSON, timestamp := range paths {
 		var path []int
 		if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(pathJSON), &path); err != nil {
 			h.logger.Error("Failed to decode AS path", "error", err)
@@ -241,15 +211,16 @@ func (h *PeeringHandler) processPeerings() {
 	}
 
 	h.logger.Info("Processed AS peerings",
-		"paths", len(pathsCopy),
+		"paths", len(paths),
 		"unique_peerings", len(peerings),
 		"success", successCount,
+		"dropped_paths", dropped,
 		"duration", time.Since(start),
 	)
 }
 
 // Stop gracefully shuts down the handler by signaling the background
-// goroutines to stop and performing a final synchronous processing of
+// goroutine to stop and performing a final synchronous processing of
 // any remaining AS paths. This ensures no peering data is lost during
 // shutdown.
 func (h *PeeringHandler) Stop() {
diff --git a/internal/routewatch/peeringhandler_test.go b/internal/routewatch/peeringhandler_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..364fa46
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/routewatch/peeringhandler_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,163 @@
+package routewatch
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"strconv"
+	"sync"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"git.eeqj.de/sneak/routewatch/internal/database"
+	"git.eeqj.de/sneak/routewatch/internal/logger"
+	"git.eeqj.de/sneak/routewatch/internal/ristypes"
+)
+
+const (
+	testASNA = 64500
+	testASNB = 64501
+	testASNC = 64502
+)
+
+// recordingStore wraps mockStore to count every RecordPeering call, so a
+// test can tell how many times a peering was written across separate runs.
+type recordingStore struct {
+	*mockStore
+
+	mu    sync.Mutex
+	calls int
+}
+
+func (r *recordingStore) RecordPeering(asA, asB int, ts time.Time) error {
+	r.mu.Lock()
+	r.calls++
+	r.mu.Unlock()
+
+	return r.mockStore.RecordPeering(asA, asB, ts)
+}
+
+func (r *recordingStore) callCount() int {
+	r.mu.Lock()
+	defer r.mu.Unlock()
+
+	return r.calls
+}
+
+// newTestHandler builds a PeeringHandler without starting the periodic
+// processing goroutine, so tests drive processing explicitly.
+func newTestHandler(db database.Store) *PeeringHandler {
+	return &PeeringHandler{
+		db:      db,
+		logger:  logger.New(),
+		asPaths: make(map[string]time.Time),
+		stopCh:  make(chan struct{}),
+	}
+}
+
+func snapshot(h *PeeringHandler) (tracked, dropped int) {
+	h.mu.Lock()
+	defer h.mu.Unlock()
+
+	return len(h.asPaths), h.droppedPaths
+}
+
+func pathKey(t *testing.T, asns ...int) string {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	b, err := json.Marshal(ristypes.ASPath(asns))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to marshal path: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	return string(b)
+}
+
+func handle(h *PeeringHandler, ts time.Time, asns ...int) {
+	h.HandleMessage(&ristypes.RISMessage{
+		Path:            ristypes.ASPath(asns),
+		ParsedTimestamp: ts,
+	})
+}
+
+// TestPeeringHandlerProcessesEachRunAndEmpties verifies that a processing run
+// empties the path map (the swap) and that a path seen again after a run is
+// recorded in the next run too.
+func TestPeeringHandlerProcessesEachRunAndEmpties(t *testing.T) {
+	store := &recordingStore{mockStore: newMockStore()}
+	h := newTestHandler(store)
+
+	now := time.Now().UTC()
+
+	// Run 1: one path, one peering recorded, map emptied afterwards.
+	handle(h, now, testASNA, testASNB)
+	h.ProcessPeeringsNow()
+
+	if tracked, _ := snapshot(h); tracked != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("map not empty after first run: %d paths remain", tracked)
+	}
+	if got := store.callCount(); got != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("want 1 RecordPeering call after first run, got %d", got)
+	}
+
+	// Run 2: the same path again is recorded again (RecordPeering upserts).
+	handle(h, now.Add(time.Second), testASNA, testASNB)
+	h.ProcessPeeringsNow()
+
+	if tracked, _ := snapshot(h); tracked != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("map not empty after second run: %d paths remain", tracked)
+	}
+	if got := store.callCount(); got != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("want 2 RecordPeering calls after second run, got %d", got)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestPeeringHandlerCapDropsAndCounts verifies that a full map drops new paths
+// and counts them, while a path already tracked is refreshed rather than
+// dropped.
+func TestPeeringHandlerCapDropsAndCounts(t *testing.T) {
+	store := &recordingStore{mockStore: newMockStore()}
+	h := newTestHandler(store)
+
+	now := time.Now().UTC()
+
+	// Fill the map to exactly maxTrackedPaths, including one real path key so
+	// the "already tracked" branch can be exercised. The filler keys are never
+	// processed in this test, so their contents do not matter.
+	existing := pathKey(t, testASNA, testASNB)
+
+	h.mu.Lock()
+	h.asPaths[existing] = now
+	for i := 0; len(h.asPaths) < maxTrackedPaths; i++ {
+		h.asPaths[strconv.Itoa(i)] = now
+	}
+	h.mu.Unlock()
+
+	// A new path is dropped and counted because the map is full.
+	handle(h, now.Add(time.Second), testASNA, testASNC)
+
+	tracked, dropped := snapshot(h)
+	if tracked != maxTrackedPaths {
+		t.Fatalf("want map size %d after drop, got %d", maxTrackedPaths, tracked)
+	}
+	if dropped != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("want dropped count 1, got %d", dropped)
+	}
+
+	// A path already tracked is refreshed, not dropped.
+	refreshed := now.Add(2 * time.Second)
+	handle(h, refreshed, testASNA, testASNB)
+
+	tracked, dropped = snapshot(h)
+	if tracked != maxTrackedPaths {
+		t.Fatalf("want map size %d after refresh, got %d", maxTrackedPaths, tracked)
+	}
+	if dropped != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("want dropped count still 1 after refresh, got %d", dropped)
+	}
+
+	h.mu.Lock()
+	gotTS := h.asPaths[existing]
+	h.mu.Unlock()
+	if !gotTS.Equal(refreshed) {
+		t.Fatalf("existing path timestamp not refreshed: want %v, got %v", refreshed, gotTS)
+	}
+}