diff --git a/p2p/peer.go b/p2p/peer.go
index 2cb3d9f9f..93d05410e 100644
--- a/p2p/peer.go
+++ b/p2p/peer.go
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ import (
 	tmconn "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/p2p/conn"
 )
 
+var testIPSuffix = 0
+
 // Peer is an interface representing a peer connected on a reactor.
 type Peer interface {
 	cmn.Service
@@ -53,6 +55,16 @@ func (pc peerConn) RemoteIP() net.IP {
 		return pc.ips[0]
 	}
 
+	if pc.conn.RemoteAddr().String() == "pipe" {
+		pc.ips = []net.IP{
+			net.IP{172, 16, 0, byte(testIPSuffix)},
+		}
+
+		testIPSuffix++
+
+		return pc.ips[0]
+	}
+
 	host, _, err := net.SplitHostPort(pc.conn.RemoteAddr().String())
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)
diff --git a/p2p/peer_test.go b/p2p/peer_test.go
index a93b2ceea..db4f63ed7 100644
--- a/p2p/peer_test.go
+++ b/p2p/peer_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package p2p
 
 import (
+	golog "log"
+	"net"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -9,9 +11,12 @@ import (
 
 	crypto "github.com/tendermint/go-crypto"
 	tmconn "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/p2p/conn"
+	cmn "github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/common"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/log"
 )
 
+const testCh = 0x01
+
 func TestPeerBasic(t *testing.T) {
 	assert, require := assert.New(t), require.New(t)
 
@@ -105,3 +110,77 @@ func createOutboundPeerAndPerformHandshake(addr *NetAddress, config *PeerConfig)
 	p.SetLogger(log.TestingLogger().With("peer", addr))
 	return p, nil
 }
+
+type remotePeer struct {
+	PrivKey  crypto.PrivKey
+	Config   *PeerConfig
+	addr     *NetAddress
+	quit     chan struct{}
+	channels cmn.HexBytes
+}
+
+func (rp *remotePeer) Addr() *NetAddress {
+	return rp.addr
+}
+
+func (rp *remotePeer) ID() ID {
+	return PubKeyToID(rp.PrivKey.PubKey())
+}
+
+func (rp *remotePeer) Start() {
+	l, e := net.Listen("tcp", "127.0.0.1:0") // any available address
+	if e != nil {
+		golog.Fatalf("net.Listen tcp :0: %+v", e)
+	}
+	rp.addr = NewNetAddress(PubKeyToID(rp.PrivKey.PubKey()), l.Addr())
+	rp.quit = make(chan struct{})
+	if rp.channels == nil {
+		rp.channels = []byte{testCh}
+	}
+	go rp.accept(l)
+}
+
+func (rp *remotePeer) Stop() {
+	close(rp.quit)
+}
+
+func (rp *remotePeer) accept(l net.Listener) {
+	conns := []net.Conn{}
+
+	for {
+		conn, err := l.Accept()
+		if err != nil {
+			golog.Fatalf("Failed to accept conn: %+v", err)
+		}
+
+		pc, err := newInboundPeerConn(conn, rp.Config, rp.PrivKey)
+		if err != nil {
+			golog.Fatalf("Failed to create a peer: %+v", err)
+		}
+
+		_, err = pc.HandshakeTimeout(NodeInfo{
+			ID:         rp.Addr().ID,
+			Moniker:    "remote_peer",
+			Network:    "testing",
+			Version:    "123.123.123",
+			ListenAddr: l.Addr().String(),
+			Channels:   rp.channels,
+		}, 1*time.Second)
+		if err != nil {
+			golog.Fatalf("Failed to perform handshake: %+v", err)
+		}
+
+		conns = append(conns, conn)
+
+		select {
+		case <-rp.quit:
+			for _, conn := range conns {
+				if err := conn.Close(); err != nil {
+					golog.Fatal(err)
+				}
+			}
+			return
+		default:
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/p2p/test_util.go b/p2p/test_util.go
index de9243499..a0b3a5b88 100644
--- a/p2p/test_util.go
+++ b/p2p/test_util.go
@@ -1,10 +1,7 @@
 package p2p
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
-	golog "log"
 	"net"
-	"time"
 
 	crypto "github.com/tendermint/go-crypto"
 	cmn "github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/common"
@@ -14,8 +11,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/p2p/conn"
 )
 
-const testCh = 0x01
-
 func AddPeerToSwitch(sw *Switch, peer Peer) {
 	sw.peers.Add(peer)
 }
@@ -86,37 +81,7 @@ func Connect2Switches(switches []*Switch, i, j int) {
 	switchI := switches[i]
 	switchJ := switches[j]
 
-	p1 := &remotePeer{
-		Config:   switchJ.peerConfig,
-		PrivKey:  switchJ.nodeKey.PrivKey,
-		channels: switchJ.NodeInfo().Channels,
-	}
-	p1.Start()
-
-	c1, err := net.DialTimeout(
-		"tcp",
-		fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", p1.addr.IP.String(), p1.addr.Port),
-		100*time.Millisecond,
-	)
-	if err != nil {
-		panic(err)
-	}
-
-	p2 := &remotePeer{
-		Config:   switchI.peerConfig,
-		PrivKey:  switchI.nodeKey.PrivKey,
-		channels: switchI.NodeInfo().Channels,
-	}
-	p2.Start()
-
-	c2, err := net.DialTimeout(
-		"tcp",
-		fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", p2.addr.IP.String(), p2.addr.Port),
-		100*time.Millisecond,
-	)
-	if err != nil {
-		panic(err)
-	}
+	c1, c2 := conn.NetPipe()
 
 	doneCh := make(chan struct{})
 	go func() {
@@ -188,77 +153,3 @@ func MakeSwitch(cfg *cfg.P2PConfig, i int, network, version string, initSwitch f
 	sw.SetNodeKey(nodeKey)
 	return sw
 }
-
-type remotePeer struct {
-	PrivKey  crypto.PrivKey
-	Config   *PeerConfig
-	addr     *NetAddress
-	quit     chan struct{}
-	channels cmn.HexBytes
-}
-
-func (rp *remotePeer) Addr() *NetAddress {
-	return rp.addr
-}
-
-func (rp *remotePeer) ID() ID {
-	return PubKeyToID(rp.PrivKey.PubKey())
-}
-
-func (rp *remotePeer) Start() {
-	l, e := net.Listen("tcp", "127.0.0.1:0") // any available address
-	if e != nil {
-		golog.Fatalf("net.Listen tcp :0: %+v", e)
-	}
-	rp.addr = NewNetAddress(PubKeyToID(rp.PrivKey.PubKey()), l.Addr())
-	rp.quit = make(chan struct{})
-	if rp.channels == nil {
-		rp.channels = []byte{testCh}
-	}
-	go rp.accept(l)
-}
-
-func (rp *remotePeer) Stop() {
-	close(rp.quit)
-}
-
-func (rp *remotePeer) accept(l net.Listener) {
-	conns := []net.Conn{}
-
-	for {
-		conn, err := l.Accept()
-		if err != nil {
-			golog.Fatalf("Failed to accept conn: %+v", err)
-		}
-
-		pc, err := newInboundPeerConn(conn, rp.Config, rp.PrivKey)
-		if err != nil {
-			golog.Fatalf("Failed to create a peer: %+v", err)
-		}
-
-		_, err = pc.HandshakeTimeout(NodeInfo{
-			ID:         rp.Addr().ID,
-			Moniker:    "remote_peer",
-			Network:    "localhost",
-			Version:    "123.123.123",
-			ListenAddr: l.Addr().String(),
-			Channels:   rp.channels,
-		}, 1*time.Second)
-		if err != nil {
-			golog.Fatalf("Failed to perform handshake: %+v", err)
-		}
-
-		conns = append(conns, conn)
-
-		select {
-		case <-rp.quit:
-			for _, conn := range conns {
-				if err := conn.Close(); err != nil {
-					golog.Fatal(err)
-				}
-			}
-			return
-		default:
-		}
-	}
-}