diff --git a/include/libp2p/secio/secio.h b/include/libp2p/secio/secio.h
index 5f4fb7c..5c3f3e6 100644
--- a/include/libp2p/secio/secio.h
+++ b/include/libp2p/secio/secio.h
@@ -21,4 +21,4 @@ struct Libp2pProtocolHandler* libp2p_secio_build_protocol_handler(struct RsaPriv
  * @param remote_requested the other side is who asked for the upgrade
  * @returns true(1) on success, false(0) otherwise
  */
-int libp2p_secio_handshake(struct SessionContext* session, struct RsaPrivateKey* private_key, struct Peerstore* peerstore, const uint8_t* buffer, size_t buffer_size);
+int libp2p_secio_handshake(struct SessionContext* session, struct RsaPrivateKey* private_key, struct Peerstore* peerstore);
diff --git a/peer/peer.c b/peer/peer.c
index 3f1cf65..09cc4b9 100644
--- a/peer/peer.c
+++ b/peer/peer.c
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ int libp2p_peer_connect(struct RsaPrivateKey* privateKey, struct Libp2pPeer* pee
 				peer->sessionContext->default_stream = peer->sessionContext->insecure_stream;
 				peer->connection_type = CONNECTION_TYPE_CONNECTED;
 			}
-			libp2p_secio_handshake(peer->sessionContext, privateKey, peerstore, NULL, 0);
+			libp2p_secio_handshake(peer->sessionContext, privateKey, peerstore);
 			free(ip);
 		} // is IP
 		now = time(NULL);
diff --git a/secio/secio.c b/secio/secio.c
index 49e9143..0f11788 100644
--- a/secio/secio.c
+++ b/secio/secio.c
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ 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) {
 	struct SecioContext* ctx = (struct SecioContext*)protocol_context;
-	return libp2p_secio_handshake(session_context, ctx->private_key, ctx->peer_store, incoming, incoming_size);
+	return libp2p_secio_handshake(session_context, ctx->private_key, ctx->peer_store);
 }
 
 int libp2p_secio_shutdown(void* context) {
@@ -802,7 +802,7 @@ struct Propose* libp2p_secio_get_propose_in(const uint8_t* buffer, size_t buffer
  * @param remote_requested it is the other side that requested the upgrade to secio
  * @returns true(1) on success, false(0) otherwise
  */
-int libp2p_secio_handshake(struct SessionContext* local_session, struct RsaPrivateKey* private_key, struct Peerstore* peerstore, const uint8_t* incoming, size_t incoming_size) {
+int libp2p_secio_handshake(struct SessionContext* local_session, struct RsaPrivateKey* private_key, struct Peerstore* peerstore) {
 	int retVal = 0;
 	size_t results_size = 0, bytes_written = 0;
 	unsigned char* propose_in_bytes = NULL; // the remote protobuf
@@ -886,20 +886,15 @@ int libp2p_secio_handshake(struct SessionContext* local_session, struct RsaPriva
 		libp2p_logger_error("secio", "Sent propose_out, but did not write the correct number of bytes. Should be %d but was %d.\n", propose_out_size, bytes_written);
 	}
 
-	if (incoming_size > 0) {
-		propose_in_bytes = (uint8_t*)incoming;
-		propose_in_size = incoming_size;
-	} else {
-		bytes_written = libp2p_secio_unencrypted_read(local_session, &propose_in_bytes, &propose_in_size, 10);
-		if (bytes_written <= 0)
-				goto exit;
+	// try to get the Propse struct from the remote peer
+	bytes_written = libp2p_secio_unencrypted_read(local_session, &propose_in_bytes, &propose_in_size, 10);
+	if (bytes_written <= 0) {
+		libp2p_logger_error("secio", "Unable to get the remote's Propose struct.\n");
+		goto exit;
 	}
 	propose_in = libp2p_secio_get_propose_in(propose_in_bytes, propose_in_size);
 	if (propose_in == NULL) {
-		libp2p_logger_error("secio", "Unable to get the remote's Propose struct\n");
-		if (incoming_size == 0) {
-			free(propose_in_bytes);
-		}
+		libp2p_logger_error("secio", "Unable to un-protobuf the remote's Propose struct\n");
 		goto exit;
 	}
 
@@ -1125,7 +1120,8 @@ int libp2p_secio_handshake(struct SessionContext* local_session, struct RsaPriva
 
 	libp2p_logger_log("secio", LOGLEVEL_DEBUG, "Handshake complete\n");
 	exit:
-
+	if (propose_in_bytes != NULL)
+		free(propose_in_bytes);
 	if (propose_out_bytes != NULL)
 		free(propose_out_bytes);
 	if (results != NULL)
diff --git a/test/test_secio.h b/test/test_secio.h
index 565c928..772ad01 100644
--- a/test/test_secio.h
+++ b/test/test_secio.h
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ int test_secio_handshake() {
 		goto exit;
 	}
 
-	if (!libp2p_secio_handshake(&secure_session, rsa_private_key, NULL, NULL, 0)) {
+	if (!libp2p_secio_handshake(&secure_session, rsa_private_key, NULL)) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "test_secio_handshake: Unable to do handshake\n");
 		fprintf(stdout, "Shared key: ");
 		for(int i = 0; i < secure_session.shared_key_size; i++)