diff --git a/cashu/lightning/fake.py b/cashu/lightning/fake.py
index dfeed1004..e7364526f 100644
--- a/cashu/lightning/fake.py
+++ b/cashu/lightning/fake.py
@@ -76,6 +76,9 @@ async def create_invoice(
         return InvoiceResponse(True, checking_id, payment_request)
 
     async def pay_invoice(self, bolt11: str, fee_limit_msat: int) -> PaymentResponse:
+        # artificial sleep
+        await asyncio.sleep(5)
+
         invoice = decode(bolt11)
 
         if invoice.payment_hash[:6] == self.privkey[:6] or BRR:
diff --git a/cashu/mint/ledger.py b/cashu/mint/ledger.py
index 8f972d582..03dd44c4c 100644
--- a/cashu/mint/ledger.py
+++ b/cashu/mint/ledger.py
@@ -798,7 +798,7 @@ async def _generate_change_promises(
             return_amounts_sorted = sorted(return_amounts, reverse=True)
             # we need to imprint these amounts into the blanket outputs
             for i in range(len(outputs)):
-                outputs[i].amount = return_amounts_sorted[i]
+                outputs[i].amount = return_amounts_sorted[i]  # type: ignore
             if not self._verify_no_duplicate_outputs(outputs):
                 raise TransactionError("duplicate promises.")
             return_promises = await self._generate_promises(outputs, keyset)
diff --git a/cashu/mint/router.py b/cashu/mint/router.py
index 3ede2c6b3..ffea57245 100644
--- a/cashu/mint/router.py
+++ b/cashu/mint/router.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import asyncio
 from typing import List, Optional, Union
 
 from fastapi import APIRouter
@@ -184,15 +185,23 @@ async def mint(
         " promises for change."
     ),
 )
-async def melt(payload: PostMeltRequest) -> GetMeltResponse:
+async def melt(payload: PostMeltRequest, blocking: bool = True) -> GetMeltResponse:
     """
     Requests tokens to be destroyed and sent out via Lightning.
     """
     logger.trace(f"> POST /melt: {payload}")
-    ok, preimage, change_promises = await ledger.melt(
-        payload.proofs, payload.pr, payload.outputs
-    )
-    resp = GetMeltResponse(paid=ok, preimage=preimage, change=change_promises)
+
+    # run asynchronously if blocking is False
+    if not blocking:
+        asyncio.create_task(ledger.melt(payload.proofs, payload.pr, payload.outputs))
+        resp = GetMeltResponse(paid=False, preimage=None, change=None)
+    else:
+        # otherwise run synchronously
+        ok, preimage, change_promises = await ledger.melt(
+            payload.proofs, payload.pr, payload.outputs
+        )
+        resp = GetMeltResponse(paid=ok, preimage=preimage, change=change_promises)
+
     logger.trace(f"< POST /melt: {resp}")
     return resp
 
@@ -291,7 +300,7 @@ async def split(
 @router.post(
     "/restore",
     name="Restore",
-    summary="Restores a blinded signature from a secret",
+    summary="Reissues a blinded signature for a blinded secret",
     response_model=PostRestoreResponse,
     response_description=(
         "Two lists with the first being the list of the provided outputs that "
diff --git a/cashu/wallet/wallet.py b/cashu/wallet/wallet.py
index 8926ffa78..5a93390d9 100644
--- a/cashu/wallet/wallet.py
+++ b/cashu/wallet/wallet.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import asyncio
 import base64
 import hashlib
 import json
@@ -568,7 +569,11 @@ async def check_fees(self, payment_request: str):
 
     @async_set_requests
     async def pay_lightning(
-        self, proofs: List[Proof], invoice: str, outputs: Optional[List[BlindedMessage]]
+        self,
+        proofs: List[Proof],
+        invoice: str,
+        outputs: Optional[List[BlindedMessage]],
+        blocking: bool = True,
     ):
         """
         Accepts proofs and a lightning invoice to pay in exchange.
@@ -588,10 +593,10 @@ def _meltrequest_include_fields(proofs: List[Proof]):
         resp = self.s.post(
             self.url + "/melt",
             json=payload.dict(include=_meltrequest_include_fields(proofs)),  # type: ignore
+            params={"blocking": blocking},
         )
         self.raise_on_error(resp)
         return_dict = resp.json()
-
         return GetMeltResponse.parse_obj(return_dict)
 
     @async_set_requests
@@ -1151,37 +1156,39 @@ async def pay_lightning(
         secrets, rs, derivation_paths = await self.generate_n_secrets(n_return_outputs)
         outputs, rs = self._construct_outputs(n_return_outputs * [1], secrets, rs)
 
-        status = await super().pay_lightning(proofs, invoice, outputs)
-
-        if status.paid:
-            # the payment was successful
-            await self.invalidate(proofs)
-            invoice_obj = Invoice(
-                amount=-sum_proofs(proofs),
-                pr=invoice,
-                preimage=status.preimage,
-                paid=True,
-                time_paid=time.time(),
-                hash="",
-            )
-            # we have a unique constraint on the hash, so we generate a random one if it doesn't exist
-            invoice_obj.hash = invoice_obj.hash or await self._generate_secret()
-            await store_lightning_invoice(db=self.db, invoice=invoice_obj)
-
-            # handle change and produce proofs
-            if status.change:
-                change_proofs = self._construct_proofs(
-                    status.change,
-                    secrets[: len(status.change)],
-                    rs[: len(status.change)],
-                    derivation_paths[: len(status.change)],
-                )
-                logger.debug(f"Received change: {sum_proofs(change_proofs)} sat")
-                await self._store_proofs(change_proofs)
+        # pay_lightning returns immediatelly
+        _ = await super().pay_lightning(proofs, invoice, outputs, blocking=False)
+
+        # we check the state of the proofs until they are spent
+        await asyncio.sleep(2)
+        spent = False
+        while not spent:
+            state = await self.check_proof_state(proofs)
+            assert state.pending, "pending response is empty."
+            spent = not any(state.pending) and not any(state.spendable)
+            await asyncio.sleep(1)
+
+        # the payment was successful
+        await self.invalidate(proofs)
+        invoice_obj = Invoice(
+            amount=-sum_proofs(proofs),
+            pr=invoice,
+            # preimage=status.preimage,
+            paid=True,
+            time_paid=time.time(),
+            hash="",
+        )
+        # we have a unique constraint on the hash, so we generate a random one if it doesn't exist
+        invoice_obj.hash = invoice_obj.hash or await self._generate_secret()
+        await store_lightning_invoice(db=self.db, invoice=invoice_obj)
 
-        else:
-            raise Exception("could not pay invoice.")
-        return status.paid
+        # request change for overpaid feeds
+        change_proofs = await self.restore_promises(
+            outputs=outputs, secrets=secrets, rs=rs, derivation_paths=derivation_paths
+        )
+        logger.debug(f"Received change: {sum_proofs(change_proofs)} sat")
+
+        return True
 
     async def check_proof_state(self, proofs):
         return await super().check_proof_state(proofs)
@@ -1655,7 +1662,7 @@ async def restore_wallet_from_mnemonic(
         n_last_restored_proofs = 0
         while stop_counter < to:
             print(f"Restoring token {i} to {i + batch}...")
-            restored_proofs = await self.restore_promises(i, i + batch - 1)
+            restored_proofs = await self.restore_promises_from_to(i, i + batch - 1)
             if len(restored_proofs) == 0:
                 stop_counter += 1
             spendable_proofs = await self.invalidate(restored_proofs)
@@ -1679,7 +1686,9 @@ async def restore_wallet_from_mnemonic(
             print("No tokens restored.")
             return
 
-    async def restore_promises(self, from_counter: int, to_counter: int) -> List[Proof]:
+    async def restore_promises_from_to(
+        self, from_counter: int, to_counter: int
+    ) -> List[Proof]:
         """Restores promises from a given range of counters. This is for restoring a wallet from a mnemonic.
 
         Args:
@@ -1698,14 +1707,42 @@ async def restore_promises(self, from_counter: int, to_counter: int) -> List[Pro
         # we generate outptus from deterministic secrets and rs
         regenerated_outputs, _ = self._construct_outputs(amounts_dummy, secrets, rs)
         # we ask the mint to reissue the promises
-        # restored_outputs is there so we can match the promises to the secrets and rs
-        restored_outputs, restored_promises = await super().restore_promises(
-            regenerated_outputs
+        proofs = await self.restore_promises(
+            outputs=regenerated_outputs,
+            secrets=secrets,
+            rs=rs,
+            derivation_paths=derivation_paths,
         )
+
+        await set_secret_derivation(
+            db=self.db, keyset_id=self.keyset_id, counter=to_counter + 1
+        )
+        return proofs
+
+    async def restore_promises(
+        self,
+        outputs: List[BlindedMessage],
+        secrets: List[str],
+        rs: List[PrivateKey],
+        derivation_paths: List[str],
+    ) -> List[Proof]:
+        """Restores proofs from a list of outputs, secrets, rs and derivation paths.
+
+        Args:
+            outputs (List[BlindedMessage]): Outputs for which we request promises
+            secrets (List[str]): Secrets generated for the outputs
+            rs (List[PrivateKey]): Random blinding factors generated for the outputs
+            derivation_paths (List[str]): Derivation paths for the secrets
+
+        Returns:
+            List[Proof]: List of restored proofs
+        """
+        # restored_outputs is there so we can match the promises to the secrets and rs
+        restored_outputs, restored_promises = await super().restore_promises(outputs)
         # now we need to filter out the secrets and rs that had a match
         matching_indices = [
             idx
-            for idx, val in enumerate(regenerated_outputs)
+            for idx, val in enumerate(outputs)
             if val.B_ in [o.B_ for o in restored_outputs]
         ]
         secrets = [secrets[i] for i in matching_indices]
@@ -1721,8 +1758,4 @@ async def restore_promises(self, from_counter: int, to_counter: int) -> List[Pro
         for proof in proofs:
             if proof.secret not in [p.secret for p in self.proofs]:
                 self.proofs.append(proof)
-
-        await set_secret_derivation(
-            db=self.db, keyset_id=self.keyset_id, counter=to_counter + 1
-        )
         return proofs