diff --git a/core/types/block.go b/core/types/block.go
index 5cdde44620..d5cd8a21ea 100644
--- a/core/types/block.go
+++ b/core/types/block.go
@@ -148,6 +148,23 @@ func NewBlockWithHeader(header *Header) *Block {
 	return &Block{header: header}
 }
 
+func (self *Block) ValidateFields() error {
+	if self.header == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("header is nil")
+	}
+	for i, transaction := range self.transactions {
+		if transaction == nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("transaction %d is nil", i)
+		}
+	}
+	for i, uncle := range self.uncles {
+		if uncle == nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("uncle %d is nil", i)
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (self *Block) DecodeRLP(s *rlp.Stream) error {
 	var eb extblock
 	if err := s.Decode(&eb); err != nil {
diff --git a/eth/protocol.go b/eth/protocol.go
index e32ea233b0..a0ab177cdc 100644
--- a/eth/protocol.go
+++ b/eth/protocol.go
@@ -185,7 +185,10 @@ func (self *ethProtocol) handle() error {
 		if err := msg.Decode(&txs); err != nil {
 			return self.protoError(ErrDecode, "msg %v: %v", msg, err)
 		}
-		for _, tx := range txs {
+		for i, tx := range txs {
+			if tx == nil {
+				return self.protoError(ErrDecode, "transaction %d is nil", i)
+			}
 			jsonlogger.LogJson(&logger.EthTxReceived{
 				TxHash:   tx.Hash().Hex(),
 				RemoteId: self.peer.ID().String(),
@@ -268,6 +271,9 @@ func (self *ethProtocol) handle() error {
 					return self.protoError(ErrDecode, "msg %v: %v", msg, err)
 				}
 			}
+			if err := block.ValidateFields(); err != nil {
+				return self.protoError(ErrDecode, "block validation %v: %v", msg, err)
+			}
 			self.blockPool.AddBlock(&block, self.id)
 		}
 
@@ -276,6 +282,9 @@ func (self *ethProtocol) handle() error {
 		if err := msg.Decode(&request); err != nil {
 			return self.protoError(ErrDecode, "%v: %v", msg, err)
 		}
+		if err := request.Block.ValidateFields(); err != nil {
+			return self.protoError(ErrDecode, "block validation %v: %v", msg, err)
+		}
 		hash := request.Block.Hash()
 		_, chainHead, _ := self.chainManager.Status()
 
diff --git a/eth/protocol_test.go b/eth/protocol_test.go
index 8ca6d1be61..d3466326a6 100644
--- a/eth/protocol_test.go
+++ b/eth/protocol_test.go
@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ func (self *testChainManager) GetBlockHashesFromHash(hash common.Hash, amount ui
 func (self *testChainManager) Status() (td *big.Int, currentBlock common.Hash, genesisBlock common.Hash) {
 	if self.status != nil {
 		td, currentBlock, genesisBlock = self.status()
+	} else {
+		td = common.Big1
+		currentBlock = common.Hash{1}
+		genesisBlock = common.Hash{2}
 	}
 	return
 }
@@ -163,14 +167,29 @@ func (self *ethProtocolTester) run() {
 	self.quit <- err
 }
 
+func (self *ethProtocolTester) handshake(t *testing.T, mock bool) {
+	td, currentBlock, genesis := self.chainManager.Status()
+	// first outgoing msg should be StatusMsg.
+	err := p2p.ExpectMsg(self, StatusMsg, &statusMsgData{
+		ProtocolVersion: ProtocolVersion,
+		NetworkId:       NetworkId,
+		TD:              td,
+		CurrentBlock:    currentBlock,
+		GenesisBlock:    genesis,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("incorrect outgoing status: %v", err)
+	}
+	if mock {
+		go p2p.Send(self, StatusMsg, &statusMsgData{ProtocolVersion, NetworkId, td, currentBlock, genesis})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestStatusMsgErrors(t *testing.T) {
 	logInit()
 	eth := newEth(t)
-	td := common.Big1
-	currentBlock := common.Hash{1}
-	genesis := common.Hash{2}
-	eth.chainManager.status = func() (*big.Int, common.Hash, common.Hash) { return td, currentBlock, genesis }
 	go eth.run()
+	td, currentBlock, genesis := eth.chainManager.Status()
 
 	tests := []struct {
 		code          uint64
@@ -195,18 +214,7 @@ func TestStatusMsgErrors(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 	for _, test := range tests {
-		// first outgoing msg should be StatusMsg.
-		err := p2p.ExpectMsg(eth, StatusMsg, &statusMsgData{
-			ProtocolVersion: ProtocolVersion,
-			NetworkId:       NetworkId,
-			TD:              td,
-			CurrentBlock:    currentBlock,
-			GenesisBlock:    genesis,
-		})
-		if err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("incorrect outgoing status: %v", err)
-		}
-
+		eth.handshake(t, false)
 		// the send call might hang until reset because
 		// the protocol might not read the payload.
 		go p2p.Send(eth, test.code, test.data)
@@ -216,3 +224,177 @@ func TestStatusMsgErrors(t *testing.T) {
 		go eth.run()
 	}
 }
+
+func TestNewBlockMsg(t *testing.T) {
+	// logInit()
+	eth := newEth(t)
+
+	var disconnected bool
+	eth.blockPool.removePeer = func(peerId string) {
+		disconnected = true
+	}
+
+	go eth.run()
+
+	eth.handshake(t, true)
+	err := p2p.ExpectMsg(eth, TxMsg, []interface{}{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("transactions expected, got %v", err)
+	}
+
+	var tds = make(chan *big.Int)
+	eth.blockPool.addPeer = func(td *big.Int, currentBlock common.Hash, peerId string, requestHashes func(common.Hash) error, requestBlocks func([]common.Hash) error, peerError func(*errs.Error)) (best bool, suspended bool) {
+		tds <- td
+		return
+	}
+
+	var delay = 1 * time.Second
+	// eth.reset()
+	block := types.NewBlock(common.Hash{1}, common.Address{1}, common.Hash{1}, common.Big1, 1, "extra")
+
+	go p2p.Send(eth, NewBlockMsg, &newBlockMsgData{Block: block})
+	timer := time.After(delay)
+
+	select {
+	case td := <-tds:
+		if td.Cmp(common.Big0) != 0 {
+			t.Errorf("incorrect td %v, expected %v", td, common.Big0)
+		}
+	case <-timer:
+		t.Errorf("no td recorded after %v", delay)
+		return
+	case err := <-eth.quit:
+		t.Errorf("no error expected, got %v", err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	go p2p.Send(eth, NewBlockMsg, &newBlockMsgData{block, common.Big2})
+	timer = time.After(delay)
+
+	select {
+	case td := <-tds:
+		if td.Cmp(common.Big2) != 0 {
+			t.Errorf("incorrect td %v, expected %v", td, common.Big2)
+		}
+	case <-timer:
+		t.Errorf("no td recorded after %v", delay)
+		return
+	case err := <-eth.quit:
+		t.Errorf("no error expected, got %v", err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	go p2p.Send(eth, NewBlockMsg, []interface{}{})
+	// Block.DecodeRLP: validation failed: header is nil
+	eth.checkError(ErrDecode, delay)
+
+}
+
+func TestBlockMsg(t *testing.T) {
+	// logInit()
+	eth := newEth(t)
+	blocks := make(chan *types.Block)
+	eth.blockPool.addBlock = func(block *types.Block, peerId string) (err error) {
+		blocks <- block
+		return
+	}
+
+	var disconnected bool
+	eth.blockPool.removePeer = func(peerId string) {
+		disconnected = true
+	}
+
+	go eth.run()
+
+	eth.handshake(t, true)
+	err := p2p.ExpectMsg(eth, TxMsg, []interface{}{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("transactions expected, got %v", err)
+	}
+
+	var delay = 3 * time.Second
+	// eth.reset()
+	newblock := func(i int64) *types.Block {
+		return types.NewBlock(common.Hash{byte(i)}, common.Address{byte(i)}, common.Hash{byte(i)}, big.NewInt(i), uint64(i), string(i))
+	}
+	b := newblock(0)
+	b.Header().Difficulty = nil // check if nil as *big.Int decodes as 0
+	go p2p.Send(eth, BlocksMsg, types.Blocks{b, newblock(1), newblock(2)})
+	timer := time.After(delay)
+	for i := int64(0); i < 3; i++ {
+		select {
+		case block := <-blocks:
+			if (block.ParentHash() != common.Hash{byte(i)}) {
+				t.Errorf("incorrect block %v, expected %v", block.ParentHash(), common.Hash{byte(i)})
+			}
+			if block.Difficulty().Cmp(big.NewInt(i)) != 0 {
+				t.Errorf("incorrect block %v, expected %v", block.Difficulty(), big.NewInt(i))
+			}
+		case <-timer:
+			t.Errorf("no td recorded after %v", delay)
+			return
+		case err := <-eth.quit:
+			t.Errorf("no error expected, got %v", err)
+			return
+		}
+	}
+
+	go p2p.Send(eth, BlocksMsg, []interface{}{[]interface{}{}})
+	eth.checkError(ErrDecode, delay)
+	if !disconnected {
+		t.Errorf("peer not disconnected after error")
+	}
+
+	// test empty transaction
+	eth.reset()
+	go eth.run()
+	eth.handshake(t, true)
+	err = p2p.ExpectMsg(eth, TxMsg, []interface{}{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("transactions expected, got %v", err)
+	}
+	b = newblock(0)
+	b.AddTransaction(nil)
+	go p2p.Send(eth, BlocksMsg, types.Blocks{b})
+	eth.checkError(ErrDecode, delay)
+
+}
+
+func TestTransactionsMsg(t *testing.T) {
+	logInit()
+	eth := newEth(t)
+	txs := make(chan *types.Transaction)
+
+	eth.txPool.addTransactions = func(t []*types.Transaction) {
+		for _, tx := range t {
+			txs <- tx
+		}
+	}
+	go eth.run()
+
+	eth.handshake(t, true)
+	err := p2p.ExpectMsg(eth, TxMsg, []interface{}{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("transactions expected, got %v", err)
+	}
+
+	var delay = 3 * time.Second
+	tx := &types.Transaction{}
+
+	go p2p.Send(eth, TxMsg, []interface{}{tx, tx})
+	timer := time.After(delay)
+	for i := int64(0); i < 2; i++ {
+		select {
+		case <-txs:
+		case <-timer:
+			return
+		case err := <-eth.quit:
+			t.Errorf("no error expected, got %v", err)
+			return
+		}
+	}
+
+	go p2p.Send(eth, TxMsg, []interface{}{[]interface{}{}})
+	eth.checkError(ErrDecode, delay)
+
+}