diff --git a/llarp/iwp/session.cpp b/llarp/iwp/session.cpp
index 7a7ccabef..864b25cac 100644
--- a/llarp/iwp/session.cpp
+++ b/llarp/iwp/session.cpp
@@ -596,6 +596,7 @@ namespace llarp
         }
       }
       SendMACK();
+      Pump();
       m_Parent->PumpDone();
     }
 
diff --git a/llarp/messages/discard.hpp b/llarp/messages/discard.hpp
index de7d7eb8f..3c1969c7b 100644
--- a/llarp/messages/discard.hpp
+++ b/llarp/messages/discard.hpp
@@ -38,9 +38,17 @@ namespace llarp
     }
 
     bool
-    DecodeKey(ABSL_ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED const llarp_buffer_t& key,
-              ABSL_ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED llarp_buffer_t* buf) override
+    DecodeKey(const llarp_buffer_t& key, llarp_buffer_t* buf) override
     {
+      if(key == "a")
+      {
+        llarp_buffer_t strbuf;
+        if(!bencode_read_string(buf, &strbuf))
+          return false;
+        if(strbuf.sz != 1)
+          return false;
+        return *strbuf.cur == 'x';
+      }
       return false;
     }
 
diff --git a/test/link/test_llarp_link.cpp b/test/link/test_llarp_link.cpp
index 0cbec5448..45a85965a 100644
--- a/test/link/test_llarp_link.cpp
+++ b/test/link/test_llarp_link.cpp
@@ -37,8 +37,15 @@ struct LinkLayerTest : public test::LlarpTest< llarp::sodium::CryptoLibSodium >
 
     RouterContact rc;
 
+    bool madeSession = false;
     bool gotLIM = false;
 
+    bool 
+    IsGucci() const
+    {
+      return gotLIM && madeSession;
+    }
+
     void Setup()
     {
         worker = std::make_shared<thread::ThreadPool>(1, 128, "test-worker");
@@ -120,7 +127,7 @@ struct LinkLayerTest : public test::LlarpTest< llarp::sodium::CryptoLibSodium >
   Context Bob;
 
   bool success = false;
-  const bool shouldDebug = false;
+  const bool shouldDebug = true;
 
   llarp_ev_loop_ptr netLoop;
   std::shared_ptr< Logic > m_logic;
@@ -174,14 +181,6 @@ struct LinkLayerTest : public test::LlarpTest< llarp::sodium::CryptoLibSodium >
     llarp_ev_loop_stop(netLoop);
     m_logic->stop();
   }
-
-  bool
-  AliceGotMessage(const llarp_buffer_t&)
-  {
-    success = true;
-    Stop();
-    return true;
-  }
 };
 
 TEST_F(LinkLayerTest, TestIWP)
@@ -189,33 +188,45 @@ TEST_F(LinkLayerTest, TestIWP)
 #ifdef WIN32
     GTEST_SKIP();
 #else
+    auto sendDiscardMessage = [](ILinkSession* s, auto callback) -> bool {
+    // send discard message in reply to complete unit test
+      std::vector< byte_t> tmp(32);
+      llarp_buffer_t otherBuf(tmp);
+      DiscardMessage discard;
+      if(!discard.BEncode(&otherBuf))
+        return false;
+      return s->SendMessageBuffer(std::move(tmp), callback);
+    };
     Alice.link = iwp::NewInboundLink(
       Alice.encryptionKey,
       [&]() -> const RouterContact& { return Alice.GetRC(); },
       [&](ILinkSession* s, const llarp_buffer_t& buf) -> bool {
-        if(Alice.gotLIM)
-        {
-          Alice.Regen();
-          return s->RenegotiateSession();
-        }
-        else
-        {
-          LinkIntroMessage msg;
-          ManagedBuffer copy{buf};
-          if(!msg.BDecode(&copy.underlying))
-            return false;
-          if(!s->GotLIM(&msg))
-            return false;
-          Alice.gotLIM = true;
-          return true;
-        }
+          llarp_buffer_t copy(buf.base, buf.sz);
+          if(not Alice.gotLIM)
+          {
+            LinkIntroMessage msg;
+            if(msg.BDecode(&copy))
+            { 
+              Alice.gotLIM = s->GotLIM(&msg);
+            }
+          }
+          return Alice.gotLIM;
       },
       [&](Signature& sig, const llarp_buffer_t& buf) -> bool {
         return m_crypto.sign(sig, Alice.signingKey, buf);
       },
       [&](ILinkSession* s) -> bool {
         const auto rc = s->GetRemoteRC();
-        return rc.pubkey == Bob.GetRC().pubkey;
+        if(rc.pubkey != Bob.GetRC().pubkey)
+          return false;
+        LogInfo("alice established with bob");
+        Alice.madeSession = true;
+        sendDiscardMessage(s, [&](auto status) {
+          success = status == llarp::ILinkSession::DeliveryStatus::eDeliverySuccess;
+          LogInfo("message sent to bob suceess=", success);
+          Stop();
+        });
+        return true;
       },
       [&](RouterContact, RouterContact) -> bool { return true; },
      
@@ -227,27 +238,29 @@ TEST_F(LinkLayerTest, TestIWP)
       []() {})
       ;
 
-  auto sendDiscardMessage = [](ILinkSession* s) -> bool {
-    // send discard message in reply to complete unit test
-    std::vector< byte_t> tmp(32);
-    llarp_buffer_t otherBuf(tmp);
-    DiscardMessage discard;
-    if(!discard.BEncode(&otherBuf))
-      return false;
-    return s->SendMessageBuffer(std::move(tmp), nullptr);
-  };
+  
 
   Bob.link = iwp::NewInboundLink(
       Bob.encryptionKey, [&]() -> const RouterContact& { return Bob.GetRC(); },
       [&](ILinkSession* s, const llarp_buffer_t& buf) -> bool {
-        LinkIntroMessage msg;
-        ManagedBuffer copy{buf};
-        if(!msg.BDecode(&copy.underlying))
+          
+          llarp_buffer_t copy(buf.base, buf.sz);
+          if(not Bob.gotLIM)
+          {
+            LinkIntroMessage msg;
+            if(msg.BDecode(&copy))
+            { 
+              Bob.gotLIM = s->GotLIM(&msg);
+            }
+            return Bob.gotLIM;
+          }
+          DiscardMessage discard;
+          if(discard.BDecode(&copy))
+          {
+            LogInfo("bog got discard message from alice");
+            return true;
+          }
           return false;
-        if(!s->GotLIM(&msg))
-          return false;
-        Bob.gotLIM = true;
-        return sendDiscardMessage(s);
       },
 
       [&](Signature& sig, const llarp_buffer_t& buf) -> bool {
@@ -257,12 +270,12 @@ TEST_F(LinkLayerTest, TestIWP)
         if(s->GetRemoteRC().pubkey != Alice.GetRC().pubkey)
           return false;
         LogInfo("bob established with alice");
-        return Bob.link->VisitSessionByPubkey(Alice.GetRC().pubkey.as_array(),
-                                              sendDiscardMessage);
+        Bob.madeSession = true;
+        
+        return true;
       },
       [&](RouterContact newrc, RouterContact oldrc) -> bool {
-        success = newrc.pubkey == oldrc.pubkey;
-        return true;
+        return newrc.pubkey == oldrc.pubkey;
       },
       [&](ILinkSession* session) { ASSERT_FALSE(session->IsEstablished()); },
       [&](RouterID router) { ASSERT_EQ(router, Alice.GetRouterID()); },
@@ -275,6 +288,8 @@ TEST_F(LinkLayerTest, TestIWP)
   m_logic->queue_func([&]() { ASSERT_TRUE(Alice.link->TryEstablishTo(Bob.GetRC())); });
 
   RunMainloop();
-  ASSERT_TRUE(Bob.gotLIM);
+  ASSERT_TRUE(Alice.IsGucci());
+  ASSERT_TRUE(Bob.IsGucci());
+  ASSERT_TRUE(success);
 #endif
 };