diff --git a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/Connection.groovy b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/Connection.groovy
index 0c6e6708..a9a113f4 100644
--- a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/Connection.groovy
+++ b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/Connection.groovy
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ abstract class Connection implements Closeable {
     private static final long INTERVAL = 1000
     
     private static final MAX_PONGS_V1 = 2
-    private static final MAX_PONGS_V2 = 3
+    private static final MAX_PONGS_V2 = 4
 
     final EventBus eventBus
     final Endpoint endpoint
diff --git a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/ConnectionEstablisher.groovy b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/ConnectionEstablisher.groovy
index 0712fa81..d7cc1a2c 100644
--- a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/ConnectionEstablisher.groovy
+++ b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/ConnectionEstablisher.groovy
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ import net.i2p.util.ConcurrentHashSet
 @Log
 class ConnectionEstablisher {
 
-    private static final int CONCURRENT = 4
+    private static final int CONCURRENT = 8
 
     final EventBus eventBus
     final I2PConnector i2pConnector
diff --git a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/MessageUtil.groovy b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/MessageUtil.groovy
index 416f03cc..2aff74f9 100644
--- a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/MessageUtil.groovy
+++ b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/MessageUtil.groovy
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ class MessageUtil {
         byte count = dis.readByte()
         List<Destination> destinations = new ArrayList<>(count)
         count.times {
-            destinations << Destination.create(dis)
+            destinations << Destination.create(dis).toBase64()
         }
         rv.pongs = destinations
         
diff --git a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/PeerConnection.groovy b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/PeerConnection.groovy
index dfd3401a..770e4dbb 100644
--- a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/PeerConnection.groovy
+++ b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/PeerConnection.groovy
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ class PeerConnection extends Connection {
     protected void read() {
         dis.readFully(readHeader)
         int length = DataUtil.readLength(readHeader)
-        log.fine("$name read length $length")
+        log.fine("$name read length $length read header ${readHeader[0]}")
         
         if (length > MAX_PAYLOAD_SIZE)
             throw new Exception("Rejecting large message $length")
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ class PeerConnection extends Connection {
         dis.readFully(payload)
 
         def json
-        if ((readHeader[0] & (byte)0x80) == 0x80) {
+        if ((readHeader[0] & (byte)0x80) == (byte)0x80) {
             json = MessageUtil.parseBinaryMessage(payload)
         } else {
             json = slurper.parse(payload)