diff --git a/.cproject b/.cproject
index d05172c..a60437a 100644
--- a/.cproject
+++ b/.cproject
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 									<listOptionValue builtIn="false" value="&quot;${workspace_loc:/c-multiaddr}&quot;"/>
 									<listOptionValue builtIn="false" value="&quot;${workspace_loc:/lmdb}&quot;"/>
 									<listOptionValue builtIn="false" value="&quot;${workspace_loc:/c-ipfs/include}&quot;"/>
+									<listOptionValue builtIn="false" value="&quot;${workspace_loc:/c-protobuf}&quot;"/>
 								</option>
 								<inputType id="cdt.managedbuild.tool.gnu.c.compiler.input.581176638" superClass="cdt.managedbuild.tool.gnu.c.compiler.input"/>
 							</tool>
diff --git a/blocks/Makefile b/blocks/Makefile
index f830509..f64ebc1 100644
--- a/blocks/Makefile
+++ b/blocks/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 CC = gcc
-CFLAGS = -O0 -I../include -I../../c-libp2p/include -I../../c-multihash/include -I../../c-multiaddr/include -Wall
+CFLAGS = -O0 -I../include -I../../c-libp2p/include -I../../c-multihash/include -I../../c-multiaddr/include -I../../c-protobuf -Wall
 
 ifdef DEBUG
 CFLAGS += -g3
diff --git a/cid/Makefile b/cid/Makefile
index 08774d9..bb4c1ee 100644
--- a/cid/Makefile
+++ b/cid/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 CC = gcc
-CFLAGS = -O0 -I../include -I../../c-libp2p/include -I../../c-multihash/include -I../../c-multiaddr/include -Wall
+CFLAGS = -O0 -I../include -I../../c-libp2p/include -I../../c-multihash/include -I../../c-multiaddr/include -I../../c-protobuf -Wall
 
 ifdef DEBUG
 CFLAGS += -g3
diff --git a/cid/cid.c b/cid/cid.c
index 13a4ca1..7f0e365 100644
--- a/cid/cid.c
+++ b/cid/cid.c
@@ -10,8 +10,63 @@
 #include "libp2p/crypto/encoding/base58.h"
 #include "ipfs/multibase/multibase.h"
 #include "mh/multihash.h"
-#include "multiaddr/varint.h"
+#include "varint.h"
 
+enum WireType ipfs_cid_message_fields[] = { WIRETYPE_VARINT, WIRETYPE_VARINT, WIRETYPE_LENGTH_DELIMITED };
+
+
+size_t ipfs_cid_protobuf_encode_size(struct Cid* cid) {
+	return 11+12+cid->hash_length+11;
+}
+
+int ipfs_cid_protobuf_encode(struct Cid* cid, unsigned char* buffer, size_t buffer_length, size_t* bytes_written) {
+	size_t bytes_used;
+	*bytes_written = 0;
+	int retVal = 0;
+	retVal = protobuf_encode_varint(1, ipfs_cid_message_fields[0], cid->version, buffer, buffer_length, &bytes_used);
+	*bytes_written += bytes_used;
+	retVal = protobuf_encode_varint(2, ipfs_cid_message_fields[1], cid->codec, &buffer[*bytes_written], buffer_length - (*bytes_written), &bytes_used);
+	*bytes_written += bytes_used;
+	retVal = protobuf_encode_length_delimited(3, ipfs_cid_message_fields[2], cid->hash, cid->hash_length, &buffer[*bytes_written], buffer_length - (*bytes_written), &bytes_used);
+	*bytes_written += bytes_used;
+	return 1;
+}
+
+int ipfs_cid_protobuf_decode(unsigned char* buffer, size_t buffer_length, struct Cid** output) {
+	size_t pos = 0;
+	struct Cid cid;
+	int retVal = 0;
+	while(pos < buffer_length) {
+		size_t bytes_read = 0;
+		int field_no;
+		enum WireType field_type;
+		if (protobuf_decode_field_and_type(&buffer[pos], buffer_length, &field_no, &field_type, &bytes_read) == 0) {
+			return 0;
+		}
+		pos += bytes_read;
+		switch(field_no) {
+			case (1):
+				cid.version = varint_decode(&buffer[pos], buffer_length - pos, &bytes_read);
+				pos += bytes_read;
+				break;
+			case (2):
+				cid.codec = varint_decode(&buffer[pos], buffer_length - pos, &bytes_read);
+				pos += bytes_read;
+				break;
+			case (3):
+				retVal = protobuf_decode_length_delimited(&buffer[pos], buffer_length - pos, &cid.hash, &cid.hash_length, &bytes_read);
+				if (retVal == 0)
+					return 0;
+				pos += bytes_read;
+				break;
+		}
+
+	}
+
+	retVal = ipfs_cid_new(cid.version, cid.hash, cid.hash_length, cid.codec, output);
+	free(cid.hash);
+	return retVal;
+}
 
 /**
  * Create a new CID based on the given hash
@@ -118,16 +173,16 @@ int ipfs_cid_cast(unsigned char* incoming, size_t incoming_size, struct Cid* cid
 
 	// This is not a multihash. Perhaps it is using varints. Try to peel the information out of the bytes.
 	// first the version
-	int pos = 0, retVal = 0;
+	int pos = 0;
 	size_t num_bytes = 0;
-	num_bytes = uvarint_decode32(&incoming[pos], incoming_size - pos, &cid->version);
-	if (num_bytes < 0 || cid->version > 1 || cid->version < 0)
+	cid->version = varint_decode(&incoming[pos], incoming_size - pos, &num_bytes);
+	if (num_bytes == 0 || cid->version > 1 || cid->version < 0)
 		return 0;
 	pos = num_bytes;
 	// now the codec
 	uint32_t codec = 0;
-	num_bytes = uvarint_decode32(&incoming[pos], incoming_size - pos, &codec);
-	if (num_bytes < 0)
+	codec = varint_decode(&incoming[pos], incoming_size - pos, &num_bytes);
+	if (num_bytes == 0)
 		return 0;
 	cid->codec = codec;
 	pos += num_bytes;
diff --git a/cmd/ipfs/Makefile b/cmd/ipfs/Makefile
index 9021275..24b9bd5 100644
--- a/cmd/ipfs/Makefile
+++ b/cmd/ipfs/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 CC = gcc
-CFLAGS = -O0 -I../../include -I../../../c-libp2p/include -Wall
+CFLAGS = -O0 -I../../include -I../../../c-libp2p/include -I../../../c-protobuf -Wall
 
 ifdef DEBUG
 CFLAGS += -g3
diff --git a/core/Makefile b/core/Makefile
index 943ec08..94a443b 100644
--- a/core/Makefile
+++ b/core/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 CC = gcc
-CFLAGS = -O0 -I../include -I../../c-libp2p/include -Wall
+CFLAGS = -O0 -I../include -I../../c-libp2p/include -I../../c-protobuf -Wall
 LFLAGS = 
 DEPS = builder.h ipfs_node.h
 OBJS = builder.o
diff --git a/importer/importer.c b/importer/importer.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3c5b324
--- /dev/null
+++ b/importer/importer.c
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+#include <stdio.h>
+
+#include "ipfs/importer/importer.h"
+
+#define MAX_DATA_SIZE 262144 // 1024 * 256;
+
+/**
+ * read the next chunk of bytes, create a node, and add a link to the node in the passed-in node
+ * @param file the file handle
+ * @param node the node to add to
+ * @returns number of bytes read
+ */
+int ipfs_import_chunk(FILE* file, struct Node* node) {
+	unsigned char buffer[MAX_DATA_SIZE];
+	size_t bytes_read = fread(buffer, MAX_DATA_SIZE, 1, file);
+	if (node->data_size == 0) {
+		Node_Set_Data(node, buffer, bytes_read);
+	} else {
+		// create a new node, and link to the parent
+		struct Node* new_node = N_Create_From_Data(buffer, bytes_read);
+		// persist
+		// put link in node
+		Node_Add_Link(node, Create_Link("", new_node->cached->hash));
+		Node_Delete(new_node);
+	}
+	return bytes_read;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Creates a node based on an incoming file
+ * @param file_name the file to import
+ * @param node the root node (could have links to others)
+ * @returns true(1) on success
+ */
+int ipfs_import_file(const char* fileName, struct Node** node) {
+	int retVal = 1;
+
+	FILE* file = fopen(fileName, "rb");
+	*node = (struct Node)malloc(sizeof(struct Node));
+
+	// add all nodes
+	while (ipfs_import_chunk(file, *node) == MAX_DATA_SIZE) {}
+	fclose(file);
+
+	return 1;
+}
diff --git a/include/ipfs/cid/cid.h b/include/ipfs/cid/cid.h
index e499c41..1ce766b 100644
--- a/include/ipfs/cid/cid.h
+++ b/include/ipfs/cid/cid.h
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #define __IPFS_CID_CID_H
 
 #include <stddef.h>
+#include "protobuf.h"
 
 #define CID_PROTOBUF 0x70
 #define CID_CBOR 0x71
@@ -25,6 +26,30 @@ struct Cid {
 	size_t hash_length;
 };
 
+/***
+ * encode a Cid into a protobuf array of bytes
+ * @param incoming the incoming Cid struct
+ * @param buffer the buffer
+ * @param max_buffer_length the length of the buffer
+ * @param bytes_written the number of bytes written
+ */
+int ipfs_cid_protobuf_encode(struct Cid* incoming, unsigned char* buffer, size_t max_buffer_length, size_t* bytes_written);
+
+/***
+ * decode an array of bytes into a Cid structure
+ * @param buffer the incming array of bytes
+ * @param buffer_length the length of the buffer
+ * @param output the Cid struct NOTE: all allocations are made by this function. Be sure to call free
+ * @returns true(1) on success
+ */
+int ipfs_cid_protobuf_decode(unsigned char* buffer, size_t buffer_length, struct Cid** output);
+
+/***
+ * Returns a safe estimate of the required buffer size to encode the Cid struct
+ * @param incoming the struct to encode
+ * @returns the number of approximate bytes
+ */
+size_t ipfs_cid_protobuf_encode_size(struct Cid* incoming);
 
 /**
  * Create a new CID based on the given hash
diff --git a/include/ipfs/importer/importer.h b/include/ipfs/importer/importer.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..00c977c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/ipfs/importer/importer.h
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#ifndef __IPFS_IMPORTER_IMPORTER_H__
+#define __IPFS_IMPORTER_IMPORTER_H__
+
+/**
+ * Creates a node based on an incoming file
+ * @param file_name the file to import
+ * @param node the root node (could have links to others)
+ * @returns true(1) on success
+ */
+int ipfs_import_file(const char* fileName, struct Node** node);
+
+#endif /* INCLUDE_IPFS_IMPORTER_IMPORTER_H_ */
diff --git a/include/ipfs/merkledag/merkledag.h b/include/ipfs/merkledag/merkledag.h
index fb0c682..9817187 100644
--- a/include/ipfs/merkledag/merkledag.h
+++ b/include/ipfs/merkledag/merkledag.h
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+/***
+ * Merkledag methods
+ */
 #ifndef __IPFS_MERKLEDAG_H__
 #define __IPFS_MERKLEDAG_H__
 
diff --git a/include/ipfs/node/node.h b/include/ipfs/node/node.h
index c3a82f1..36cf0af 100644
--- a/include/ipfs/node/node.h
+++ b/include/ipfs/node/node.h
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ struct Node
 	size_t data_size;
 	unsigned char * encoded;
 	struct Cid * cached;
-	int link_ammount;
+	int link_amount;
 	struct Link * links[];
 };
 
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ int Node_Set_Cached(struct Node * N, struct Cid * TheCid);
  * Sets pointers of encoded & cached to NULL /following go method
  * returns 1 on success 0 on failure
  */
-int Node_Set_Data(struct Node * N, unsigned char * Data);
+int Node_Set_Data(struct Node * N, unsigned char * Data, size_t data_size);
 
 /*Node_Set_Encoded
  * @param NODE: the node you wish to alter (struct Node *)
diff --git a/merkledag/Makefile b/merkledag/Makefile
index a5f0784..aadae27 100644
--- a/merkledag/Makefile
+++ b/merkledag/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 CC = gcc
-CFLAGS = -O0 -I../include -I../../c-libp2p/include -I../../c-multihash/include -I../../c-multiaddr/include -Wall
+CFLAGS = -O0 -I../include -I../../c-libp2p/include -I../../c-multihash/include -I../../c-multiaddr/include -I../../c-protobuf -Wall
 
 ifdef DEBUG
 CFLAGS += -g3
diff --git a/node/Makefile b/node/Makefile
index 607fbec..40240eb 100644
--- a/node/Makefile
+++ b/node/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 CC = gcc
-CFLAGS = -O0 -I../include -I../../c-libp2p/include -I../../c-multihash/include -I../../c-multiaddr/include -Wall
+CFLAGS = -O0 -I../include -I../../c-libp2p/include -I../../c-multihash/include -I../../c-multiaddr/include -I../../c-protobuf -Wall
 
 ifdef DEBUG
 CFLAGS += -g3
diff --git a/node/node.c b/node/node.c
index 3dc0c51..caeb638 100644
--- a/node/node.c
+++ b/node/node.c
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ struct Node * Create_Empty_Node()
 	N->cached = NULL;
 	N->data = NULL;
 	N->encoded = NULL;
-	N->link_ammount = 0;
+	N->link_amount = 0;
 	return N;
 }
 
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ int Node_Set_Cached(struct Node * N, struct Cid * TheCid)
  * Sets pointers of encoded & cached to NULL /following go method
  * returns 1 on success 0 on failure
  */
-int Node_Set_Data(struct Node * N, unsigned char * Data)
+int Node_Set_Data(struct Node * N, unsigned char * Data, size_t data_size)
 {
 	if(!N || !Data)
 	{
@@ -85,7 +85,12 @@ int Node_Set_Data(struct Node * N, unsigned char * Data)
 	}
 	N->encoded = NULL;
 	N->cached = NULL;
-	N->data = Data;
+	N->data = malloc(sizeof(unsigned char) * data_size);
+	if (N->data == NULL)
+		return 0;
+
+	memcpy(N->data, Data, data_size);
+	N->data_size = data_size;
 	return 1;
 }
 
@@ -126,9 +131,9 @@ struct Node * Node_Copy(struct Node * CP_Node)
 {
 	struct Node * CN;
 	CN = (struct Node*) malloc(sizeof(struct Node) + sizeof(struct Link) * 2);
-	if(CP_Node->link_ammount != 0)
+	if(CP_Node->link_amount != 0)
 	{
-		for(int i=0; i<CP_Node->link_ammount; i++)
+		for(int i=0; i<CP_Node->link_amount; i++)
 		{
 			CN->links[i] = malloc(sizeof(struct Link));
 		}
@@ -146,9 +151,9 @@ void Node_Delete(struct Node * N)
 {
 	if(N)
 	{
-		if(N->link_ammount > 0)
+		if(N->link_amount > 0)
 		{
-			for(int i=0; i<N->link_ammount; i++)
+			for(int i=0; i<N->link_amount; i++)
 			{
 				free(N->links[i]);
 			}
@@ -171,7 +176,7 @@ void Node_Delete(struct Node * N)
 struct Link * Node_Get_Link(struct Node * N, char * Name)
 {
 	struct Link * L;
-	for(int i=0;i<N->link_ammount;i++)
+	for(int i=0;i<N->link_amount;i++)
 	{
 		if(strcmp(N->links[i]->name,Name) == 0)
 		{
@@ -193,23 +198,23 @@ struct Link * Node_Get_Link(struct Node * N, char * Name)
  */
 int Node_Remove_Link(char * Name, struct Node * mynode)
 {
-	for(int i=0; i<mynode->link_ammount; i++)
+	for(int i=0; i<mynode->link_amount; i++)
 	{
 		if(mynode->links[i]->name == Name)
 		{
-			for(int x=i;x<mynode->link_ammount && x+1 != mynode->link_ammount;i++)
+			for(int x=i;x<mynode->link_amount && x+1 != mynode->link_amount;i++)
 			{
 				memcpy(mynode->links[x],mynode->links[x+1],sizeof(struct Link));
 			}
-			free(mynode->links[mynode->link_ammount-1]);
-			mynode->link_ammount--;
+			free(mynode->links[mynode->link_amount-1]);
+			mynode->link_amount--;
 			return 1;
 		}
 	}
 	return 0;
 }
 /* N_Add_Link
- * Adds a link to your node
+ * Adds a link to your nodse
  * @param mynode: &yournode
  * @param mylink: the CID you want to create a node from
  * @param linksz: sizeof(your cid here)
@@ -218,11 +223,11 @@ int Node_Remove_Link(char * Name, struct Node * mynode)
 struct Node * N_Add_Link(struct Node ** mynode, struct Link * mylink, size_t linksz)
 {
 	struct Node * Nl = *mynode;
-	Nl->link_ammount++;
+	Nl->link_amount++;
 	size_t calculatesize = 0;
-	if(Nl->link_ammount != 0)
+	if(Nl->link_amount != 0)
 	{
-		for(int i=0; i<Nl->link_ammount-1;i++)
+		for(int i=0; i<Nl->link_amount-1;i++)
 		{
 			calculatesize = calculatesize + sizeof(Nl->links[i]);
 		}
@@ -233,8 +238,8 @@ struct Node * N_Add_Link(struct Node ** mynode, struct Link * mylink, size_t lin
 	{
 		Nl = (struct Node *) malloc(sizeof(struct Node) + linksz);
 	}
-	Nl->links[Nl->link_ammount-1] = malloc(sizeof(struct Link));
-	memcpy(Nl->links[Nl->link_ammount-1],mylink,sizeof(struct Link));
+	Nl->links[Nl->link_amount-1] = malloc(sizeof(struct Link));
+	memcpy(Nl->links[Nl->link_amount-1],mylink,sizeof(struct Link));
 	return Nl;
 }
 
@@ -248,8 +253,7 @@ struct Node * N_Create_From_Link(struct Link * mylink)
 {
 	struct Node * mynode;
 	mynode = (struct Node *) malloc(sizeof(struct Node) + sizeof(struct Link));
-	mynode->link_ammount = 0;
-	mynode->link_ammount++;
+	mynode->link_amount = 1;
 	mynode->links[0] = malloc(sizeof(struct Link));
 	memcpy(mynode->links[0], mylink, sizeof(struct Link));
 	mynode->cached = NULL;
@@ -267,10 +271,8 @@ struct Node * N_Create_From_Data(unsigned char * data, size_t data_size)
 	{
 		struct Node * mynode;
 		mynode = (struct Node *) malloc(sizeof(struct Node));
-		mynode->data = malloc(sizeof(unsigned char) * data_size);
-		memcpy(mynode->data, data, data_size);
-		mynode->data_size = data_size;
-		mynode->link_ammount=0;
+		Node_Set_Data(mynode, data, data_size);
+		mynode->link_amount=0;
 		mynode->encoded = NULL;
 		mynode->cached = NULL;
 		return mynode;
@@ -288,7 +290,7 @@ struct Node * N_Create_From_Encoded(unsigned char * data)
 		struct Node * mynode;
 		mynode = (struct Node *) malloc(sizeof(struct Node));
 		mynode->encoded = data;
-		mynode->link_ammount = 0;
+		mynode->link_amount = 0;
 		mynode->data = NULL;
 		mynode->cached = NULL;
 		return mynode;
diff --git a/repo/config/Makefile b/repo/config/Makefile
index c0a1792..cf49611 100644
--- a/repo/config/Makefile
+++ b/repo/config/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 CC = gcc
-CFLAGS = -O0 -I../../include -I../../../c-libp2p/include -I../../../c-multihash/include -Wall
+CFLAGS = -O0 -I../../include -I../../../c-libp2p/include -I../../../c-multihash/include -I../../../c-protobuf -Wall
 
 ifdef DEBUG
 CFLAGS += -g3
diff --git a/repo/fsrepo/Makefile b/repo/fsrepo/Makefile
index 48e22d6..a4196c0 100644
--- a/repo/fsrepo/Makefile
+++ b/repo/fsrepo/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 CC = gcc
-CFLAGS = -O0 -I../../include -I../../../c-libp2p/include -I../../../lmdb/libraries/liblmdb -Wall
+CFLAGS = -O0 -I../../include -I../../../c-libp2p/include -I../../../lmdb/libraries/liblmdb -I../../../c-protobuf -Wall
 
 ifdef DEBUG
 CFLAGS += -g3
diff --git a/repo/fsrepo/lmdb_datastore.c b/repo/fsrepo/lmdb_datastore.c
index 62b29f5..9ac6e8d 100644
--- a/repo/fsrepo/lmdb_datastore.c
+++ b/repo/fsrepo/lmdb_datastore.c
@@ -175,10 +175,17 @@ int repo_fsrepo_lmdb_put(unsigned const char* key, size_t key_size, unsigned cha
  * @returns true(1) on success
  */
 int repo_fsrepo_lmdb_put_block(const struct Block* block, const struct Datastore* datastore) {
-
 	return repo_fsrepo_lmdb_put(block->cid->hash, block->cid->hash_length, block->data, block->data_length, datastore);
 }
 
+/***
+ * Save a node in the datastore
+ */
+int repo_fsrepo_lmdb_put_node(const struct Node* node, const struct Datastore* datastore) {
+	// first the links, then the data
+
+}
+
 /**
  * Open an lmdb database with the given parameters.
  * Note: for now, the parameters are not used
diff --git a/test/Makefile b/test/Makefile
index 9a247e6..c241eb0 100644
--- a/test/Makefile
+++ b/test/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 CC = gcc
-CFLAGS = -O0 -I../include -I../../c-libp2p/include -I../../c-multihash/include -I../../c-multiaddr/ -g3 -Wall
+CFLAGS = -O0 -I../include -I../../c-libp2p/include -I../../c-multihash/include -I../../c-multiaddr/ -I../../c-protobuf -g3 -Wall
 LFLAGS = -L../../c-libp2p -L../../c-multihash -L../../c-multiaddr -lp2p -lm -lmultihash -lmultiaddr -lpthread
 DEPS = cmd/ipfs/test_init.h repo/test_repo_bootstrap_peers.h repo/test_repo_config.h repo/test_repo_identity.h cid/test_cid.h
 OBJS = testit.o test_helper.o \
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ OBJS = testit.o test_helper.o \
 	../repo/config/config.o ../repo/config/identity.o \
 	../repo/config/bootstrap_peers.o ../repo/config/datastore.o ../repo/config/gateway.o \
 	../repo/config/addresses.o ../repo/config/swarm.o ../repo/config/peer.o \
-	../thirdparty/ipfsaddr/ipfs_addr.o
+	../thirdparty/ipfsaddr/ipfs_addr.o \
+	../../c-protobuf/protobuf.o ../../c-protobuf/varint.o
 
 %.o: %.c $(DEPS)
 	$(CC) -c -o $@ $< $(CFLAGS)
diff --git a/test/cid/test_cid.h b/test/cid/test_cid.h
index aa28841..8eb0d6f 100644
--- a/test/cid/test_cid.h
+++ b/test/cid/test_cid.h
@@ -106,3 +106,50 @@ int test_cid_cast_non_multihash() {
 	return 1;
 }
 
+int test_cid_protobuf_encode_decode() {
+	struct Cid tester;
+	tester.version = 1;
+	tester.codec = CID_ETHEREUM_BLOCK;
+	tester.hash = "ABC123";
+	tester.hash_length = 6;
+	size_t bytes_written_to_buffer;
+
+	// encode
+	size_t buffer_length = ipfs_cid_protobuf_encode_size(&tester);
+	unsigned char buffer[buffer_length];
+	ipfs_cid_protobuf_encode(&tester, buffer, buffer_length, &bytes_written_to_buffer);
+
+	// decode
+	struct Cid* results;
+	ipfs_cid_protobuf_decode(buffer, bytes_written_to_buffer, &results);
+
+	// compare
+	if (tester.version != results->version) {
+		printf("Version %d does not match version %d\n", tester.version, results->version);
+		ipfs_cid_free(results);
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	if (tester.codec != results->codec) {
+		printf("Codec %02x does not match %02x\n", tester.codec, results->codec);
+		ipfs_cid_free(results);
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	if (tester.hash_length != results->hash_length) {
+		printf("Hash length %d does not match %d\n", tester.hash_length, results->hash_length);
+		ipfs_cid_free(results);
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	for(int i = 0; i < 6; i++) {
+		if (tester.hash[i] != results->hash[i]) {
+			printf("Hash character %c does not match %c at position %d", tester.hash[i], results->hash[i], i);
+			ipfs_cid_free(results);
+			return 0;
+		}
+	}
+
+	ipfs_cid_free(results);
+	return 1;
+}
diff --git a/test/merkledag/test_merkledag.h b/test/merkledag/test_merkledag.h
index be26a9d..a6120cb 100644
--- a/test/merkledag/test_merkledag.h
+++ b/test/merkledag/test_merkledag.h
@@ -2,30 +2,35 @@
 #include "ipfs/node/node.h"
 #include "../test_helper.h"
 
-int test_merkledag_get_data() {
-	int retVal = 0;
-
+struct FSRepo* createAndOpenRepo(const char* dir) {
+	int retVal = 1;
 	// create a fresh repo
-	retVal = drop_and_build_repository("/tmp/.ipfs");
+	retVal = drop_and_build_repository(dir);
 	if (retVal == 0)
-		return 0;
+		return NULL;
 
 	// open the fs repo
 	struct RepoConfig* repo_config = NULL;
 	struct FSRepo* fs_repo;
-	const char* path = "/tmp/.ipfs";
 
 	// create the struct
-	retVal = ipfs_repo_fsrepo_new((char*)path, repo_config, &fs_repo);
+	retVal = ipfs_repo_fsrepo_new(dir, repo_config, &fs_repo);
 	if (retVal == 0)
-		return 0;
+		return NULL;
 
 	// open the repository and read the config file
 	retVal = ipfs_repo_fsrepo_open(fs_repo);
 	if (retVal == 0) {
 		ipfs_repo_fsrepo_free(fs_repo);
-		return 0;
+		return NULL;
 	}
+	return fs_repo;
+}
+
+int test_merkledag_get_data() {
+	int retVal = 0;
+
+	struct FSRepo* fs_repo = createAndOpenRepo("/tmp/.ipfs");
 
 	// create data for node
 	size_t binary_data_size = 256;
@@ -81,28 +86,10 @@ int test_merkledag_get_data() {
 int test_merkledag_add_data() {
 	int retVal = 0;
 
-	// create a fresh repo
-	retVal = drop_and_build_repository("/tmp/.ipfs");
-	if (retVal == 0)
+	struct FSRepo* fs_repo = createAndOpenRepo("/tmp.ipfs");
+	if (fs_repo == NULL)
 		return 0;
 
-	// open the fs repo
-	struct RepoConfig* repo_config = NULL;
-	struct FSRepo* fs_repo;
-	const char* path = "/tmp/.ipfs";
-
-	// create the struct
-	retVal = ipfs_repo_fsrepo_new((char*)path, repo_config, &fs_repo);
-	if (retVal == 0)
-		return 0;
-
-	// open the repository and read the config file
-	retVal = ipfs_repo_fsrepo_open(fs_repo);
-	if (retVal == 0) {
-		ipfs_repo_fsrepo_free(fs_repo);
-		return 0;
-	}
-
 	// get the size of the database
 	int start_file_size = os_utils_file_size("/tmp/.ipfs/datastore/data.mdb");
 
@@ -198,3 +185,63 @@ int test_merkledag_add_data() {
 
 	return 1;
 }
+
+/**
+ * Should save links
+ */
+int test_merkledag_add_node_with_links() {
+	int retVal = 0;
+	struct Link* link = NULL;
+	struct Node* node1 = NULL;
+
+	struct FSRepo* fs_repo = createAndOpenRepo("/tmp/.ipfs");
+	if (fs_repo == NULL) {
+		printf("Unable to create repo\n");
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	// make link
+	link = Create_Link("", "abc123");
+	node1 = N_Create_From_Link(link);
+
+	retVal = ipfs_merkledag_add(node1, fs_repo);
+	if (retVal == 0) {
+		ipfs_repo_fsrepo_free(fs_repo);
+		Node_Delete(node1);
+		printf("Unable to add node\n");
+		return 0;
+	}
+	// now look for it
+	struct Node* node2 = NULL;
+	retVal = ipfs_merkledag_get(node1->cached, &node2, fs_repo);
+	if (retVal == 0) {
+		ipfs_repo_fsrepo_free(fs_repo);
+		Node_Delete(node1);
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	if (node2->link_amount != node1->link_amount) {
+		ipfs_repo_fsrepo_free(fs_repo);
+		Node_Delete(node1);
+		Node_Delete(node2);
+		printf("Link number do not match. Should be %d and are %d\n", node1->link_amount, node2->link_amount);
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	// make sure hashes match
+	for(int i = 0; i < node1->links[0]->Lcid->hash_length; i++) {
+		if(node1->links[0]->Lcid->hash[i] != node2->links[0]->Lcid->hash[i]) {
+			ipfs_repo_fsrepo_free(fs_repo);
+			Node_Delete(node1);
+			Node_Delete(node2);
+			printf("Hashes do not match\n");
+			return 0;
+		}
+	}
+
+	Node_Delete(node1);
+	Node_Delete(node2);
+	ipfs_repo_fsrepo_free(fs_repo);
+
+	return 1;
+}
diff --git a/test/node/test_node.h b/test/node/test_node.h
index bdf89e9..940e9f7 100644
--- a/test/node/test_node.h
+++ b/test/node/test_node.h
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ int test_node() {
 	struct Link * ResultLink = Node_Get_Link(Mynode, "Simo");
 	printf("\nResultLink: \nName: %s\nHash: %s\n", ResultLink->name, ResultLink->Lcid->hash);
 	Node_Remove_Link("Simo", Mynode);
-	printf("Outlinkamt: %d\n", Mynode->link_ammount);
+	printf("Outlinkamt: %d\n", Mynode->link_amount);
 	Free_Link(mylink);
 	Free_Link(mylink2);
 	Free_Link(ResultLink);
diff --git a/test/storage/test_datastore.h b/test/storage/test_datastore.h
index f7d21a5..c879a91 100644
--- a/test/storage/test_datastore.h
+++ b/test/storage/test_datastore.h
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ int test_ipfs_datastore_put() {
 	const unsigned char* input = (unsigned char*)"Hello, world!";
 
 	// build the ipfs repository, then shut it down, so we can start fresh
-	drop_and_build_repository("/tmp/.ipfs");
+	retVal = drop_and_build_repository("/tmp/.ipfs");
 	if (retVal == 0)
 		return 0;
 
diff --git a/test/testit.c b/test/testit.c
index 8da3a93..68ed1e0 100644
--- a/test/testit.c
+++ b/test/testit.c
@@ -42,7 +42,9 @@ const char* names[] = {
 		"test_ipfs_datastore_put",
 		"test_node",
 		"test_merkledag_add_data",
-		"test_merkledag_get_data"
+		"test_merkledag_get_data",
+		"test_merkledag_add_node_with_links",
+		"test_cid_protobuf_encode_decode"
 };
 
 int (*funcs[])(void) = {
@@ -66,7 +68,9 @@ int (*funcs[])(void) = {
 		test_ipfs_datastore_put,
 		test_node,
 		test_merkledag_add_data,
-		test_merkledag_get_data
+		test_merkledag_get_data,
+		test_merkledag_add_node_with_links,
+		test_cid_protobuf_encode_decode,
 };
 
 /**