diff --git a/whisper/common_test.go b/whisper/common_test.go
deleted file mode 100644
index a5df762e12..0000000000
--- a/whisper/common_test.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,40 +0,0 @@
-// Contains some common utility functions for testing.
-
-package whisper
-
-import (
-	"bytes"
-	"io/ioutil"
-
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/p2p"
-)
-
-// bufMsgPipe creates a buffered message pipe between two endpoints.
-func bufMsgPipe() (*p2p.MsgPipeRW, *p2p.MsgPipeRW) {
-	A, midA := p2p.MsgPipe()
-	midB, B := p2p.MsgPipe()
-
-	go copyMsgPipe(midA, midB)
-	go copyMsgPipe(midB, midA)
-
-	return A, B
-}
-
-// copyMsgPipe copies messages from the src pipe to the dest.
-func copyMsgPipe(dst, src *p2p.MsgPipeRW) {
-	defer dst.Close()
-	for {
-		msg, err := src.ReadMsg()
-		if err != nil {
-			return
-		}
-		data, err := ioutil.ReadAll(msg.Payload)
-		if err != nil {
-			return
-		}
-		msg.Payload = bytes.NewReader(data)
-		if err := dst.WriteMsg(msg); err != nil {
-			return
-		}
-	}
-}
diff --git a/whisper/peer.go b/whisper/peer.go
index f077dbe70b..8bf8488557 100644
--- a/whisper/peer.go
+++ b/whisper/peer.go
@@ -53,10 +53,12 @@ func (self *peer) stop() {
 // handshake sends the protocol initiation status message to the remote peer and
 // verifies the remote status too.
 func (self *peer) handshake() error {
-	// Send own status message, fetch remote one
-	if err := p2p.SendItems(self.ws, statusCode, protocolVersion); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
+	// Send the handshake status message asynchronously
+	errc := make(chan error, 1)
+	go func() {
+		errc <- p2p.SendItems(self.ws, statusCode, protocolVersion)
+	}()
+	// Fetch the remote status packet and verify protocol match
 	packet, err := self.ws.ReadMsg()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -64,7 +66,6 @@ func (self *peer) handshake() error {
 	if packet.Code != statusCode {
 		return fmt.Errorf("peer sent %x before status packet", packet.Code)
 	}
-	// Decode the rest of the status packet and verify protocol match
 	s := rlp.NewStream(packet.Payload)
 	if _, err := s.List(); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("bad status message: %v", err)
@@ -76,7 +77,11 @@ func (self *peer) handshake() error {
 	if peerVersion != protocolVersion {
 		return fmt.Errorf("protocol version mismatch %d != %d", peerVersion, protocolVersion)
 	}
-	return packet.Discard() // ignore anything after protocol version
+	// Wait until out own status is consumed too
+	if err := <-errc; err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to send status packet: %v", err)
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 // update executes periodic operations on the peer, including message transmission
diff --git a/whisper/whisper_test.go b/whisper/whisper_test.go
index 35e2f05245..554a12cb11 100644
--- a/whisper/whisper_test.go
+++ b/whisper/whisper_test.go
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ func startTestCluster(n int) []*Whisper {
 	}
 	// Wire all the peers to the root one
 	for i := 1; i < n; i++ {
-		src, dst := bufMsgPipe()
+		src, dst := p2p.MsgPipe()
 
 		go whispers[0].handlePeer(nodes[i], src)
 		go whispers[i].handlePeer(nodes[0], dst)