diff --git a/core/node/groups.go b/core/node/groups.go
index 5e87cf0e3f0..def812b905a 100644
--- a/core/node/groups.go
+++ b/core/node/groups.go
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ func LibP2P(bcfg *BuildCfg, cfg *config.Config) fx.Option {
 		maybeProvide(libp2p.BandwidthCounter, !cfg.Swarm.DisableBandwidthMetrics),
 		maybeProvide(libp2p.NatPortMap, !cfg.Swarm.DisableNatPortMap),
 		maybeProvide(libp2p.AutoRelay(cfg.Swarm.RelayClient.StaticRelays, peerChan), enableRelayClient),
-		maybeInvoke(libp2p.AutoRelayFeeder, enableRelayClient),
+		maybeInvoke(libp2p.AutoRelayFeeder(cfg.Peering), enableRelayClient),
 		autonat,
 		connmgr,
 		ps,
diff --git a/core/node/libp2p/routing.go b/core/node/libp2p/routing.go
index cf08b05788c..3f0243ab9c6 100644
--- a/core/node/libp2p/routing.go
+++ b/core/node/libp2p/routing.go
@@ -2,11 +2,14 @@ package libp2p
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"runtime/debug"
 	"sort"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/core/node/helpers"
 
+	config "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/config"
 	"github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/repo"
 	"github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/host"
 	"github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/peer"
@@ -182,56 +185,79 @@ func PubsubRouter(mctx helpers.MetricsCtx, lc fx.Lifecycle, in p2pPSRoutingIn) (
 	}, psRouter, nil
 }
 
-func AutoRelayFeeder(lc fx.Lifecycle, h host.Host, peerChan chan peer.AddrInfo, dht *ddht.DHT) {
-	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
-
-	done := make(chan struct{})
-	go func() {
-		defer close(done)
-
-		// Feed peers more often right after the bootstrap, then backoff
-		bo := backoff.NewExponentialBackOff()
-		bo.InitialInterval = 15 * time.Second
-		bo.Multiplier = 3
-		bo.MaxInterval = 1 * time.Hour
-		bo.MaxElapsedTime = 0 // never stop
-		t := backoff.NewTicker(bo)
-		defer t.Stop()
-		for {
-			select {
-			case <-t.C:
-			case <-ctx.Done():
-				return
-			}
-			if dht == nil {
-				/* noop due to missing dht.WAN. happens in some unit tests,
-				   not worth fixing as we will refactor this after go-libp2p 0.20 */
-				continue
-			}
-			closestPeers, err := dht.WAN.GetClosestPeers(ctx, h.ID().String())
-			if err != nil {
-				// usually 'failed to find any peer in table', no no-op
-				continue
+func AutoRelayFeeder(cfgPeering config.Peering) func(fx.Lifecycle, host.Host, chan peer.AddrInfo, *ddht.DHT) {
+	return func(lc fx.Lifecycle, h host.Host, peerChan chan peer.AddrInfo, dht *ddht.DHT) {
+		ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+		done := make(chan struct{})
+
+		defer func() {
+			if r := recover(); r != nil {
+				fmt.Println("Recovering from unexpected error in AutoRelayFeeder:", r)
+				debug.PrintStack()
 			}
-			for _, p := range closestPeers {
-				addrs := h.Peerstore().Addrs(p)
-				if len(addrs) == 0 {
-					continue
-				}
+		}()
+		go func() {
+			defer close(done)
+
+			// Feed peers more often right after the bootstrap, then backoff
+			bo := backoff.NewExponentialBackOff()
+			bo.InitialInterval = 15 * time.Second
+			bo.Multiplier = 3
+			bo.MaxInterval = 1 * time.Hour
+			bo.MaxElapsedTime = 0 // never stop
+			t := backoff.NewTicker(bo)
+			defer t.Stop()
+			for {
 				select {
-				case peerChan <- peer.AddrInfo{ID: p, Addrs: addrs}:
+				case <-t.C:
 				case <-ctx.Done():
 					return
 				}
+
+				// Always feed trusted IDs (Peering.Peers in the config)
+				for _, trustedPeer := range cfgPeering.Peers {
+					if len(trustedPeer.Addrs) == 0 {
+						continue
+					}
+					select {
+					case peerChan <- trustedPeer:
+					case <-ctx.Done():
+						return
+					}
+				}
+
+				// Additionally, feed closest peers discovered via DHT
+				if dht == nil {
+					/* noop due to missing dht.WAN. happens in some unit tests,
+					   not worth fixing as we will refactor this after go-libp2p 0.20 */
+					continue
+				}
+				closestPeers, err := dht.WAN.GetClosestPeers(ctx, h.ID().String())
+				if err != nil {
+					// no-op: usually 'failed to find any peer in table' during startup
+					continue
+				}
+				for _, p := range closestPeers {
+					addrs := h.Peerstore().Addrs(p)
+					if len(addrs) == 0 {
+						continue
+					}
+					dhtPeer := peer.AddrInfo{ID: p, Addrs: addrs}
+					select {
+					case peerChan <- dhtPeer:
+					case <-ctx.Done():
+						return
+					}
+				}
 			}
-		}
-	}()
+		}()
 
-	lc.Append(fx.Hook{
-		OnStop: func(_ context.Context) error {
-			cancel()
-			<-done
-			return nil
-		},
-	})
+		lc.Append(fx.Hook{
+			OnStop: func(_ context.Context) error {
+				cancel()
+				<-done
+				return nil
+			},
+		})
+	}
 }