diff --git a/packages/helia/src/utils/libp2p.ts b/packages/helia/src/utils/libp2p.ts
index e78a1f1f..64a3b56e 100644
--- a/packages/helia/src/utils/libp2p.ts
+++ b/packages/helia/src/utils/libp2p.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { createLibp2p as create } from 'libp2p'
 import { libp2pDefaults } from './libp2p-defaults.js'
 import type { DefaultLibp2pServices } from './libp2p-defaults.js'
 import type { ComponentLogger, Libp2p, PeerId } from '@libp2p/interface'
-import type { KeychainInit } from '@libp2p/keychain'
+import type { Keychain, KeychainInit } from '@libp2p/keychain'
 import type { Datastore } from 'interface-datastore'
 import type { Libp2pOptions } from 'libp2p'
 
@@ -23,31 +23,40 @@ export interface Libp2pDefaultsOptions {
 }
 
 export async function createLibp2p <T extends Record<string, unknown> = DefaultLibp2pServices> (options: CreateLibp2pOptions<T>): Promise<Libp2p<T>> {
-  let peerId = options.libp2p?.peerId
+  const peerId = options.libp2p?.peerId
   const logger = options.logger ?? defaultLogger()
+  const selfKey = new Key('/pkcs8/self')
+  let chain: Keychain | undefined
 
   // if no peer id was passed, try to load it from the keychain
-  if (peerId == null) {
-    const chain = keychain(options.keychain)({
+  if (peerId == null && options.datastore != null) {
+    chain = keychain(options.keychain)({
       datastore: options.datastore,
       logger
     })
 
-    const selfKey = new Key('/pkcs8/self')
-
     if (await options.datastore.has(selfKey)) {
       // load the peer id from the keychain
-      peerId = await chain.exportPeerId('self')
+      options.libp2p = options.libp2p ?? {}
+      options.libp2p.peerId = await chain.exportPeerId('self')
     }
   }
 
   const defaults = libp2pDefaults(options)
+  defaults.datastore = defaults.datastore ?? options.datastore
   options = options ?? {}
 
   // @ts-expect-error derived ServiceMap is not compatible with ServiceFactoryMap
-  return create({
+  const node = await create({
     ...defaults,
     ...options.libp2p,
     start: false
   })
+
+  if (peerId == null && chain != null && !await options.datastore.has(selfKey)) {
+    // persist the peer id in the keychain for next time
+    await chain.importPeer('self', node.peerId)
+  }
+
+  return node
 }
diff --git a/packages/helia/test/index.spec.ts b/packages/helia/test/index.spec.ts
index 5d3a22cb..470f3062 100644
--- a/packages/helia/test/index.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/helia/test/index.spec.ts
@@ -1,32 +1,12 @@
 /* eslint-env mocha */
-import { noise } from '@chainsafe/libp2p-noise'
-import { yamux } from '@chainsafe/libp2p-yamux'
-import { webSockets } from '@libp2p/websockets'
 import { expect } from 'aegir/chai'
-import { MemoryBlockstore } from 'blockstore-core'
-import { MemoryDatastore } from 'datastore-core'
-import { createLibp2p } from 'libp2p'
 import { createHelia, type HeliaLibp2p } from '../src/index.js'
 
 describe('helia', () => {
   let helia: HeliaLibp2p<any>
 
   beforeEach(async () => {
-    helia = await createHelia({
-      datastore: new MemoryDatastore(),
-      blockstore: new MemoryBlockstore(),
-      libp2p: await createLibp2p({
-        transports: [
-          webSockets()
-        ],
-        connectionEncryption: [
-          noise()
-        ],
-        streamMuxers: [
-          yamux()
-        ]
-      })
-    })
+    helia = await createHelia()
   })
 
   afterEach(async () => {
@@ -54,4 +34,17 @@ describe('helia', () => {
   it('should have a libp2p', async () => {
     expect(helia).to.have.property('libp2p').that.is.ok()
   })
+
+  it('should have the same peer id after a restart', async () => {
+    const datastore = helia.datastore
+    const peerId = helia.libp2p.peerId
+
+    await helia.stop()
+
+    helia = await createHelia({
+      datastore
+    })
+
+    expect(helia.libp2p.peerId.toString()).to.equal(peerId.toString())
+  })
 })