diff --git a/include/libp2p/net/multistream.h b/include/libp2p/net/multistream.h
index ef4083c..cbf9464 100644
--- a/include/libp2p/net/multistream.h
+++ b/include/libp2p/net/multistream.h
@@ -14,6 +14,14 @@
  * So in short, much of this will change. But for now, think of it as a Proof of Concept.
  */
 
+
+/***
+ * The handler to handle calls to the protocol
+ * @param stream_context the context
+ * @returns the protocol handler
+ */
+struct Libp2pProtocolHandler* libp2p_net_multistream_build_protocol_handler(void* stream_context);
+
 /**
  * Read from a multistream socket
  * @param socket_fd the socket file descriptor
diff --git a/include/libp2p/net/protocol.h b/include/libp2p/net/protocol.h
index 579040f..21f50e3 100644
--- a/include/libp2p/net/protocol.h
+++ b/include/libp2p/net/protocol.h
@@ -35,4 +35,10 @@ struct Libp2pProtocolHandler {
 	int (*Shutdown)(void* protocol_context);
 };
 
+/**
+ * Allocate resources for a new Libp2pProtocolHandler
+ * @returns an allocated struct
+ */
+struct Libp2pProtocolHandler* libp2p_protocol_handler_new();
+
 int libp2p_protocol_marshal(const uint8_t* incoming, size_t incoming_size, struct SessionContext* context, struct Libp2pVector* protocol_handlers);
diff --git a/include/libp2p/secio/secio.h b/include/libp2p/secio/secio.h
index 73b0c7b..8e9a0dd 100644
--- a/include/libp2p/secio/secio.h
+++ b/include/libp2p/secio/secio.h
@@ -32,3 +32,16 @@ int libp2p_secio_handshake(struct SessionContext* session, struct RsaPrivateKey*
  * @returns true(1) on success, false(0) otherwise
  */
 int libp2p_secio_initiate_handshake(struct SessionContext* session_context, struct RsaPrivateKey* private_key, struct Peerstore* peer_store);
+
+/***
+ * Send the protocol string to the remote stream
+ * @param session the context
+ * @returns true(1) on success, false(0) otherwise
+ */
+int libp2p_secio_send_protocol(struct SessionContext* session);
+/***
+ * Attempt to read the secio protocol as a reply from the remote
+ * @param session the context
+ * @returns true(1) if we received what we think we should have, false(0) otherwise
+ */
+int libp2p_secio_receive_protocol(struct SessionContext* session);
diff --git a/net/multistream.c b/net/multistream.c
index 31bdaad..097bd51 100644
--- a/net/multistream.c
+++ b/net/multistream.c
@@ -23,6 +23,43 @@ int multistream_default_timeout = 5;
  * An implementation of the libp2p multistream
  */
 
+int libp2p_net_multistream_can_handle(const uint8_t *incoming, const size_t incoming_size) {
+	char *protocol = "/multistream/1.0.0\n";
+	int protocol_size = strlen(protocol);
+	// is there a varint in front?
+	size_t num_bytes = 0;
+	varint_decode(incoming, incoming_size, &num_bytes);
+	if (incoming_size >= protocol_size - num_bytes) {
+		if (strncmp(protocol, (char*) &incoming[num_bytes], protocol_size) == 0)
+			return 1;
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int libp2p_net_multistream_handle_message(const uint8_t *incoming, size_t incoming_size, struct SessionContext* context, void* protocol_context) {
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int libp2p_net_multistream_shutdown(void* protocol_context) {
+	return 1;
+}
+
+/***
+ * The handler to handle calls to the protocol
+ * @param stream_context the context
+ * @returns the protocol handler
+ */
+struct Libp2pProtocolHandler* libp2p_net_multistream_build_protocol_handler(void* stream_context) {
+	struct Libp2pProtocolHandler *handler = libp2p_protocol_handler_new();
+	if (handler != NULL) {
+		handler->context = stream_context;
+		handler->CanHandle = libp2p_net_multistream_can_handle;
+		handler->HandleMessage = libp2p_net_multistream_handle_message;
+		handler->Shutdown = libp2p_net_multistream_shutdown;
+	}
+	return handler;
+}
+
 /***
  * Close the Multistream interface
  * NOTE: This also closes the socket
diff --git a/net/protocol.c b/net/protocol.c
index f7b0846..2f5ec6c 100644
--- a/net/protocol.c
+++ b/net/protocol.c
@@ -20,6 +20,21 @@ const struct Libp2pProtocolHandler* protocol_compare(const unsigned char* incomi
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Allocate resources for a new Libp2pProtocolHandler
+ * @returns an allocated struct
+ */
+struct Libp2pProtocolHandler* libp2p_protocol_handler_new() {
+	struct Libp2pProtocolHandler* h = (struct Libp2pProtocolHandler*) malloc(sizeof(struct Libp2pProtocolHandler));
+	if (h != NULL) {
+		h->CanHandle = NULL;
+		h->HandleMessage = NULL;
+		h->Shutdown = NULL;
+		h->context = NULL;
+	}
+	return h;
+}
+
 /***
  * Handle an incoming message
  * @param incoming the incoming data
diff --git a/secio/secio.c b/secio/secio.c
index 149d346..67bd05a 100644
--- a/secio/secio.c
+++ b/secio/secio.c
@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@ int libp2p_secio_can_handle(const uint8_t* incoming, size_t incoming_size) {
 int libp2p_secio_handle_message(const uint8_t* incoming, size_t incoming_size, struct SessionContext* session_context, void* protocol_context) {
 	libp2p_logger_debug("secio", "Handling incoming secio message.\n");
 	struct SecioContext* ctx = (struct SecioContext*)protocol_context;
+	// send them the protocol
+	if (!libp2p_secio_send_protocol(session_context))
+		return -1;
 	int retVal = libp2p_secio_handshake(session_context, ctx->private_key, ctx->peer_store);
 	if (retVal)
 		return 0;
@@ -79,13 +82,10 @@ int libp2p_secio_shutdown(void* context) {
  * @returns true(1) on success, false(0) otherwise
  */
 int libp2p_secio_initiate_handshake(struct SessionContext* session_context, struct RsaPrivateKey* private_key, struct Peerstore* peer_store) {
-	// send the protocol id first
-	const unsigned char* protocol = (unsigned char*)"/ipfs/secio/1.0.0\n";
-	int protocol_len = strlen((char*)protocol);
-	if (!session_context->default_stream->write(session_context, protocol, protocol_len))
-		return 0;
-	return libp2p_secio_handshake(session_context, private_key, peer_store);
-
+	if (libp2p_secio_send_protocol(session_context) && libp2p_secio_receive_protocol(session_context)) {
+		return libp2p_secio_handshake(session_context, private_key, peer_store);
+	}
+	return 0;
 }
 
 struct Libp2pProtocolHandler* libp2p_secio_build_protocol_handler(struct RsaPrivateKey* private_key, struct Peerstore* peer_store) {
@@ -628,6 +628,35 @@ int libp2p_secio_unencrypted_read(struct SessionContext* session, unsigned char*
 	return buffer_size;
 }
 
+/***
+ * Send the protocol string to the remote stream
+ * @param session the context
+ * @returns true(1) on success, false(0) otherwise
+ */
+int libp2p_secio_send_protocol(struct SessionContext* session) {
+	char* protocol = "/secio/1.0.0\n";
+	int protocol_len = strlen(protocol);
+	return session->default_stream->write(session, (unsigned char *)protocol, protocol_len);
+}
+
+/***
+ * Attempt to read the secio protocol as a reply from the remote
+ * @param session the context
+ * @returns true(1) if we received what we think we should have, false(0) otherwise
+ */
+int libp2p_secio_receive_protocol(struct SessionContext* session) {
+	char* protocol = "/secio/1.0.0\n";
+	int numSecs = 30;
+	unsigned char* buffer = NULL;
+	size_t buffer_size = 0;
+	int retVal = session->default_stream->read(session, &buffer, &buffer_size, numSecs);
+	if (retVal == 0 || buffer != NULL) {
+		if (strncmp(protocol, (char*)buffer, strlen(protocol)) == 0)
+			return 1;
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
+
 /**
  * Initialize state for the sha256 stream cipher
  * @param session the SessionContext struct that contains the variables to initialize