diff --git a/swarm/network/protocol.go b/swarm/network/protocol.go
index 66ae94a88..4b9b28cdc 100644
--- a/swarm/network/protocol.go
+++ b/swarm/network/protocol.go
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ const (
 // BzzSpec is the spec of the generic swarm handshake
 var BzzSpec = &protocols.Spec{
 	Name:       "bzz",
-	Version:    7,
+	Version:    8,
 	MaxMsgSize: 10 * 1024 * 1024,
 	Messages: []interface{}{
 		HandshakeMsg{},
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ var BzzSpec = &protocols.Spec{
 // DiscoverySpec is the spec for the bzz discovery subprotocols
 var DiscoverySpec = &protocols.Spec{
 	Name:       "hive",
-	Version:    6,
+	Version:    8,
 	MaxMsgSize: 10 * 1024 * 1024,
 	Messages: []interface{}{
 		peersMsg{},
diff --git a/swarm/network/protocol_test.go b/swarm/network/protocol_test.go
index f0d266628..53ceda744 100644
--- a/swarm/network/protocol_test.go
+++ b/swarm/network/protocol_test.go
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	TestProtocolVersion   = 7
+	TestProtocolVersion   = 8
 	TestProtocolNetworkID = 3
 )
 
diff --git a/swarm/network/stream/syncer_test.go b/swarm/network/stream/syncer_test.go
index df1a98c92..3e3cee18d 100644
--- a/swarm/network/stream/syncer_test.go
+++ b/swarm/network/stream/syncer_test.go
@@ -234,3 +234,170 @@ func testSyncBetweenNodes(t *testing.T, nodes, conns, chunkCount int, skipCheck
 		t.Fatal(result.Error)
 	}
 }
+
+//TestSameVersionID just checks that if the version is not changed,
+//then streamer peers see each other
+func TestSameVersionID(t *testing.T) {
+	//test version ID
+	v := uint(1)
+	sim := simulation.New(map[string]simulation.ServiceFunc{
+		"streamer": func(ctx *adapters.ServiceContext, bucket *sync.Map) (s node.Service, cleanup func(), err error) {
+			var store storage.ChunkStore
+			var datadir string
+
+			node := ctx.Config.Node()
+			addr := network.NewAddr(node)
+
+			store, datadir, err = createTestLocalStorageForID(node.ID(), addr)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, nil, err
+			}
+			bucket.Store(bucketKeyStore, store)
+			cleanup = func() {
+				store.Close()
+				os.RemoveAll(datadir)
+			}
+			localStore := store.(*storage.LocalStore)
+			netStore, err := storage.NewNetStore(localStore, nil)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, nil, err
+			}
+			bucket.Store(bucketKeyDB, netStore)
+			kad := network.NewKademlia(addr.Over(), network.NewKadParams())
+			delivery := NewDelivery(kad, netStore)
+			netStore.NewNetFetcherFunc = network.NewFetcherFactory(delivery.RequestFromPeers, true).New
+
+			bucket.Store(bucketKeyDelivery, delivery)
+
+			r := NewRegistry(addr.ID(), delivery, netStore, state.NewInmemoryStore(), &RegistryOptions{
+				Retrieval: RetrievalDisabled,
+				Syncing:   SyncingAutoSubscribe,
+			}, nil)
+			//assign to each node the same version ID
+			r.spec.Version = v
+
+			bucket.Store(bucketKeyRegistry, r)
+
+			return r, cleanup, nil
+
+		},
+	})
+	defer sim.Close()
+
+	//connect just two nodes
+	log.Info("Adding nodes to simulation")
+	_, err := sim.AddNodesAndConnectChain(2)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	log.Info("Starting simulation")
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	//make sure they have time to connect
+	time.Sleep(200 * time.Millisecond)
+	result := sim.Run(ctx, func(ctx context.Context, sim *simulation.Simulation) error {
+		//get the pivot node's filestore
+		nodes := sim.UpNodeIDs()
+
+		item, ok := sim.NodeItem(nodes[0], bucketKeyRegistry)
+		if !ok {
+			return fmt.Errorf("No filestore")
+		}
+		registry := item.(*Registry)
+
+		//the peers should connect, thus getting the peer should not return nil
+		if registry.getPeer(nodes[1]) == nil {
+			t.Fatal("Expected the peer to not be nil, but it is")
+		}
+		return nil
+	})
+	if result.Error != nil {
+		t.Fatal(result.Error)
+	}
+	log.Info("Simulation ended")
+}
+
+//TestDifferentVersionID proves that if the streamer protocol version doesn't match,
+//then the peers are not connected at streamer level
+func TestDifferentVersionID(t *testing.T) {
+	//create a variable to hold the version ID
+	v := uint(0)
+	sim := simulation.New(map[string]simulation.ServiceFunc{
+		"streamer": func(ctx *adapters.ServiceContext, bucket *sync.Map) (s node.Service, cleanup func(), err error) {
+			var store storage.ChunkStore
+			var datadir string
+
+			node := ctx.Config.Node()
+			addr := network.NewAddr(node)
+
+			store, datadir, err = createTestLocalStorageForID(node.ID(), addr)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, nil, err
+			}
+			bucket.Store(bucketKeyStore, store)
+			cleanup = func() {
+				store.Close()
+				os.RemoveAll(datadir)
+			}
+			localStore := store.(*storage.LocalStore)
+			netStore, err := storage.NewNetStore(localStore, nil)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, nil, err
+			}
+			bucket.Store(bucketKeyDB, netStore)
+			kad := network.NewKademlia(addr.Over(), network.NewKadParams())
+			delivery := NewDelivery(kad, netStore)
+			netStore.NewNetFetcherFunc = network.NewFetcherFactory(delivery.RequestFromPeers, true).New
+
+			bucket.Store(bucketKeyDelivery, delivery)
+
+			r := NewRegistry(addr.ID(), delivery, netStore, state.NewInmemoryStore(), &RegistryOptions{
+				Retrieval: RetrievalDisabled,
+				Syncing:   SyncingAutoSubscribe,
+			}, nil)
+
+			//increase the version ID for each node
+			v++
+			r.spec.Version = v
+
+			bucket.Store(bucketKeyRegistry, r)
+
+			return r, cleanup, nil
+
+		},
+	})
+	defer sim.Close()
+
+	//connect the nodes
+	log.Info("Adding nodes to simulation")
+	_, err := sim.AddNodesAndConnectChain(2)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	log.Info("Starting simulation")
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	//make sure they have time to connect
+	time.Sleep(200 * time.Millisecond)
+	result := sim.Run(ctx, func(ctx context.Context, sim *simulation.Simulation) error {
+		//get the pivot node's filestore
+		nodes := sim.UpNodeIDs()
+
+		item, ok := sim.NodeItem(nodes[0], bucketKeyRegistry)
+		if !ok {
+			return fmt.Errorf("No filestore")
+		}
+		registry := item.(*Registry)
+
+		//getting the other peer should fail due to the different version numbers
+		if registry.getPeer(nodes[1]) != nil {
+			t.Fatal("Expected the peer to be nil, but it is not")
+		}
+		return nil
+	})
+	if result.Error != nil {
+		t.Fatal(result.Error)
+	}
+	log.Info("Simulation ended")
+
+}