diff --git a/src/cryptonote_protocol/levin_notify.cpp b/src/cryptonote_protocol/levin_notify.cpp
index 83f37015f..27c6d0278 100644
--- a/src/cryptonote_protocol/levin_notify.cpp
+++ b/src/cryptonote_protocol/levin_notify.cpp
@@ -542,6 +542,7 @@ namespace levin
       i_core_events* core_;
       std::vector<blobdata> txs_;
       boost::uuids::uuid source_;
+      relay_method tx_relay;
 
       //! \pre Called in `zone_->strand`
       void operator()()
@@ -549,7 +550,7 @@ namespace levin
         if (!zone_ || !core_ || txs_.empty())
           return;
 
-        if (!zone_->fluffing)
+        if (!zone_->fluffing || tx_relay == relay_method::local)
         {
           core_->on_transactions_relayed(epee::to_span(txs_), relay_method::stem);
           for (int tries = 2; 0 < tries; tries--)
@@ -589,7 +590,7 @@ namespace levin
 
       change_channels(change_channels&&) = default;
       change_channels(const change_channels& source)
-        : zone_(source.zone_), map_(source.map_.clone())
+        : zone_(source.zone_), map_(source.map_.clone()), fluffing_(source.fluffing_)
       {}
 
       //! \pre Called within `zone_->strand`.
@@ -871,7 +872,7 @@ namespace levin
           {
             // this will change a local/forward tx to stem or fluff ...
             zone_->strand.dispatch(
-              dandelionpp_notify{zone_, core_, std::move(txs), source}
+              dandelionpp_notify{zone_, core_, std::move(txs), source, tx_relay}
             );
             break;
           }
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/levin.cpp b/tests/unit_tests/levin.cpp
index 60d0079b6..416c14bcc 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/levin.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/levin.cpp
@@ -792,25 +792,33 @@ TEST_F(levin_notify, local_without_padding)
     notifier.new_out_connection();
     io_service_.poll();
 
-    std::vector<cryptonote::blobdata> txs(2);
-    txs[0].resize(100, 'f');
-    txs[1].resize(200, 'e');
+    std::vector<cryptonote::blobdata> my_txs(2);
+    my_txs[0].resize(100, 'f');
+    my_txs[1].resize(200, 'e');
 
-    std::vector<cryptonote::blobdata> sorted_txs = txs;
-    std::sort(sorted_txs.begin(), sorted_txs.end());
+    std::vector<cryptonote::blobdata> their_txs{2};
+    their_txs[0].resize(300, 'g');
+    their_txs[1].resize(250, 'h');
+
+    std::vector<cryptonote::blobdata> my_sorted_txs = my_txs;
+    std::sort(my_sorted_txs.begin(), my_sorted_txs.end());
+
+    std::vector<cryptonote::blobdata> their_sorted_txs = their_txs;
+    std::sort(their_sorted_txs.begin(), their_sorted_txs.end());
 
     ASSERT_EQ(10u, contexts_.size());
     bool has_stemmed = false;
     bool has_fluffed = false;
     while (!has_stemmed || !has_fluffed)
     {
+        // run their "their" txes first
         auto context = contexts_.begin();
-        EXPECT_TRUE(notifier.send_txs(txs, context->get_id(), cryptonote::relay_method::local));
+        EXPECT_TRUE(notifier.send_txs(their_txs, context->get_id(), cryptonote::relay_method::stem));
 
         io_service_.reset();
         ASSERT_LT(0u, io_service_.poll());
         const bool is_stem = events_.has_stem_txes();
-        EXPECT_EQ(txs, events_.take_relayed(is_stem ? cryptonote::relay_method::stem : cryptonote::relay_method::fluff));
+        EXPECT_EQ(their_txs, events_.take_relayed(is_stem ? cryptonote::relay_method::stem : cryptonote::relay_method::fluff));
 
         if (!is_stem)
         {
@@ -836,13 +844,41 @@ TEST_F(levin_notify, local_without_padding)
         {
             auto notification = receiver_.get_notification<cryptonote::NOTIFY_NEW_TRANSACTIONS>().second;
 	    if (is_stem)
-	      EXPECT_EQ(txs, notification.txs);
+	      EXPECT_EQ(their_txs, notification.txs);
 	    else
-	      EXPECT_EQ(sorted_txs, notification.txs);
+	      EXPECT_EQ(their_sorted_txs, notification.txs);
             EXPECT_TRUE(notification._.empty());
             EXPECT_EQ(!is_stem, notification.dandelionpp_fluff);
         }
 
+        // run "my" txes which must always be stem
+        context = contexts_.begin();
+        EXPECT_TRUE(notifier.send_txs(my_txs, context->get_id(), cryptonote::relay_method::local));
+
+        io_service_.reset();
+        ASSERT_LT(0u, io_service_.poll());
+        EXPECT_TRUE(events_.has_stem_txes());
+        EXPECT_EQ(my_txs, events_.take_relayed(cryptonote::relay_method::stem));
+
+        send_count = 0;
+        EXPECT_EQ(0u, context->process_send_queue());
+        for (++context; context != contexts_.end(); ++context)
+        {
+            const std::size_t sent = context->process_send_queue();
+            if (sent)
+            {
+                EXPECT_EQ(1u, (context - contexts_.begin()) % 2);
+            }
+            send_count += sent;
+        }
+
+        EXPECT_EQ(1u, send_count);
+        EXPECT_EQ(1u, receiver_.notified_size());
+        auto notification = receiver_.get_notification<cryptonote::NOTIFY_NEW_TRANSACTIONS>().second;
+        EXPECT_EQ(my_txs, notification.txs);
+        EXPECT_TRUE(notification._.empty());
+        EXPECT_TRUE(!notification.dandelionpp_fluff);
+
         has_stemmed |= is_stem;
         has_fluffed |= !is_stem;
         notifier.run_epoch();
@@ -1170,22 +1206,27 @@ TEST_F(levin_notify, local_with_padding)
     notifier.new_out_connection();
     io_service_.poll();
 
-    std::vector<cryptonote::blobdata> txs(2);
-    txs[0].resize(100, 'e');
-    txs[1].resize(200, 'f');
+    std::vector<cryptonote::blobdata> my_txs(2);
+    my_txs[0].resize(100, 'e');
+    my_txs[1].resize(200, 'f');
+
+    std::vector<cryptonote::blobdata> their_txs{2};
+    their_txs[0].resize(300, 'g');
+    their_txs[1].resize(250, 'h');
 
     ASSERT_EQ(10u, contexts_.size());
     bool has_stemmed = false;
     bool has_fluffed = false;
     while (!has_stemmed || !has_fluffed)
     {
+      // run their "their" txes first
         auto context = contexts_.begin();
-        EXPECT_TRUE(notifier.send_txs(txs, context->get_id(), cryptonote::relay_method::local));
+        EXPECT_TRUE(notifier.send_txs(their_txs, context->get_id(), cryptonote::relay_method::stem));
 
         io_service_.reset();
         ASSERT_LT(0u, io_service_.poll());
         const bool is_stem = events_.has_stem_txes();
-        EXPECT_EQ(txs, events_.take_relayed(is_stem ? cryptonote::relay_method::stem : cryptonote::relay_method::fluff));
+        EXPECT_EQ(their_txs, events_.take_relayed(is_stem ? cryptonote::relay_method::stem : cryptonote::relay_method::fluff));
 
         if (!is_stem)
         {
@@ -1211,11 +1252,39 @@ TEST_F(levin_notify, local_with_padding)
         for (unsigned count = 0; count < (is_stem ? 1u : 9u); ++count)
         {
             auto notification = receiver_.get_notification<cryptonote::NOTIFY_NEW_TRANSACTIONS>().second;
-            EXPECT_EQ(txs, notification.txs);
+            EXPECT_EQ(their_txs, notification.txs);
             EXPECT_FALSE(notification._.empty());
             EXPECT_EQ(!is_stem, notification.dandelionpp_fluff);
         }
 
+        // run "my" txes which must always be stem
+        context = contexts_.begin();
+        EXPECT_TRUE(notifier.send_txs(my_txs, context->get_id(), cryptonote::relay_method::local));
+
+        io_service_.reset();
+        ASSERT_LT(0u, io_service_.poll());
+        EXPECT_TRUE(events_.has_stem_txes());
+        EXPECT_EQ(my_txs, events_.take_relayed(cryptonote::relay_method::stem));
+
+        send_count = 0;
+        EXPECT_EQ(0u, context->process_send_queue());
+        for (++context; context != contexts_.end(); ++context)
+        {
+            const std::size_t sent = context->process_send_queue();
+            if (sent)
+            {
+                EXPECT_EQ(1u, (context - contexts_.begin()) % 2);
+            }
+            send_count += sent;
+        }
+
+        EXPECT_EQ(1u, send_count);
+        EXPECT_EQ(1u, receiver_.notified_size());
+        auto notification = receiver_.get_notification<cryptonote::NOTIFY_NEW_TRANSACTIONS>().second;
+        EXPECT_EQ(my_txs, notification.txs);
+        EXPECT_FALSE(notification._.empty());
+        EXPECT_TRUE(!notification.dandelionpp_fluff);
+
         has_stemmed |= is_stem;
         has_fluffed |= !is_stem;
         notifier.run_epoch();