diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index ff4daae..893698e 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+
+DEBUG = true
+export DEBUG
+
 OBJS = crypto/rsa.o crypto/encoding/asn1.o crypto/encoding/base58.o crypto/encoding/base64.o \
 	crypto/encoding/x509.o thirdparty/mbedtls/*.o
 
@@ -17,4 +21,4 @@ clean:
 	cd thirdparty; make clean
 	cd test; make clean;
 	rm -rf libp2p.a
-	
\ No newline at end of file
+
diff --git a/crypto/Makefile b/crypto/Makefile
index 7a53625..f6c6c67 100644
--- a/crypto/Makefile
+++ b/crypto/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 CC = gcc
-CFLAGS = -O0 -I../include
+CFLAGS = -O0 -I../include -g3
 LFLAGS =
 DEPS = 
 OBJS = rsa.o
diff --git a/crypto/encoding/Makefile b/crypto/encoding/Makefile
index b492ef3..95cf94d 100644
--- a/crypto/encoding/Makefile
+++ b/crypto/encoding/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 CC = gcc
-CFLAGS = -O0 -I../../include
+CFLAGS = -O0 -I../../include -g3
 LFLAGS =
 DEPS = 
 OBJS = asn1.o base58.o base64.o x509.o
diff --git a/crypto/rsa.c b/crypto/rsa.c
index 91f2c1e..899c81b 100644
--- a/crypto/rsa.c
+++ b/crypto/rsa.c
@@ -19,7 +19,47 @@
 #include "mbedtls/bignum.h"
 #include "mbedtls/x509.h"
 #include "mbedtls/rsa.h"
+#include "mbedtls/asn1write.h"
 
+/**
+ * Take an rsa context and turn it into a der formatted byte stream.
+ * NOTE: the stream starts from the right. So there could be a lot of padding in front.
+ * Pay attention to the returned size to cut the padding.
+ * @param rsa the rsa key to encode
+ * @param buf where to put the bytes
+ * @param size the max size of the buffer. The actual size used is returned in this value
+ * @returns true(1) on success, else 0
+ */
+int libp2p_crypto_rsa_write_key_der( mbedtls_rsa_context *rsa, unsigned char *buf, size_t* size )
+{
+    int ret;
+    unsigned char *c = buf + *size;
+    size_t len = 0;
+
+    MBEDTLS_ASN1_CHK_ADD( len, mbedtls_asn1_write_mpi( &c, buf, &rsa->QP ) );
+    MBEDTLS_ASN1_CHK_ADD( len, mbedtls_asn1_write_mpi( &c, buf, &rsa->DQ ) );
+    MBEDTLS_ASN1_CHK_ADD( len, mbedtls_asn1_write_mpi( &c, buf, &rsa->DP ) );
+    MBEDTLS_ASN1_CHK_ADD( len, mbedtls_asn1_write_mpi( &c, buf, &rsa->Q ) );
+    MBEDTLS_ASN1_CHK_ADD( len, mbedtls_asn1_write_mpi( &c, buf, &rsa->P ) );
+    MBEDTLS_ASN1_CHK_ADD( len, mbedtls_asn1_write_mpi( &c, buf, &rsa->D ) );
+    MBEDTLS_ASN1_CHK_ADD( len, mbedtls_asn1_write_mpi( &c, buf, &rsa->E ) );
+    MBEDTLS_ASN1_CHK_ADD( len, mbedtls_asn1_write_mpi( &c, buf, &rsa->N ) );
+    MBEDTLS_ASN1_CHK_ADD( len, mbedtls_asn1_write_int( &c, buf, 0 ) );
+
+    MBEDTLS_ASN1_CHK_ADD( len, mbedtls_asn1_write_len( &c, buf, len ) );
+    MBEDTLS_ASN1_CHK_ADD( len, mbedtls_asn1_write_tag( &c, buf, MBEDTLS_ASN1_CONSTRUCTED |
+                                                    MBEDTLS_ASN1_SEQUENCE ) );
+
+    *size = len;
+    return 1;
+}
+
+/***
+ * Generate an RSA keypair of a certain size, and place the results in the struct
+ * @param private_key where to put the results
+ * @param num_bits_for_keypair the number of bits for the key, 1024 is the minimum
+ * @returns true(1) on success
+ */
 int crypto_rsa_generate_keypair(struct RsaPrivateKey* private_key, unsigned long num_bits_for_keypair) {
 	
 	mbedtls_rsa_context rsa;
@@ -29,6 +69,8 @@ int crypto_rsa_generate_keypair(struct RsaPrivateKey* private_key, unsigned long
 	int exponent = 65537;
 	int retVal = 1;
 	
+	unsigned char* buffer;
+
 	const char *pers = "rsa_genkey";
 	
 	// initialize mbedtls structs
@@ -65,20 +107,24 @@ int crypto_rsa_generate_keypair(struct RsaPrivateKey* private_key, unsigned long
 	private_key->P = *(rsa.P.p);
 	private_key->Q = *(rsa.Q.p);
 	private_key->QP = *(rsa.QP.p);
-	/*
-	private_key->public_key.modulus = *(rsa.N.p);
-	private_key->public_key.exponent = *(rsa.E.p);
-	private_key->prime1 = *(rsa.DP.p);
-	private_key->prime2 = *(rsa.Q.p);
-	private_key->private_exponent = *(rsa.D.p);
+
+	size_t buffer_size = 1600;
+	buffer = malloc(sizeof(char) * buffer_size);
+	retVal = libp2p_crypto_rsa_write_key_der(&rsa, buffer, &buffer_size);
+	if (retVal == 0)
+		return 0;
+
+	// allocate memory for the der
+	private_key->der = malloc(sizeof(char) * buffer_size);
+	private_key->der_length = buffer_size;
+	// add in the der to the buffer
+	memcpy(private_key->der, &buffer[1600-buffer_size], buffer_size);
+
+	//TODO: Add the peer id
 	
-	//TODO: fill in the rest of the precomputed values
-	private_key->precomputed_values.dp = *(rsa.DP.p);
-	private_key->precomputed_values.dq = *(rsa.DQ.p);
-	*/
-	retVal = 1;
 exit:
-	
+	if (buffer != NULL)
+		free(buffer);
 	mbedtls_rsa_free( &rsa );
 	mbedtls_ctr_drbg_free( &ctr_drbg );
 	mbedtls_entropy_free( &entropy );
@@ -86,14 +132,13 @@ exit:
 	return retVal;
 }
 
-/**
- * convert a struct RsaPublicKey into a stream of bytes compatible with x509 PKI
- * @param public_key the public key struct
- * @param bytes the results
- * @param bytes_size the length of the results
+/***
+ * Free resources used by RsaPrivateKey
+ * @param private_key the resources
+ * @returns 0
  */
-int crypto_rsa_public_key_bytes(struct RsaPublicKey* public_key, char** bytes, unsigned long long* bytes_size) {
-	// marshal to x509
-	return 0;
+int crypto_rsa_rsa_private_key_free(struct RsaPrivateKey* private_key) {
+	if (private_key->der != NULL)
+		free(private_key->der);
 }
 
diff --git a/include/libp2p/crypto/rsa.h b/include/libp2p/crypto/rsa.h
index 2f3d8bc..22cadf7 100644
--- a/include/libp2p/crypto/rsa.h
+++ b/include/libp2p/crypto/rsa.h
@@ -9,32 +9,9 @@
 #ifndef rsa_h
 #define rsa_h
 
-struct RsaPublicKey {
-	unsigned long long modulus;
-	unsigned long long exponent;
-};
-
-struct CRTValue {
-	unsigned long long exponent;
-	unsigned long long coefficient;
-	unsigned long long r;
-};
-
-struct PrecomputedValues {
-	unsigned long long dp;
-	unsigned long long dq;
-	unsigned long long q_inv;
-	struct CRTValue** crt_values;
-};
+#include <stddef.h>
 
 struct RsaPrivateKey {
-	/* The old
-	struct RsaPublicKey public_key;
-	unsigned long long private_exponent;
-	unsigned long long prime1;
-	unsigned long long prime2;
-	struct PrecomputedValues precomputed_values;
-	*/
 	unsigned long long QP;
 	unsigned long long DQ;
 	unsigned long long DP;
@@ -43,6 +20,8 @@ struct RsaPrivateKey {
 	unsigned long long D;
 	unsigned long long E;
 	unsigned long long N;
+	char* der;
+	size_t der_length;
 };
 
 /**
@@ -53,13 +32,11 @@ struct RsaPrivateKey {
  */
 int crypto_rsa_generate_keypair(struct RsaPrivateKey* private_key, unsigned long num_bits_for_keypair);
 
-/**
- * convert a struct RsaPublicKey into a stream of bytes compatible with x509 PKI
- * @param public_key the public key struct
- * @param bytes the results
- * @param bytes_size the length of the results
+/***
+ * Free resources used by RsaPrivateKey
+ * @param private_key the resources
+ * @returns 0
  */
-int crypto_rsa_public_key_bytes(struct RsaPublicKey* public_key, char** bytes, unsigned long long* bytes_size);
-
+int crypto_rsa_rsa_private_key_free(struct RsaPrivateKey* private_key);
 
 #endif /* rsa_h */
diff --git a/test/Makefile b/test/Makefile
index 6c212ce..3101eae 100644
--- a/test/Makefile
+++ b/test/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 CC = gcc
-CFLAGS = -O0 -I../include -I. -g3
+CFLAGS = -O0 -I../include -I.
+
+ifdef DEBUG
+CFLAGS += -g3
+endif
+
 LFLAGS = -L../
 DEPS = crypto/test_base58.h crypto/test_mbedtls.h crypto/test_rsa.h
 OBJS = testit.o 
@@ -14,4 +19,4 @@ all: testit_libp2p
 
 clean:
 	rm -f *.o
-	rm testit_libp2p
+	rm -f testit_libp2p
diff --git a/test/crypto/test_base58.h b/test/crypto/test_base58.h
index f0e56dc..f564b22 100644
--- a/test/crypto/test_base58.h
+++ b/test/crypto/test_base58.h
@@ -79,14 +79,23 @@ int test_base58_peer_address() {
 	size_t result_buffer_length = libp2p_crypto_encoding_base58_decode_max_size(x_data);
 	unsigned char result_buffer[result_buffer_length];
 	unsigned char* ptr_to_result = result_buffer;
+	memset(result_buffer, 0, result_buffer_length);
 	// now get the decoded address
 	int return_value = libp2p_crypto_encoding_base58_decode(x_data, x_data_length, &ptr_to_result, &result_buffer_length);
 	if (return_value == 0)
 		return 0;
+	// add 2 bytes to the front for the varint
+	unsigned char final_result[result_buffer_length + 2];
+	// TODO: put the 2 bytes of your varint here, and erase the memset line below.
+	memset(final_result, 0, 2);
+	memcpy(&(final_result[2]), result_buffer, result_buffer_length);
 	// throw everything in a hex string so we can debug the results
-	//for(int i = 0; i < x_data_length; i++)
-	//	printf("%02x", result_buffer[i]);
-	//printf("\n");
+	for(int i = 0; i < result_buffer_length + 2; i++) {
+		// get the char so we can see it in the debugger
+		unsigned char c = final_result[i];
+		printf("%02x", c);
+	}
+	printf("\n");
 	return 1;
 }
 
diff --git a/test/crypto/test_rsa.h b/test/crypto/test_rsa.h
index 6196ed5..bfcf853 100644
--- a/test/crypto/test_rsa.h
+++ b/test/crypto/test_rsa.h
@@ -18,34 +18,17 @@
 #include "libp2p/crypto/encoding/x509.h"
 
 /**
- * attempt to take a known public key in bytes and convert to bytes compatible with go's version of PKIX
+ * make sure we can get a DER formatted result
  */
-int test_crypto_rsa_public_key_bytes() {
-	// first we need a public key
+int test_crypto_rsa_private_key_der() {
+
 	struct RsaPrivateKey private_key;
-	
 	crypto_rsa_generate_keypair(&private_key, 2048);
-	// save it to a text file (converting the primes to text)
-	FILE* temp_file = fopen("/tmp/public_key.txt", "w");
-	fprintf(temp_file, "%llu\n", private_key.P);
-	fprintf(temp_file, "%llu\n", private_key.E);
-	fprintf(temp_file, "%llu", private_key.Q);
-	fclose(temp_file);
-	// TODO: get what go produces
-	// compare what go produces to ours.
-	return 0;
-}
-
-int test_crypto_x509_private_to_der() {
-
-	struct RsaPrivateKey private_key;
-	private_key.P = 6908992579533823845;
-	private_key.E = 65537;
-	//crypto_rsa_generate_keypair(&private_key, 2048);
 	
-	unsigned char buffer[1600];
-	unsigned char* c = buffer;
-	libp2p_crypto_encoding_x509_private_key_to_der(&private_key, &c);
+	if (private_key.der_length == 0)
+		return 0;
+	if (private_key.der == NULL)
+		return 0;
 	return 1;
 }