diff --git a/state.go b/state.go
index d8914c3..22182cb 100644
--- a/state.go
+++ b/state.go
@@ -151,11 +151,14 @@ func NewHandshakeState(c Config) *HandshakeState {
 		s:               c.StaticKeypair,
 		e:               c.EphemeralKeypair,
 		rs:              c.PeerStatic,
-		re:              c.PeerEphemeral,
 		messagePatterns: c.Pattern.Messages,
 		shouldWrite:     c.Initiator,
 		rng:             c.Random,
 	}
+	if len(c.PeerEphemeral) > 0 {
+		hs.re = make([]byte, len(c.PeerEphemeral))
+		copy(hs.re, c.PeerEphemeral)
+	}
 	hs.SymmetricState.cs = c.CipherSuite
 	namePrefix := "Noise_"
 	if len(c.PresharedKey) > 0 {