diff --git a/llarp/link/link_manager.cpp b/llarp/link/link_manager.cpp
index 5f5518206..51024722c 100644
--- a/llarp/link/link_manager.cpp
+++ b/llarp/link/link_manager.cpp
@@ -792,14 +792,17 @@ namespace llarp
     assert(_router.is_service_node());
     log::critical(logcat, "Handling fetch bootstrap fetch request...");
 
-    RemoteRC remote;
+    std::optional<RemoteRC> remote;
     size_t quantity;
 
     try
     {
       oxenc::bt_dict_consumer btdc{m.body()};
-      btdc.required("local");
-      remote = RemoteRC{btdc.consume_dict_data()};
+      if (btdc.skip_until("local"))
+        remote.emplace(btdc.consume_dict_data());
+      
+      // btdc.required("local");
+      // remote = RemoteRC{btdc.consume_dict_data()};
       quantity = btdc.require<size_t>("quantity");
     }
     catch (const std::exception& e)
@@ -808,27 +811,30 @@ namespace llarp
       m.respond(messages::ERROR_RESPONSE, true);
       return;
     }
-
-    auto is_seed = _router.is_bootstrap_seed();
-    auto& rid = remote.router_id();
-
-    // TODO: if we are not the seed, how do we check the requester
-    if (is_seed)
+    
+    if (remote)
     {
-      // we already insert the
-      auto& registered = node_db->registered_routers();
+      auto is_snode = _router.is_service_node();
+      auto& rid = remote->router_id();
 
-      if (auto itr = registered.find(rid); itr != registered.end())
+      if (is_snode)
       {
-        log::critical(
-            logcat,
-            "Bootstrap seed confirmed RID:{} is registered; approving fetch request and "
-            "saving RC!",
-            rid);
-        node_db->verify_gossip_bfetch_rc(remote);
+        // we already insert the
+        auto& registered = node_db->registered_routers();
+
+        if (auto itr = registered.find(rid); itr != registered.end())
+        {
+          log::critical(
+              logcat,
+              "Bootstrap node confirmed RID:{} is registered; approving fetch request and "
+              "saving RC!",
+              rid);
+          node_db->verify_gossip_bfetch_rc(*remote);
+        }
       }
     }
 
+
     auto& src = node_db->get_known_rcs();
     auto count = src.size();
 
diff --git a/llarp/messages/fetch.hpp b/llarp/messages/fetch.hpp
index 95a6018aa..d80839f4a 100644
--- a/llarp/messages/fetch.hpp
+++ b/llarp/messages/fetch.hpp
@@ -62,12 +62,16 @@ namespace llarp
   {
     // the LocalRC is converted to a RemoteRC type to send to the bootstrap seed
     inline static std::string
-    serialize(const LocalRC& local_rc, size_t quantity)
+    serialize(std::optional<LocalRC> local_rc, size_t quantity)
     {
       oxenc::bt_dict_producer btdp;
-      btdp.append_encoded("local", oxen::quic::to_sv(local_rc.view()));
-      log::critical(logcat, "Serializing localRC: {}", oxenc::to_hex(local_rc.view()));
+      
+      if (local_rc)
+        btdp.append_encoded("local", oxen::quic::to_sv(local_rc->view()));
+      
+      log::critical(logcat, "Serializing localRC: {}", oxenc::to_hex(local_rc->view()));
       btdp.append("quantity", quantity);
+      
       return std::move(btdp).str();
     }
 
diff --git a/llarp/nodedb.cpp b/llarp/nodedb.cpp
index 12ea089eb..81c51211d 100644
--- a/llarp/nodedb.cpp
+++ b/llarp/nodedb.cpp
@@ -653,12 +653,18 @@ namespace llarp
 
     log::critical(logcat, "Dispatching BootstrapRC fetch request to {}", fetch_source);
 
-    auto num_needed = _router.is_service_node() ? SERVICE_NODE_BOOTSTRAP_SOURCE_COUNT
+    auto is_snode = _router.is_service_node();
+
+    auto num_needed = is_snode ? SERVICE_NODE_BOOTSTRAP_SOURCE_COUNT
                                                 : CLIENT_BOOTSTRAP_SOURCE_COUNT;
 
     _router.link_manager().fetch_bootstrap_rcs(
         rc,
-        BootstrapFetchMessage::serialize(_router.router_contact, num_needed),
+        BootstrapFetchMessage::serialize(
+            is_snode ?
+            std::make_optional(_router.router_contact) :
+            std::nullopt, 
+            num_needed),
         [this, is_snode = _router.is_service_node()](oxen::quic::message m) mutable {
           log::critical(logcat, "Received response to BootstrapRC fetch request...");