diff --git a/docs/release-notes/release-notes-0.14.0.md b/docs/release-notes/release-notes-0.14.0.md
index 3a352ad0..a0fff549 100644
--- a/docs/release-notes/release-notes-0.14.0.md
+++ b/docs/release-notes/release-notes-0.14.0.md
@@ -131,6 +131,8 @@ you.
 * Locally force closed channels are now [kept in the channel.backup file until
   their time lock has fully matured](https://github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/pull/5528).
 
+* [Cooperative closes optimistically shutdown the associated `link` before closing the channel.](https://github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/pull/5618)
+
 ## Build System
 
 * [A new pre-submit check has been
diff --git a/htlcswitch/interfaces.go b/htlcswitch/interfaces.go
index d2d93232..b899e6a9 100644
--- a/htlcswitch/interfaces.go
+++ b/htlcswitch/interfaces.go
@@ -88,6 +88,11 @@ type ChannelUpdateHandler interface {
 	// MayAddOutgoingHtlc returns an error if we may not add an outgoing
 	// htlc to the channel.
 	MayAddOutgoingHtlc() error
+
+	// ShutdownIfChannelClean shuts the link down if the channel state is
+	// clean. This can be used with dynamic commitment negotiation or coop
+	// close negotiation which require a clean channel state.
+	ShutdownIfChannelClean() error
 }
 
 // ChannelLink is an interface which represents the subsystem for managing the
diff --git a/htlcswitch/link.go b/htlcswitch/link.go
index eed8ba31..2760c42b 100644
--- a/htlcswitch/link.go
+++ b/htlcswitch/link.go
@@ -301,6 +301,13 @@ type localUpdateAddMsg struct {
 	err chan error
 }
 
+// shutdownReq contains an error channel that will be used by the channelLink
+// to send an error if shutdown failed. If shutdown succeeded, the channel will
+// be closed.
+type shutdownReq struct {
+	err chan error
+}
+
 // channelLink is the service which drives a channel's commitment update
 // state-machine. In the event that an HTLC needs to be propagated to another
 // link, the forward handler from config is used which sends HTLC to the
@@ -369,6 +376,10 @@ type channelLink struct {
 	// sub-systems with the latest set of active HTLC's on our channel.
 	htlcUpdates chan *contractcourt.ContractUpdate
 
+	// shutdownRequest is a channel that the channelLink will listen on to
+	// service shutdown requests from ShutdownIfChannelClean calls.
+	shutdownRequest chan *shutdownReq
+
 	// updateFeeTimer is the timer responsible for updating the link's
 	// commitment fee every time it fires.
 	updateFeeTimer *time.Timer
@@ -414,12 +425,13 @@ func NewChannelLink(cfg ChannelLinkConfig,
 		channel:     channel,
 		shortChanID: channel.ShortChanID(),
 		// TODO(roasbeef): just do reserve here?
-		htlcUpdates:    make(chan *contractcourt.ContractUpdate),
-		hodlMap:        make(map[channeldb.CircuitKey]hodlHtlc),
-		hodlQueue:      queue.NewConcurrentQueue(10),
-		log:            build.NewPrefixLog(logPrefix, log),
-		quit:           make(chan struct{}),
-		localUpdateAdd: make(chan *localUpdateAddMsg),
+		htlcUpdates:     make(chan *contractcourt.ContractUpdate),
+		shutdownRequest: make(chan *shutdownReq),
+		hodlMap:         make(map[channeldb.CircuitKey]hodlHtlc),
+		hodlQueue:       queue.NewConcurrentQueue(10),
+		log:             build.NewPrefixLog(logPrefix, log),
+		quit:            make(chan struct{}),
+		localUpdateAdd:  make(chan *localUpdateAddMsg),
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1176,6 +1188,20 @@ func (l *channelLink) htlcManager() {
 				return
 			}
 
+		case req := <-l.shutdownRequest:
+			// If the channel is clean, we send nil on the err chan
+			// and return to prevent the htlcManager goroutine from
+			// processing any more updates. The full link shutdown
+			// will be triggered by RemoveLink in the peer.
+			if l.channel.IsChannelClean() {
+				req.err <- nil
+				return
+			}
+
+			// Otherwise, the channel has lingering updates, send
+			// an error and continue.
+			req.err <- ErrLinkFailedShutdown
+
 		case <-l.quit:
 			return
 		}
@@ -2434,6 +2460,29 @@ func (l *channelLink) HandleChannelUpdate(message lnwire.Message) {
 	l.mailBox.AddMessage(message)
 }
 
+// ShutdownIfChannelClean triggers a link shutdown if the channel is in a clean
+// state and errors if the channel has lingering updates.
+//
+// NOTE: Part of the ChannelUpdateHandler interface.
+func (l *channelLink) ShutdownIfChannelClean() error {
+	errChan := make(chan error, 1)
+
+	select {
+	case l.shutdownRequest <- &shutdownReq{
+		err: errChan,
+	}:
+	case <-l.quit:
+		return ErrLinkShuttingDown
+	}
+
+	select {
+	case err := <-errChan:
+		return err
+	case <-l.quit:
+		return ErrLinkShuttingDown
+	}
+}
+
 // updateChannelFee updates the commitment fee-per-kw on this channel by
 // committing to an update_fee message.
 func (l *channelLink) updateChannelFee(feePerKw chainfee.SatPerKWeight) error {
diff --git a/htlcswitch/link_test.go b/htlcswitch/link_test.go
index e685a3e2..d228b950 100644
--- a/htlcswitch/link_test.go
+++ b/htlcswitch/link_test.go
@@ -6532,6 +6532,91 @@ func TestPendingCommitTicker(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// TestShutdownIfChannelClean tests that a link will exit the htlcManager loop
+// if and only if the underlying channel state is clean.
+func TestShutdownIfChannelClean(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	const chanAmt = btcutil.SatoshiPerBitcoin * 5
+	const chanReserve = btcutil.SatoshiPerBitcoin * 1
+	aliceLink, bobChannel, batchTicker, start, cleanUp, _, err :=
+		newSingleLinkTestHarness(chanAmt, chanReserve)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	var (
+		coreLink  = aliceLink.(*channelLink)
+		aliceMsgs = coreLink.cfg.Peer.(*mockPeer).sentMsgs
+	)
+
+	shutdownAssert := func(expectedErr error) {
+		err = aliceLink.ShutdownIfChannelClean()
+		if expectedErr != nil {
+			require.Error(t, err, expectedErr)
+		} else {
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	err = start()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	defer cleanUp()
+
+	ctx := linkTestContext{
+		t:          t,
+		aliceLink:  aliceLink,
+		bobChannel: bobChannel,
+		aliceMsgs:  aliceMsgs,
+	}
+
+	// First send an HTLC from Bob to Alice and assert that the link can't
+	// be shutdown while the update is outstanding.
+	htlc := generateHtlc(t, coreLink, 0)
+
+	// <---add-----
+	ctx.sendHtlcBobToAlice(htlc)
+	// <---sig-----
+	ctx.sendCommitSigBobToAlice(1)
+	// ----rev---->
+	ctx.receiveRevAndAckAliceToBob()
+	shutdownAssert(ErrLinkFailedShutdown)
+
+	// ----sig---->
+	ctx.receiveCommitSigAliceToBob(1)
+	shutdownAssert(ErrLinkFailedShutdown)
+
+	// <---rev-----
+	ctx.sendRevAndAckBobToAlice()
+	shutdownAssert(ErrLinkFailedShutdown)
+
+	// ---settle-->
+	ctx.receiveSettleAliceToBob()
+	shutdownAssert(ErrLinkFailedShutdown)
+
+	// ----sig---->
+	ctx.receiveCommitSigAliceToBob(0)
+	shutdownAssert(ErrLinkFailedShutdown)
+
+	// <---rev-----
+	ctx.sendRevAndAckBobToAlice()
+	shutdownAssert(ErrLinkFailedShutdown)
+
+	// <---sig-----
+	ctx.sendCommitSigBobToAlice(0)
+	shutdownAssert(ErrLinkFailedShutdown)
+
+	// ----rev---->
+	ctx.receiveRevAndAckAliceToBob()
+	shutdownAssert(nil)
+
+	// Now that the link has exited the htlcManager loop, attempt to
+	// trigger the batch ticker. It should not be possible.
+	select {
+	case batchTicker <- time.Now():
+		t.Fatalf("expected batch ticker to be inactive")
+	case <-time.After(5 * time.Second):
+	}
+}
+
 // assertFailureCode asserts that an error is of type ClearTextError and that
 // the failure code is as expected.
 func assertFailureCode(t *testing.T, err error, code lnwire.FailCode) {
diff --git a/htlcswitch/linkfailure.go b/htlcswitch/linkfailure.go
index 32aa83ad..2f4be531 100644
--- a/htlcswitch/linkfailure.go
+++ b/htlcswitch/linkfailure.go
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@ import "github.com/go-errors/errors"
 var (
 	// ErrLinkShuttingDown signals that the link is shutting down.
 	ErrLinkShuttingDown = errors.New("link shutting down")
+
+	// ErrLinkFailedShutdown signals that a requested shutdown failed.
+	ErrLinkFailedShutdown = errors.New("link failed to shutdown")
 )
 
 // errorCode encodes the possible types of errors that will make us fail the
diff --git a/htlcswitch/mock.go b/htlcswitch/mock.go
index fb97c54e..fd296446 100644
--- a/htlcswitch/mock.go
+++ b/htlcswitch/mock.go
@@ -757,6 +757,7 @@ func (f *mockChannelLink) ChannelPoint() *wire.OutPoint                 { return
 func (f *mockChannelLink) Stop()                                        {}
 func (f *mockChannelLink) EligibleToForward() bool                      { return f.eligible }
 func (f *mockChannelLink) MayAddOutgoingHtlc() error                    { return nil }
+func (f *mockChannelLink) ShutdownIfChannelClean() error                { return nil }
 func (f *mockChannelLink) setLiveShortChanID(sid lnwire.ShortChannelID) { f.shortChanID = sid }
 func (f *mockChannelLink) UpdateShortChanID() (lnwire.ShortChannelID, error) {
 	f.eligible = true
diff --git a/lnwallet/chancloser/chancloser.go b/lnwallet/chancloser/chancloser.go
index 0fe643bc..2eaa8328 100644
--- a/lnwallet/chancloser/chancloser.go
+++ b/lnwallet/chancloser/chancloser.go
@@ -79,11 +79,6 @@ type ChanCloseCfg struct {
 	// Channel is the channel that should be closed.
 	Channel *lnwallet.LightningChannel
 
-	// UnregisterChannel is a function closure that allows the ChanCloser to
-	// unregister a channel. Once this has been done, no further HTLC's should
-	// be routed through the channel.
-	UnregisterChannel func(lnwire.ChannelID)
-
 	// BroadcastTx broadcasts the passed transaction to the network.
 	BroadcastTx func(*wire.MsgTx, string) error
 
@@ -212,8 +207,6 @@ func (c *ChanCloser) initChanShutdown() (*lnwire.Shutdown, error) {
 	// closing script.
 	shutdown := lnwire.NewShutdown(c.cid, c.localDeliveryScript)
 
-	// TODO(roasbeef): err if channel has htlc's?
-
 	// Before closing, we'll attempt to send a disable update for the channel.
 	// We do so before closing the channel as otherwise the current edge policy
 	// won't be retrievable from the graph.
@@ -222,10 +215,6 @@ func (c *ChanCloser) initChanShutdown() (*lnwire.Shutdown, error) {
 			c.chanPoint, err)
 	}
 
-	// Before returning the shutdown message, we'll unregister the channel to
-	// ensure that it isn't seen as usable within the system.
-	c.cfg.UnregisterChannel(c.cid)
-
 	// Before continuing, mark the channel as cooperatively closed with a nil
 	// txn. Even though we haven't negotiated the final txn, this guarantees
 	// that our listchannels rpc will be externally consistent, and reflect
diff --git a/lnwallet/channel.go b/lnwallet/channel.go
index 56991bd3..9143238b 100644
--- a/lnwallet/channel.go
+++ b/lnwallet/channel.go
@@ -4470,6 +4470,50 @@ func (lc *LightningChannel) ReceiveNewCommitment(commitSig lnwire.Sig,
 	return nil
 }
 
+// IsChannelClean returns true if neither side has pending commitments, neither
+// side has HTLC's, and all updates are locked in irrevocably. Internally, it
+// utilizes the oweCommitment function by calling it for local and remote
+// evaluation. We check if we have a pending commitment for our local state
+// since this function may be called by sub-systems that are not the link (e.g.
+// the rpcserver), and the ReceiveNewCommitment & RevokeCurrentCommitment calls
+// are not atomic, even though link processing ensures no updates can happen in
+// between.
+func (lc *LightningChannel) IsChannelClean() bool {
+	lc.RLock()
+	defer lc.RUnlock()
+
+	// Check whether we have a pending commitment for our local state.
+	if lc.localCommitChain.hasUnackedCommitment() {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	// Check whether our counterparty has a pending commitment for their
+	// state.
+	if lc.remoteCommitChain.hasUnackedCommitment() {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	// We call ActiveHtlcs to ensure there are no HTLCs on either
+	// commitment.
+	if len(lc.channelState.ActiveHtlcs()) != 0 {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	// Now check that both local and remote commitments are signing the
+	// same updates.
+	if lc.oweCommitment(true) {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	if lc.oweCommitment(false) {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	// If we reached this point, the channel has no HTLCs and both
+	// commitments sign the same updates.
+	return true
+}
+
 // OweCommitment returns a boolean value reflecting whether we need to send
 // out a commitment signature because there are outstanding local updates and/or
 // updates in the local commit tx that aren't reflected in the remote commit tx
diff --git a/lnwallet/channel_test.go b/lnwallet/channel_test.go
index 6f190ade..c201cc78 100644
--- a/lnwallet/channel_test.go
+++ b/lnwallet/channel_test.go
@@ -9669,3 +9669,150 @@ func TestMayAddOutgoingHtlcZeroValue(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, aliceChannel.MayAddOutgoingHtlc())
 	require.NoError(t, bobChannel.MayAddOutgoingHtlc())
 }
+
+// TestIsChannelClean tests that IsChannelClean returns the expected values
+// in different channel states.
+func TestIsChannelClean(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	aliceChannel, bobChannel, cleanUp, err := CreateTestChannels(
+		channeldb.ZeroHtlcTxFeeBit,
+	)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	defer cleanUp()
+
+	// Channel state should be clean at the start of the test.
+	assertCleanOrDirty(true, aliceChannel, bobChannel, t)
+
+	// Assert that neither side considers the channel clean when alice
+	// sends an htlc.
+	// ---add--->
+	htlc, preimage := createHTLC(0, lnwire.MilliSatoshi(5000000))
+	_, err = aliceChannel.AddHTLC(htlc, nil)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	_, err = bobChannel.ReceiveHTLC(htlc)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assertCleanOrDirty(false, aliceChannel, bobChannel, t)
+
+	// Assert that the channel remains dirty until the HTLC is completely
+	// removed from both commitments.
+
+	// ---sig--->
+	aliceSig, aliceHtlcSigs, _, err := aliceChannel.SignNextCommitment()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	err = bobChannel.ReceiveNewCommitment(aliceSig, aliceHtlcSigs)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assertCleanOrDirty(false, aliceChannel, bobChannel, t)
+
+	// <---rev---
+	bobRevocation, _, err := bobChannel.RevokeCurrentCommitment()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	_, _, _, _, err = aliceChannel.ReceiveRevocation(bobRevocation)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assertCleanOrDirty(false, aliceChannel, bobChannel, t)
+
+	// <---sig---
+	bobSig, bobHtlcSigs, _, err := bobChannel.SignNextCommitment()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	err = aliceChannel.ReceiveNewCommitment(bobSig, bobHtlcSigs)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assertCleanOrDirty(false, aliceChannel, bobChannel, t)
+
+	// ---rev--->
+	aliceRevocation, _, err := aliceChannel.RevokeCurrentCommitment()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	_, _, _, _, err = bobChannel.ReceiveRevocation(aliceRevocation)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assertCleanOrDirty(false, aliceChannel, bobChannel, t)
+
+	// <--settle--
+	err = bobChannel.SettleHTLC(preimage, 0, nil, nil, nil)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	err = aliceChannel.ReceiveHTLCSettle(preimage, 0)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assertCleanOrDirty(false, aliceChannel, bobChannel, t)
+
+	// <---sig---
+	bobSig, bobHtlcSigs, _, err = bobChannel.SignNextCommitment()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	err = aliceChannel.ReceiveNewCommitment(bobSig, bobHtlcSigs)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assertCleanOrDirty(false, aliceChannel, bobChannel, t)
+
+	// ---rev--->
+	aliceRevocation, _, err = aliceChannel.RevokeCurrentCommitment()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	_, _, _, _, err = bobChannel.ReceiveRevocation(aliceRevocation)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assertCleanOrDirty(false, aliceChannel, bobChannel, t)
+
+	// ---sig--->
+	aliceSig, aliceHtlcSigs, _, err = aliceChannel.SignNextCommitment()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	err = bobChannel.ReceiveNewCommitment(aliceSig, aliceHtlcSigs)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assertCleanOrDirty(false, aliceChannel, bobChannel, t)
+
+	// <---rev---
+	bobRevocation, _, err = bobChannel.RevokeCurrentCommitment()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	_, _, _, _, err = aliceChannel.ReceiveRevocation(bobRevocation)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assertCleanOrDirty(true, aliceChannel, bobChannel, t)
+
+	// Now we check that update_fee is handled and state is dirty until it
+	// is completely locked in.
+	// ---fee--->
+	fee := chainfee.SatPerKWeight(333)
+	err = aliceChannel.UpdateFee(fee)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	err = bobChannel.ReceiveUpdateFee(fee)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assertCleanOrDirty(false, aliceChannel, bobChannel, t)
+
+	// ---sig--->
+	aliceSig, aliceHtlcSigs, _, err = aliceChannel.SignNextCommitment()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	err = bobChannel.ReceiveNewCommitment(aliceSig, aliceHtlcSigs)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assertCleanOrDirty(false, aliceChannel, bobChannel, t)
+
+	// <---rev---
+	bobRevocation, _, err = bobChannel.RevokeCurrentCommitment()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	_, _, _, _, err = aliceChannel.ReceiveRevocation(bobRevocation)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assertCleanOrDirty(false, aliceChannel, bobChannel, t)
+
+	// <---sig---
+	bobSig, bobHtlcSigs, _, err = bobChannel.SignNextCommitment()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	err = aliceChannel.ReceiveNewCommitment(bobSig, bobHtlcSigs)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assertCleanOrDirty(false, aliceChannel, bobChannel, t)
+
+	// The state should finally be clean after alice sends her revocation.
+	// ---rev--->
+	aliceRevocation, _, err = aliceChannel.RevokeCurrentCommitment()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	_, _, _, _, err = bobChannel.ReceiveRevocation(aliceRevocation)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assertCleanOrDirty(true, aliceChannel, bobChannel, t)
+}
+
+// assertCleanOrDirty is a helper function that asserts that both channels are
+// clean if clean is true, and dirty if clean is false.
+func assertCleanOrDirty(clean bool, alice, bob *LightningChannel,
+	t *testing.T) {
+
+	t.Helper()
+
+	if clean {
+		require.True(t, alice.IsChannelClean())
+		require.True(t, bob.IsChannelClean())
+		return
+	}
+
+	require.False(t, alice.IsChannelClean())
+	require.False(t, bob.IsChannelClean())
+}
diff --git a/peer/brontide.go b/peer/brontide.go
index fbd45efd..3cde7c07 100644
--- a/peer/brontide.go
+++ b/peer/brontide.go
@@ -1184,11 +1184,9 @@ func waitUntilLinkActive(p *Brontide,
 
 	// The link may already be active by this point, and we may have missed the
 	// ActiveLinkEvent. Check if the link exists.
-	links, _ := p.cfg.Switch.GetLinksByInterface(p.cfg.PubKeyBytes)
-	for _, link := range links {
-		if link.ChanID() == cid {
-			return link
-		}
+	link := p.fetchLinkFromKeyAndCid(cid)
+	if link != nil {
+		return link
 	}
 
 	// If the link is nil, we must wait for it to be active.
@@ -1216,16 +1214,7 @@ func waitUntilLinkActive(p *Brontide,
 			// The link shouldn't be nil as we received an
 			// ActiveLinkEvent. If it is nil, we return nil and the
 			// calling function should catch it.
-			links, _ = p.cfg.Switch.GetLinksByInterface(
-				p.cfg.PubKeyBytes,
-			)
-			for _, link := range links {
-				if link.ChanID() == cid {
-					return link
-				}
-			}
-
-			return nil
+			return p.fetchLinkFromKeyAndCid(cid)
 
 		case <-p.quit:
 			return nil
@@ -2409,12 +2398,11 @@ func (p *Brontide) fetchActiveChanCloser(chanID lnwire.ChannelID) (
 	// cooperative channel closure.
 	chanCloser, ok := p.activeChanCloses[chanID]
 	if !ok {
-		// If we need to create a chan closer for the first time, then
-		// we'll check to ensure that the channel is even in the proper
-		// state to allow a co-op channel closure.
-		if len(channel.ActiveHtlcs()) != 0 {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot co-op close " +
-				"channel w/ active htlcs")
+		// Optimistically try a link shutdown, erroring out if it
+		// failed.
+		if err := p.tryLinkShutdown(chanID); err != nil {
+			peerLog.Errorf("failed link shutdown: %v", err)
+			return nil, err
 		}
 
 		// We'll create a valid closing state machine in order to
@@ -2454,9 +2442,8 @@ func (p *Brontide) fetchActiveChanCloser(chanID lnwire.ChannelID) (
 
 		chanCloser = chancloser.NewChanCloser(
 			chancloser.ChanCloseCfg{
-				Channel:           channel,
-				UnregisterChannel: p.cfg.Switch.RemoveLink,
-				BroadcastTx:       p.cfg.Wallet.PublishTransaction,
+				Channel:     channel,
+				BroadcastTx: p.cfg.Wallet.PublishTransaction,
 				DisableChannel: func(chanPoint wire.OutPoint) error {
 					return p.cfg.ChanStatusMgr.RequestDisable(chanPoint, false)
 				},
@@ -2570,11 +2557,18 @@ func (p *Brontide) handleLocalCloseReq(req *htlcswitch.ChanClose) {
 			return
 		}
 
+		// Optimistically try a link shutdown, erroring out if it
+		// failed.
+		if err := p.tryLinkShutdown(chanID); err != nil {
+			peerLog.Errorf("failed link shutdown: %v", err)
+			req.Err <- err
+			return
+		}
+
 		chanCloser := chancloser.NewChanCloser(
 			chancloser.ChanCloseCfg{
-				Channel:           channel,
-				UnregisterChannel: p.cfg.Switch.RemoveLink,
-				BroadcastTx:       p.cfg.Wallet.PublishTransaction,
+				Channel:     channel,
+				BroadcastTx: p.cfg.Wallet.PublishTransaction,
 				DisableChannel: func(chanPoint wire.OutPoint) error {
 					return p.cfg.ChanStatusMgr.RequestDisable(chanPoint, false)
 				},
@@ -2701,6 +2695,55 @@ func (p *Brontide) handleLinkFailure(failure linkFailureReport) {
 	}
 }
 
+// tryLinkShutdown attempts to fetch a target link from the switch, calls
+// ShutdownIfChannelClean to optimistically trigger a link shutdown, and
+// removes the link from the switch. It returns an error if any step failed.
+func (p *Brontide) tryLinkShutdown(cid lnwire.ChannelID) error {
+	// Fetch the appropriate link and call ShutdownIfChannelClean to ensure
+	// no other updates can occur.
+	chanLink := p.fetchLinkFromKeyAndCid(cid)
+
+	// If the link happens to be nil, return ErrChannelNotFound so we can
+	// ignore the close message.
+	if chanLink == nil {
+		return ErrChannelNotFound
+	}
+
+	// Else, the link exists, so attempt to trigger shutdown. If this
+	// fails, we'll send an error message to the remote peer.
+	if err := chanLink.ShutdownIfChannelClean(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// Next, we remove the link from the switch to shut down all of the
+	// link's goroutines and remove it from the switch's internal maps. We
+	// don't call WipeChannel as the channel must still be in the
+	// activeChannels map to process coop close messages.
+	p.cfg.Switch.RemoveLink(cid)
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// fetchLinkFromKeyAndCid fetches a link from the switch via the remote's
+// public key and the channel id.
+func (p *Brontide) fetchLinkFromKeyAndCid(
+	cid lnwire.ChannelID) htlcswitch.ChannelUpdateHandler {
+
+	var chanLink htlcswitch.ChannelUpdateHandler
+
+	// We don't need to check the error here, and can instead just loop
+	// over the slice and return nil.
+	links, _ := p.cfg.Switch.GetLinksByInterface(p.cfg.PubKeyBytes)
+	for _, link := range links {
+		if link.ChanID() == cid {
+			chanLink = link
+			break
+		}
+	}
+
+	return chanLink
+}
+
 // finalizeChanClosure performs the final clean up steps once the cooperative
 // closure transaction has been fully broadcast. The finalized closing state
 // machine should be passed in. Once the transaction has been sufficiently
diff --git a/peer/brontide_test.go b/peer/brontide_test.go
index 2141a945..01a5f0c8 100644
--- a/peer/brontide_test.go
+++ b/peer/brontide_test.go
@@ -39,8 +39,10 @@ func TestPeerChannelClosureAcceptFeeResponder(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	broadcastTxChan := make(chan *wire.MsgTx)
 
+	mockSwitch := &mockMessageSwitch{}
+
 	alicePeer, bobChan, cleanUp, err := createTestPeer(
-		notifier, broadcastTxChan, noUpdate,
+		notifier, broadcastTxChan, noUpdate, mockSwitch,
 	)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unable to create test channels: %v", err)
@@ -49,6 +51,9 @@ func TestPeerChannelClosureAcceptFeeResponder(t *testing.T) {
 
 	chanID := lnwire.NewChanIDFromOutPoint(bobChan.ChannelPoint())
 
+	mockLink := newMockUpdateHandler(chanID)
+	mockSwitch.links = append(mockSwitch.links, mockLink)
+
 	// We send a shutdown request to Alice. She will now be the responding
 	// node in this shutdown procedure. We first expect Alice to answer
 	// this shutdown request with a Shutdown message.
@@ -142,14 +147,20 @@ func TestPeerChannelClosureAcceptFeeInitiator(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	broadcastTxChan := make(chan *wire.MsgTx)
 
+	mockSwitch := &mockMessageSwitch{}
+
 	alicePeer, bobChan, cleanUp, err := createTestPeer(
-		notifier, broadcastTxChan, noUpdate,
+		notifier, broadcastTxChan, noUpdate, mockSwitch,
 	)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unable to create test channels: %v", err)
 	}
 	defer cleanUp()
 
+	chanID := lnwire.NewChanIDFromOutPoint(bobChan.ChannelPoint())
+	mockLink := newMockUpdateHandler(chanID)
+	mockSwitch.links = append(mockSwitch.links, mockLink)
+
 	// We make Alice send a shutdown request.
 	updateChan := make(chan interface{}, 1)
 	errChan := make(chan error, 1)
@@ -179,7 +190,6 @@ func TestPeerChannelClosureAcceptFeeInitiator(t *testing.T) {
 	aliceDeliveryScript := shutdownMsg.Address
 
 	// Bob will respond with his own Shutdown message.
-	chanID := shutdownMsg.ChannelID
 	alicePeer.chanCloseMsgs <- &closeMsg{
 		cid: chanID,
 		msg: lnwire.NewShutdown(chanID,
@@ -264,8 +274,10 @@ func TestPeerChannelClosureFeeNegotiationsResponder(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	broadcastTxChan := make(chan *wire.MsgTx)
 
+	mockSwitch := &mockMessageSwitch{}
+
 	alicePeer, bobChan, cleanUp, err := createTestPeer(
-		notifier, broadcastTxChan, noUpdate,
+		notifier, broadcastTxChan, noUpdate, mockSwitch,
 	)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unable to create test channels: %v", err)
@@ -274,6 +286,9 @@ func TestPeerChannelClosureFeeNegotiationsResponder(t *testing.T) {
 
 	chanID := lnwire.NewChanIDFromOutPoint(bobChan.ChannelPoint())
 
+	mockLink := newMockUpdateHandler(chanID)
+	mockSwitch.links = append(mockSwitch.links, mockLink)
+
 	// Bob sends a shutdown request to Alice. She will now be the responding
 	// node in this shutdown procedure. We first expect Alice to answer this
 	// Shutdown request with a Shutdown message.
@@ -458,14 +473,20 @@ func TestPeerChannelClosureFeeNegotiationsInitiator(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	broadcastTxChan := make(chan *wire.MsgTx)
 
+	mockSwitch := &mockMessageSwitch{}
+
 	alicePeer, bobChan, cleanUp, err := createTestPeer(
-		notifier, broadcastTxChan, noUpdate,
+		notifier, broadcastTxChan, noUpdate, mockSwitch,
 	)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unable to create test channels: %v", err)
 	}
 	defer cleanUp()
 
+	chanID := lnwire.NewChanIDFromOutPoint(bobChan.ChannelPoint())
+	mockLink := newMockUpdateHandler(chanID)
+	mockSwitch.links = append(mockSwitch.links, mockLink)
+
 	// We make the initiator send a shutdown request.
 	updateChan := make(chan interface{}, 1)
 	errChan := make(chan error, 1)
@@ -496,7 +517,6 @@ func TestPeerChannelClosureFeeNegotiationsInitiator(t *testing.T) {
 	aliceDeliveryScript := shutdownMsg.Address
 
 	// Bob will answer the Shutdown message with his own Shutdown.
-	chanID := lnwire.NewChanIDFromOutPoint(bobChan.ChannelPoint())
 	respShutdown := lnwire.NewShutdown(chanID, dummyDeliveryScript)
 	alicePeer.chanCloseMsgs <- &closeMsg{
 		cid: chanID,
@@ -793,20 +813,27 @@ func TestCustomShutdownScript(t *testing.T) {
 			}
 			broadcastTxChan := make(chan *wire.MsgTx)
 
+			mockSwitch := &mockMessageSwitch{}
+
 			// Open a channel.
 			alicePeer, bobChan, cleanUp, err := createTestPeer(
 				notifier, broadcastTxChan, test.update,
+				mockSwitch,
 			)
 			if err != nil {
 				t.Fatalf("unable to create test channels: %v", err)
 			}
 			defer cleanUp()
 
+			chanPoint := bobChan.ChannelPoint()
+			chanID := lnwire.NewChanIDFromOutPoint(chanPoint)
+			mockLink := newMockUpdateHandler(chanID)
+			mockSwitch.links = append(mockSwitch.links, mockLink)
+
 			// Request initiator to cooperatively close the channel, with
 			// a specified delivery address.
 			updateChan := make(chan interface{}, 1)
 			errChan := make(chan error, 1)
-			chanPoint := bobChan.ChannelPoint()
 			closeCommand := htlcswitch.ChanClose{
 				CloseType:      htlcswitch.CloseRegular,
 				ChanPoint:      chanPoint,
diff --git a/peer/test_utils.go b/peer/test_utils.go
index b6cf16b0..3ce1cbe0 100644
--- a/peer/test_utils.go
+++ b/peer/test_utils.go
@@ -54,7 +54,8 @@ var noUpdate = func(a, b *channeldb.OpenChannel) {}
 // an updateChan function which can be used to modify the default values on
 // the channel states for each peer.
 func createTestPeer(notifier chainntnfs.ChainNotifier,
-	publTx chan *wire.MsgTx, updateChan func(a, b *channeldb.OpenChannel)) (
+	publTx chan *wire.MsgTx, updateChan func(a, b *channeldb.OpenChannel),
+	mockSwitch *mockMessageSwitch) (
 	*Brontide, *lnwallet.LightningChannel, func(), error) {
 
 	aliceKeyPriv, aliceKeyPub := btcec.PrivKeyFromBytes(
@@ -306,7 +307,11 @@ func createTestPeer(notifier chainntnfs.ChainNotifier,
 		},
 	}
 
-	htlcSwitch := &mockMessageSwitch{}
+	// If mockSwitch is not set by the caller, set it to the default as the
+	// caller does not need to control it.
+	if mockSwitch == nil {
+		mockSwitch = &mockMessageSwitch{}
+	}
 
 	nodeSignerAlice := netann.NewNodeSigner(aliceKeySigner)
 
@@ -349,7 +354,7 @@ func createTestPeer(notifier chainntnfs.ChainNotifier,
 		PubKeyBytes: pubKey,
 		ErrorBuffer: errBuffer,
 		ChainIO:     chainIO,
-		Switch:      htlcSwitch,
+		Switch:      mockSwitch,
 
 		ChanActiveTimeout: chanActiveTimeout,
 		InterceptSwitch:   htlcswitch.NewInterceptableSwitch(nil),
@@ -375,7 +380,9 @@ func createTestPeer(notifier chainntnfs.ChainNotifier,
 
 // mockMessageSwitch is a mock implementation of the messageSwitch interface
 // used for testing without relying on a *htlcswitch.Switch in unit tests.
-type mockMessageSwitch struct{}
+type mockMessageSwitch struct {
+	links []htlcswitch.ChannelUpdateHandler
+}
 
 // BestHeight currently returns a dummy value.
 func (m *mockMessageSwitch) BestHeight() uint32 {
@@ -397,13 +404,44 @@ func (m *mockMessageSwitch) CreateAndAddLink(cfg htlcswitch.ChannelLinkConfig,
 	return nil
 }
 
-// GetLinksByInterface currently returns dummy values.
+// GetLinksByInterface returns the active links.
 func (m *mockMessageSwitch) GetLinksByInterface(pub [33]byte) (
 	[]htlcswitch.ChannelUpdateHandler, error) {
 
-	return nil, nil
+	return m.links, nil
 }
 
+// mockUpdateHandler is a mock implementation of the ChannelUpdateHandler
+// interface. It is used in mockMessageSwitch's GetLinksByInterface method.
+type mockUpdateHandler struct {
+	cid lnwire.ChannelID
+}
+
+// newMockUpdateHandler creates a new mockUpdateHandler.
+func newMockUpdateHandler(cid lnwire.ChannelID) *mockUpdateHandler {
+	return &mockUpdateHandler{
+		cid: cid,
+	}
+}
+
+// HandleChannelUpdate currently does nothing.
+func (m *mockUpdateHandler) HandleChannelUpdate(msg lnwire.Message) {}
+
+// ChanID returns the mockUpdateHandler's cid.
+func (m *mockUpdateHandler) ChanID() lnwire.ChannelID { return m.cid }
+
+// Bandwidth currently returns a dummy value.
+func (m *mockUpdateHandler) Bandwidth() lnwire.MilliSatoshi { return 0 }
+
+// EligibleToForward currently returns a dummy value.
+func (m *mockUpdateHandler) EligibleToForward() bool { return false }
+
+// MayAddOutgoingHtlc currently returns nil.
+func (m *mockUpdateHandler) MayAddOutgoingHtlc() error { return nil }
+
+// ShutdownIfChannelClean currently returns nil.
+func (m *mockUpdateHandler) ShutdownIfChannelClean() error { return nil }
+
 type mockMessageConn struct {
 	t *testing.T