diff --git a/libp2p/multistreamselect.nim b/libp2p/multistreamselect.nim
index be5f66102..c9769fa72 100644
--- a/libp2p/multistreamselect.nim
+++ b/libp2p/multistreamselect.nim
@@ -7,11 +7,13 @@
 ## This file may not be copied, modified, or distributed except according to
 ## those terms.
 
-import sequtils
+import sequtils, strutils
 import chronos
 import connection, varint, vbuffer
 
+const MsgSize* = 64*1024
 const Codec* = "/multistream/1.0.0"
+const MultiCodec* = Codec & "\n"
 const Na = "na\n"
 const Ls = "ls\n"
 
@@ -32,44 +34,57 @@ type
     na*: seq[byte]
     ls*: seq[byte]
 
-proc lp*(data: string): seq[byte] =
-  var buf = initVBuffer(newSeq[byte](256))
+proc lp*(data: string, s: var seq[byte]): int =
+  var buf = initVBuffer(s)
   buf.writeSeq(data)
-  var lpData = newSeq[byte](buf.length)
-  if buf.readSeq(lpData) < 0:
-    raise newException(MultisteamSelectException, "Error: failed to lenght prefix")
-  result = lpData
+  buf.finish()
+  s = buf.buffer
 
 proc newMultistream*(): MultisteamSelect =
   new result
-  result.codec = lp(Codec & "\n")
-  result.na = lp(Na)
-  result.ls = lp(Ls)
+  result.codec = newSeq[byte]()
+  discard lp(MultiCodec, result.codec)
+
+  result.na = newSeq[byte]()
+  discard lp(Na, result.na)
+
+  result.ls = newSeq[byte]()
+  discard lp(Ls, result.ls)
 
 proc select*(m: MultisteamSelect, conn: Connection, proto: string): Future[bool] {.async.} = 
   ## select a remote protocol
-  await conn.write(m.codec)
-  await conn.write(lp(proto)) # select proto
+  await conn.write(m.codec) # write handshake
+  await conn.writeLp(proto) # select proto
+  var ms = cast[string](await conn.readLp())
+  echo MultiCodec
+  if ms != MultiCodec:
+    raise newException(MultisteamSelectException, 
+                       "Error: invalid multistream codec " & "\"" & ms & "\"")
 
-  let ms = await conn.readLine(0, "\n")
-  if ms != Codec: 
-    raise newException(MultisteamSelectException, "Error: invalid multistream codec" & $ms)
+  var msProto = cast[string](await conn.readLp())
+  msProto.removeSuffix("\n")
+  result = msProto == proto
 
-  let remote = await conn.readLine(0, "\n")
-  result = remote == proto
-
-proc ls*(m: MultisteamSelect): seq[string] {.async.} = 
+proc ls*(m: MultisteamSelect): Future[seq[string]] {.async.} = 
   ## list all remote protocol strings
   discard
 
-proc handle*(m: MultisteamSelect, conn: Connection) {.async.} =
-  ## handle requests on connection
-  discard
+# proc handle*(m: MultisteamSelect, conn: Connection) {.async.} =
+#   ## handle requests on connection
+#   await conn.write(m.codec)
 
-proc addHandle*(m: MultisteamSelect, 
-                proto: string, 
-                handler: Handler, 
-                matcher: Matcher = nil) = 
+#   let ms = await conn.readLine(0, "\n")
+#   if ms != MultiCodec:
+#     raise newException(MultisteamSelectException, 
+#                        "Error: invalid multistream codec " & "\"" & $ms & "\"")
+  
+#   let ms = await conn.readLine(0, "\n")
+
+
+proc addHandler*(m: MultisteamSelect, 
+                 proto: string, 
+                 handler: Handler, 
+                 matcher: Matcher = nil) = 
   ## register a handler for the protocol
   m.handlers.add(HandlerHolder(proto: proto, 
                                handler: handler, 
diff --git a/tests/testmultistreamselect.nim b/tests/testmultistreamselect.nim
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..17dce0475
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/testmultistreamselect.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+import unittest, strutils, sequtils
+import chronos
+import ../libp2p/connection, ../libp2p/multistreamselect, 
+  ../libp2p/readerwriter, ../libp2p/connection
+
+# custom select stream
+type
+  TestStream = ref object of ReadWrite
+    step*: int
+
+method readExactly*(s: TestStream, pbytes: pointer, nbytes: int): Future[void] {.async.} =
+  case s.step:
+    of 1:
+      var buf = newSeq[byte](1)
+      buf[0] = 19
+      copyMem(cast[pointer](cast[uint](pbytes)), addr buf[0], buf.len())
+      s.step = 2
+    of 2:
+      var buf = MultiCodec
+      copyMem(cast[pointer](cast[uint](pbytes)), addr buf[0], buf.len())
+      s.step = 3
+    of 3:
+      var buf = newSeq[byte](1)
+      buf[0] = 18
+      copyMem(cast[pointer](cast[uint](pbytes)), addr buf[0], buf.len())
+      s.step = 4
+    of 4:
+      var buf = "/test/proto/1.0.0\n"
+      copyMem(cast[pointer](cast[uint](pbytes)), addr buf[0], buf.len())
+    else: 
+      copyMem(cast[pointer](cast[uint](pbytes)), cstring("\0x3na\n"), "\0x3na\n".len())
+
+proc newTestStream(): TestStream =
+  new result
+  result.step = 1
+
+suite "Multistream select":
+  test "test select":
+    proc testSelect(): Future[bool] {.async.} =
+      let ms = newMultistream()
+      let conn = newConnection(newTestStream())
+      result = await ms.select(conn, "/test/proto/1.0.0")
+
+    check:
+      waitFor(testSelect()) == true
+  
+  # test "test handle":
+  #   proc testHandle(): Future[bool] {.async.} =
+  #     let ms = newMultistream()
+  #     let conn = newConnection(newTestStream())
+
+  #     proc testHandler(conn: Connection, proto: string): Future[void] =
+  #       check proto == "/test/proto/1.0.0"
+
+  #     ms.addHandler("/test/proto/1.0.0", testHandler)
+  #     await ms.handle(conn)
+
+  #   check:
+  #     waitFor(testHandle()) == true
\ No newline at end of file