diff --git a/common/async.go b/common/async.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1d302c344
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/async.go
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+package common
+
+import "sync"
+
+func Parallel(tasks ...func()) {
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
+	wg.Add(len(tasks))
+	for _, task := range tasks {
+		go func(task func()) {
+			task()
+			wg.Done()
+		}(task)
+	}
+	wg.Wait()
+}
diff --git a/p2p/peer.go b/p2p/peer.go
index 7fa140222..f0d3a6758 100644
--- a/p2p/peer.go
+++ b/p2p/peer.go
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"net"
-	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
 
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/binary"
@@ -26,22 +25,16 @@ type Peer struct {
 // Before creating a peer with newPeer(), perform a handshake on connection.
 func peerHandshake(conn net.Conn, ourNodeInfo *types.NodeInfo) (*types.NodeInfo, error) {
 	var peerNodeInfo = new(types.NodeInfo)
-	var wg sync.WaitGroup
 	var err1 error
 	var err2 error
-	wg.Add(2)
-	go func() {
+	Parallel(func() {
 		var n int64
 		binary.WriteBinary(ourNodeInfo, conn, &n, &err1)
-		wg.Done()
-	}()
-	go func() {
+	}, func() {
 		var n int64
 		binary.ReadBinary(peerNodeInfo, conn, &n, &err2)
 		log.Info("Peer handshake", "peerNodeInfo", peerNodeInfo)
-		wg.Done()
-	}()
-	wg.Wait()
+	})
 	if err1 != nil {
 		return nil, err1
 	}
diff --git a/p2p/secret_connection.go b/p2p/secret_connection.go
index e6c23dd27..8c49a7525 100644
--- a/p2p/secret_connection.go
+++ b/p2p/secret_connection.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"crypto/sha256"
 	"encoding/binary"
 	"errors"
+	//"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"sync"
 
@@ -109,7 +110,8 @@ func (sc *SecretConnection) Write(data []byte) (n int, err error) {
 
 		// encrypt the frame
 		var sealedFrame = make([]byte, sealedFrameSize)
-		secretbox.Seal(sealedFrame, frame, sc.sendNonce, sc.shrSecret)
+		secretbox.Seal(sealedFrame[:0], frame, sc.sendNonce, sc.shrSecret)
+		// fmt.Printf("secretbox.Seal(sealed:%X,sendNonce:%X,shrSecret:%X\n", sealedFrame, sc.sendNonce, sc.shrSecret)
 		incr2Nonce(sc.sendNonce)
 		// end encryption
 
@@ -139,7 +141,8 @@ func (sc *SecretConnection) Read(data []byte) (n int, err error) {
 
 	// decrypt the frame
 	var frame = make([]byte, totalFrameSize)
-	_, ok := secretbox.Open(frame, sealedFrame, sc.recvNonce, sc.shrSecret)
+	// fmt.Printf("secretbox.Open(sealed:%X,recvNonce:%X,shrSecret:%X\n", sealedFrame, sc.recvNonce, sc.shrSecret)
+	_, ok := secretbox.Open(frame[:0], sealedFrame, sc.recvNonce, sc.shrSecret)
 	if !ok {
 		return n, errors.New("Failed to decrypt SecretConnection")
 	}
@@ -216,8 +219,8 @@ func genNonces(loPubKey, hiPubKey *[32]byte, locIsLo bool) (recvNonce, sendNonce
 		recvNonce = nonce1
 		sendNonce = nonce2
 	} else {
-		recvNonce = nonce1
-		sendNonce = nonce2
+		recvNonce = nonce2
+		sendNonce = nonce1
 	}
 	return
 }
diff --git a/p2p/secret_connection_test.go b/p2p/secret_connection_test.go
index 634d8309a..e159beba4 100644
--- a/p2p/secret_connection_test.go
+++ b/p2p/secret_connection_test.go
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@ package p2p
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"fmt"
 	"io"
-	"sync"
 	"testing"
 
 	acm "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/account"
@@ -30,35 +30,103 @@ func TestSecretConnectionHandshake(t *testing.T) {
 	barPubKey := barPrvKey.PubKey().(acm.PubKeyEd25519)
 
 	var fooConn, barConn *SecretConnection
-	var wg sync.WaitGroup
-	wg.Add(2)
-	go func() {
-		defer wg.Done()
+	Parallel(func() {
 		var err error
 		fooConn, err = MakeSecretConnection(foo, fooPrvKey)
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Errorf("Failed to establish SecretConnection for foo: %v", err)
 			return
 		}
-		if !bytes.Equal(fooConn.RemotePubKey(), fooPubKey) {
-			t.Errorf("Unexpected fooConn.RemotePubKey.  Expected %X, got %X",
-				fooPubKey, fooConn.RemotePubKey())
+		if !bytes.Equal(fooConn.RemotePubKey(), barPubKey) {
+			t.Errorf("Unexpected fooConn.RemotePubKey.  Expected %v, got %v",
+				barPubKey, fooConn.RemotePubKey())
 		}
-	}()
-	go func() {
-		defer wg.Done()
+	}, func() {
 		var err error
 		barConn, err = MakeSecretConnection(bar, barPrvKey)
 		if barConn == nil {
 			t.Errorf("Failed to establish SecretConnection for bar: %v", err)
 			return
 		}
-		if !bytes.Equal(barConn.RemotePubKey(), barPubKey) {
-			t.Errorf("Unexpected barConn.RemotePubKey.  Expected %X, got %X",
-				barPubKey, barConn.RemotePubKey())
+		if !bytes.Equal(barConn.RemotePubKey(), fooPubKey) {
+			t.Errorf("Unexpected barConn.RemotePubKey.  Expected %v, got %v",
+				fooPubKey, barConn.RemotePubKey())
 		}
-	}()
-	wg.Wait()
+	})
+}
+
+func TestSecretConnectionReadWrite(t *testing.T) {
+	foo, bar := makeReadWriterPair()
+	fooPrvKey := acm.PrivKeyEd25519(CRandBytes(32))
+	barPrvKey := acm.PrivKeyEd25519(CRandBytes(32))
+	fooWrites, barWrites := []string{}, []string{}
+	fooReads, barReads := []string{}, []string{}
+
+	for i := 0; i < 2; i++ {
+		fooWrites = append(fooWrites, RandStr((RandInt()%(dataMaxSize*5))+1))
+		barWrites = append(barWrites, RandStr((RandInt()%(dataMaxSize*5))+1))
+	}
+
+	fmt.Println("fooWrotes", fooWrites, "\n")
+	fmt.Println("barWrotes", barWrites, "\n")
+
+	var fooConn, barConn *SecretConnection
+	Parallel(func() {
+		var err error
+		fooConn, err = MakeSecretConnection(foo, fooPrvKey)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("Failed to establish SecretConnection for foo: %v", err)
+			return
+		}
+		Parallel(func() {
+			for _, fooWrite := range fooWrites {
+				fmt.Println("will write foo")
+				n, err := fooConn.Write([]byte(fooWrite))
+				if err != nil {
+					t.Errorf("Failed to write to fooConn: %v", err)
+					return
+				}
+				if n != len(fooWrite) {
+					t.Errorf("Failed to write all bytes. Expected %v, wrote %v", len(fooWrite), n)
+					return
+				}
+			}
+			fmt.Println("Done writing foo")
+			// TODO close foo
+		}, func() {
+			fmt.Println("TODO do foo reads")
+		})
+	}, func() {
+		var err error
+		barConn, err = MakeSecretConnection(bar, barPrvKey)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("Failed to establish SecretConnection for bar: %v", err)
+			return
+		}
+		Parallel(func() {
+			readBuffer := make([]byte, dataMaxSize)
+			for {
+				fmt.Println("will read bar")
+				n, err := barConn.Read(readBuffer)
+				if err == io.EOF {
+					return
+				} else if err != nil {
+					t.Errorf("Failed to read from barConn: %v", err)
+					return
+				}
+				barReads = append(barReads, string(readBuffer[:n]))
+			}
+			// XXX This does not get called
+			fmt.Println("Done reading bar")
+		}, func() {
+			fmt.Println("TODO do bar writes")
+		})
+	})
+
+	fmt.Println("fooWrites", fooWrites)
+	fmt.Println("barReads", barReads)
+	fmt.Println("barWrites", barWrites)
+	fmt.Println("fooReads", fooReads)
 }
 
 func BenchmarkSecretConnection(b *testing.B) {