diff --git a/rlp/decode.go b/rlp/decode.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1a51e7130a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rlp/decode.go
@@ -0,0 +1,666 @@
+package rlp
+
+import (
+	"encoding/binary"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"math/big"
+	"reflect"
+)
+
+var (
+	errNoPointer     = errors.New("rlp: interface given to Decode must be a pointer")
+	errDecodeIntoNil = errors.New("rlp: pointer given to Decode must not be nil")
+)
+
+// Decoder is implemented by types that require custom RLP
+// decoding rules or need to decode into private fields.
+//
+// The DecodeRLP method should read one value from the given
+// Stream. It is not forbidden to read less or more, but it might
+// be confusing.
+type Decoder interface {
+	DecodeRLP(*Stream) error
+}
+
+// Decode parses RLP-encoded data from r and stores the result
+// in the value pointed to by val. Val must be a non-nil pointer.
+//
+// Decode uses the following type-dependent decoding rules:
+//
+// If the type implements the Decoder interface, decode calls
+// DecodeRLP.
+//
+// To decode into a pointer, Decode will set the pointer to nil if the
+// input has size zero or the input is a single byte with value zero.
+// If the input has nonzero size, Decode will allocate a new value of
+// the type being pointed to.
+//
+// To decode into a struct, Decode expects the input to be an RLP
+// list. The decoded elements of the list are assigned to each public
+// field in the order given by the struct's definition. If the input
+// list has too few elements, no error is returned and the remaining
+// fields will have the zero value.
+// Recursive struct types are supported.
+//
+// To decode into a slice, the input must be a list and the resulting
+// slice will contain the input elements in order.
+// As a special case, if the slice has a byte-size element type, the input
+// can also be an RLP string.
+//
+// To decode into a Go string, the input must be an RLP string. The
+// bytes are taken as-is and will not necessarily be valid UTF-8.
+//
+// To decode into an integer type, the input must also be an RLP
+// string. The bytes are interpreted as a big endian representation of
+// the integer. If the RLP string is larger than the bit size of the
+// type, Decode will return an error. Decode also supports *big.Int.
+// There is no size limit for big integers.
+//
+// To decode into an interface value, Decode stores one of these
+// in the value:
+//
+//	[]interface{}, for RLP lists
+//	[]byte, for RLP strings
+//
+// Non-empty interface types are not supported, nor are bool, float32,
+// float64, maps, channel types and functions.
+func Decode(r ByteReader, val interface{}) error {
+	return NewStream(r).Decode(val)
+}
+
+func makeNumDecoder(typ reflect.Type) decoder {
+	kind := typ.Kind()
+	switch {
+	case kind <= reflect.Int64:
+		return decodeInt
+	case kind <= reflect.Uint64:
+		return decodeUint
+	default:
+		panic("fallthrough")
+	}
+}
+
+func decodeInt(s *Stream, val reflect.Value) error {
+	num, err := s.uint(val.Type().Bits())
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	val.SetInt(int64(num))
+	return nil
+}
+
+func decodeUint(s *Stream, val reflect.Value) error {
+	num, err := s.uint(val.Type().Bits())
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	val.SetUint(num)
+	return nil
+}
+
+func decodeString(s *Stream, val reflect.Value) error {
+	b, err := s.Bytes()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	val.SetString(string(b))
+	return nil
+}
+
+func decodeBigIntNoPtr(s *Stream, val reflect.Value) error {
+	return decodeBigInt(s, val.Addr())
+}
+
+func decodeBigInt(s *Stream, val reflect.Value) error {
+	b, err := s.Bytes()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	i := val.Interface().(*big.Int)
+	if i == nil {
+		i = new(big.Int)
+		val.Set(reflect.ValueOf(i))
+	}
+	i.SetBytes(b)
+	return nil
+}
+
+const maxInt = int(^uint(0) >> 1)
+
+func makeListDecoder(typ reflect.Type) (decoder, error) {
+	etype := typ.Elem()
+	if etype.Kind() == reflect.Uint8 && !reflect.PtrTo(etype).Implements(decoderInterface) {
+		if typ.Kind() == reflect.Array {
+			return decodeByteArray, nil
+		} else {
+			return decodeByteSlice, nil
+		}
+	}
+	etypeinfo, err := cachedTypeInfo1(etype)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	var maxLen = maxInt
+	if typ.Kind() == reflect.Array {
+		maxLen = typ.Len()
+	}
+	dec := func(s *Stream, val reflect.Value) error {
+		return decodeList(s, val, etypeinfo.decoder, maxLen)
+	}
+	return dec, nil
+}
+
+// decodeList decodes RLP list elements into slices and arrays.
+//
+// The approach here is stolen from package json, although we differ
+// in the semantics for arrays. package json discards remaining
+// elements that would not fit into the array. We generate an error in
+// this case because we'd be losing information.
+func decodeList(s *Stream, val reflect.Value, elemdec decoder, maxelem int) error {
+	size, err := s.List()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if size == 0 {
+		if val.Kind() == reflect.Slice {
+			val.Set(reflect.MakeSlice(val.Type(), 0, 0))
+		} else {
+			zero(val, 0)
+		}
+		return s.ListEnd()
+	}
+
+	i := 0
+	for {
+		if i > maxelem {
+			return fmt.Errorf("rlp: input List has more than %d elements", maxelem)
+		}
+		if val.Kind() == reflect.Slice {
+			// grow slice if necessary
+			if i >= val.Cap() {
+				newcap := val.Cap() + val.Cap()/2
+				if newcap < 4 {
+					newcap = 4
+				}
+				newv := reflect.MakeSlice(val.Type(), val.Len(), newcap)
+				reflect.Copy(newv, val)
+				val.Set(newv)
+			}
+			if i >= val.Len() {
+				val.SetLen(i + 1)
+			}
+		}
+		// decode into element
+		if err := elemdec(s, val.Index(i)); err == EOL {
+			break
+		} else if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		i++
+	}
+	if i < val.Len() {
+		if val.Kind() == reflect.Array {
+			// zero the rest of the array.
+			zero(val, i)
+		} else {
+			val.SetLen(i)
+		}
+	}
+	return s.ListEnd()
+}
+
+func decodeByteSlice(s *Stream, val reflect.Value) error {
+	kind, _, err := s.Kind()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if kind == List {
+		return decodeList(s, val, decodeUint, maxInt)
+	}
+	b, err := s.Bytes()
+	if err == nil {
+		val.SetBytes(b)
+	}
+	return err
+}
+
+var errStringDoesntFitArray = errors.New("rlp: string value doesn't fit into target array")
+
+func decodeByteArray(s *Stream, val reflect.Value) error {
+	kind, size, err := s.Kind()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	switch kind {
+	case Byte:
+		if val.Len() == 0 {
+			return errStringDoesntFitArray
+		}
+		bv, _ := s.Uint()
+		val.Index(0).SetUint(bv)
+		zero(val, 1)
+	case String:
+		if uint64(val.Len()) < size {
+			return errStringDoesntFitArray
+		}
+		slice := val.Slice(0, int(size)).Interface().([]byte)
+		if err := s.readFull(slice); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		zero(val, int(size))
+	case List:
+		return decodeList(s, val, decodeUint, val.Len())
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func zero(val reflect.Value, start int) {
+	z := reflect.Zero(val.Type().Elem())
+	for i := start; i < val.Len(); i++ {
+		val.Index(i).Set(z)
+	}
+}
+
+type field struct {
+	index int
+	info  *typeinfo
+}
+
+func makeStructDecoder(typ reflect.Type) (decoder, error) {
+	var fields []field
+	for i := 0; i < typ.NumField(); i++ {
+		if f := typ.Field(i); f.PkgPath == "" { // exported
+			info, err := cachedTypeInfo1(f.Type)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+			fields = append(fields, field{i, info})
+		}
+	}
+	dec := func(s *Stream, val reflect.Value) (err error) {
+		if _, err = s.List(); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		for _, f := range fields {
+			err = f.info.decoder(s, val.Field(f.index))
+			if err == EOL {
+				// too few elements. leave the rest at their zero value.
+				break
+			} else if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+		if err = s.ListEnd(); err == errNotAtEOL {
+			err = errors.New("rlp: input List has too many elements")
+		}
+		return err
+	}
+	return dec, nil
+}
+
+func makePtrDecoder(typ reflect.Type) (decoder, error) {
+	etype := typ.Elem()
+	etypeinfo, err := cachedTypeInfo1(etype)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	dec := func(s *Stream, val reflect.Value) (err error) {
+		_, size, err := s.Kind()
+		if err != nil || size == 0 && s.byteval == 0 {
+			return err
+		}
+		newval := val
+		if val.IsNil() {
+			newval = reflect.New(etype)
+		}
+		if err = etypeinfo.decoder(s, newval.Elem()); err == nil {
+			val.Set(newval)
+		}
+		return err
+	}
+	return dec, nil
+}
+
+var ifsliceType = reflect.TypeOf([]interface{}{})
+
+func decodeInterface(s *Stream, val reflect.Value) error {
+	kind, _, err := s.Kind()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if kind == List {
+		slice := reflect.New(ifsliceType).Elem()
+		if err := decodeList(s, slice, decodeInterface, maxInt); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		val.Set(slice)
+	} else {
+		b, err := s.Bytes()
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		val.Set(reflect.ValueOf(b))
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// This decoder is used for non-pointer values of types
+// that implement the Decoder interface using a pointer receiver.
+func decodeDecoderNoPtr(s *Stream, val reflect.Value) error {
+	return val.Addr().Interface().(Decoder).DecodeRLP(s)
+}
+
+func decodeDecoder(s *Stream, val reflect.Value) error {
+	// Decoder instances are not handled using the pointer rule if the type
+	// implements Decoder with pointer receiver (i.e. always)
+	// because it might handle empty values specially.
+	// We need to allocate one here in this case, like makePtrDecoder does.
+	if val.Kind() == reflect.Ptr && val.IsNil() {
+		val.Set(reflect.New(val.Type().Elem()))
+	}
+	return val.Interface().(Decoder).DecodeRLP(s)
+}
+
+// Kind represents the kind of value contained in an RLP stream.
+type Kind int
+
+const (
+	Byte Kind = iota
+	String
+	List
+)
+
+func (k Kind) String() string {
+	switch k {
+	case Byte:
+		return "Byte"
+	case String:
+		return "String"
+	case List:
+		return "List"
+	default:
+		return fmt.Sprintf("Unknown(%d)", k)
+	}
+}
+
+var (
+	// EOL is returned when the end of the current list
+	// has been reached during streaming.
+	EOL = errors.New("rlp: end of list")
+
+	// Other errors
+	ErrExpectedString = errors.New("rlp: expected String or Byte")
+	ErrExpectedList   = errors.New("rlp: expected List")
+	ErrElemTooLarge   = errors.New("rlp: element is larger than containing list")
+
+	// internal errors
+	errNotInList = errors.New("rlp: call of ListEnd outside of any list")
+	errNotAtEOL  = errors.New("rlp: call of ListEnd not positioned at EOL")
+)
+
+// ByteReader must be implemented by any input reader for a Stream. It
+// is implemented by e.g. bufio.Reader and bytes.Reader.
+type ByteReader interface {
+	io.Reader
+	io.ByteReader
+}
+
+// Stream can be used for piecemeal decoding of an input stream. This
+// is useful if the input is very large or if the decoding rules for a
+// type depend on the input structure. Stream does not keep an
+// internal buffer. After decoding a value, the input reader will be
+// positioned just before the type information for the next value.
+//
+// When decoding a list and the input position reaches the declared
+// length of the list, all operations will return error EOL.
+// The end of the list must be acknowledged using ListEnd to continue
+// reading the enclosing list.
+//
+// Stream is not safe for concurrent use.
+type Stream struct {
+	r       ByteReader
+	uintbuf []byte
+
+	kind    Kind   // kind of value ahead
+	size    uint64 // size of value ahead
+	byteval byte   // value of single byte in type tag
+	stack   []listpos
+}
+
+type listpos struct{ pos, size uint64 }
+
+func NewStream(r ByteReader) *Stream {
+	return &Stream{r: r, uintbuf: make([]byte, 8), kind: -1}
+}
+
+// Bytes reads an RLP string and returns its contents as a byte slice.
+// If the input does not contain an RLP string, the returned
+// error will be ErrExpectedString.
+func (s *Stream) Bytes() ([]byte, error) {
+	kind, size, err := s.Kind()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	switch kind {
+	case Byte:
+		s.kind = -1 // rearm Kind
+		return []byte{s.byteval}, nil
+	case String:
+		b := make([]byte, size)
+		if err = s.readFull(b); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		return b, nil
+	default:
+		return nil, ErrExpectedString
+	}
+}
+
+// Uint reads an RLP string of up to 8 bytes and returns its contents
+// as an unsigned integer. If the input does not contain an RLP string, the
+// returned error will be ErrExpectedString.
+func (s *Stream) Uint() (uint64, error) {
+	return s.uint(64)
+}
+
+func (s *Stream) uint(maxbits int) (uint64, error) {
+	kind, size, err := s.Kind()
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	}
+	switch kind {
+	case Byte:
+		s.kind = -1 // rearm Kind
+		return uint64(s.byteval), nil
+	case String:
+		if size > uint64(maxbits/8) {
+			return 0, fmt.Errorf("rlp: string is larger than %d bits", maxbits)
+		}
+		return s.readUint(byte(size))
+	default:
+		return 0, ErrExpectedString
+	}
+}
+
+// List starts decoding an RLP list. If the input does not contain a
+// list, the returned error will be ErrExpectedList. When the list's
+// end has been reached, any Stream operation will return EOL.
+func (s *Stream) List() (size uint64, err error) {
+	kind, size, err := s.Kind()
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	}
+	if kind != List {
+		return 0, ErrExpectedList
+	}
+	s.stack = append(s.stack, listpos{0, size})
+	s.kind = -1
+	s.size = 0
+	return size, nil
+}
+
+// ListEnd returns to the enclosing list.
+// The input reader must be positioned at the end of a list.
+func (s *Stream) ListEnd() error {
+	if len(s.stack) == 0 {
+		return errNotInList
+	}
+	tos := s.stack[len(s.stack)-1]
+	if tos.pos != tos.size {
+		return errNotAtEOL
+	}
+	s.stack = s.stack[:len(s.stack)-1] // pop
+	if len(s.stack) > 0 {
+		s.stack[len(s.stack)-1].pos += tos.size
+	}
+	s.kind = -1
+	s.size = 0
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Decode decodes a value and stores the result in the value pointed
+// to by val. Please see the documentation for the Decode function
+// to learn about the decoding rules.
+func (s *Stream) Decode(val interface{}) error {
+	if val == nil {
+		return errDecodeIntoNil
+	}
+	rval := reflect.ValueOf(val)
+	rtyp := rval.Type()
+	if rtyp.Kind() != reflect.Ptr {
+		return errNoPointer
+	}
+	if rval.IsNil() {
+		return errDecodeIntoNil
+	}
+	info, err := cachedTypeInfo(rtyp.Elem())
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return info.decoder(s, rval.Elem())
+}
+
+// Kind returns the kind and size of the next value in the
+// input stream.
+//
+// The returned size is the number of bytes that make up the value.
+// For kind == Byte, the size is zero because the value is
+// contained in the type tag.
+//
+// The first call to Kind will read size information from the input
+// reader and leave it positioned at the start of the actual bytes of
+// the value. Subsequent calls to Kind (until the value is decoded)
+// will not advance the input reader and return cached information.
+func (s *Stream) Kind() (kind Kind, size uint64, err error) {
+	var tos *listpos
+	if len(s.stack) > 0 {
+		tos = &s.stack[len(s.stack)-1]
+	}
+	if s.kind < 0 {
+		if tos != nil && tos.pos == tos.size {
+			return 0, 0, EOL
+		}
+		kind, size, err = s.readKind()
+		if err != nil {
+			return 0, 0, err
+		}
+		s.kind, s.size = kind, size
+	}
+	if tos != nil && tos.pos+s.size > tos.size {
+		return 0, 0, ErrElemTooLarge
+	}
+	return s.kind, s.size, nil
+}
+
+func (s *Stream) readKind() (kind Kind, size uint64, err error) {
+	b, err := s.readByte()
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, 0, err
+	}
+	s.byteval = 0
+	switch {
+	case b < 0x80:
+		// For a single byte whose value is in the [0x00, 0x7F] range, that byte
+		// is its own RLP encoding.
+		s.byteval = b
+		return Byte, 0, nil
+	case b < 0xB8:
+		// Otherwise, if a string is 0-55 bytes long,
+		// the RLP encoding consists of a single byte with value 0x80 plus the
+		// length of the string followed by the string. The range of the first
+		// byte is thus [0x80, 0xB7].
+		return String, uint64(b - 0x80), nil
+	case b < 0xC0:
+		// If a string is more than 55 bytes long, the
+		// RLP encoding consists of a single byte with value 0xB7 plus the length
+		// of the length of the string in binary form, followed by the length of
+		// the string, followed by the string. For example, a length-1024 string
+		// would be encoded as 0xB90400 followed by the string. The range of
+		// the first byte is thus [0xB8, 0xBF].
+		size, err = s.readUint(b - 0xB7)
+		return String, size, err
+	case b < 0xF8:
+		// If the total payload of a list
+		// (i.e. the combined length of all its items) is 0-55 bytes long, the
+		// RLP encoding consists of a single byte with value 0xC0 plus the length
+		// of the list followed by the concatenation of the RLP encodings of the
+		// items. The range of the first byte is thus [0xC0, 0xF7].
+		return List, uint64(b - 0xC0), nil
+	default:
+		// If the total payload of a list is more than 55 bytes long,
+		// the RLP encoding consists of a single byte with value 0xF7
+		// plus the length of the length of the payload in binary
+		// form, followed by the length of the payload, followed by
+		// the concatenation of the RLP encodings of the items. The
+		// range of the first byte is thus [0xF8, 0xFF].
+		size, err = s.readUint(b - 0xF7)
+		return List, size, err
+	}
+}
+
+func (s *Stream) readUint(size byte) (uint64, error) {
+	if size == 1 {
+		b, err := s.readByte()
+		if err == io.EOF {
+			err = io.ErrUnexpectedEOF
+		}
+		return uint64(b), err
+	}
+	start := int(8 - size)
+	for i := 0; i < start; i++ {
+		s.uintbuf[i] = 0
+	}
+	err := s.readFull(s.uintbuf[start:])
+	return binary.BigEndian.Uint64(s.uintbuf), err
+}
+
+func (s *Stream) readFull(buf []byte) (err error) {
+	s.willRead(uint64(len(buf)))
+	var nn, n int
+	for n < len(buf) && err == nil {
+		nn, err = s.r.Read(buf[n:])
+		n += nn
+	}
+	if err == io.EOF {
+		err = io.ErrUnexpectedEOF
+	}
+	return err
+}
+
+func (s *Stream) readByte() (byte, error) {
+	s.willRead(1)
+	b, err := s.r.ReadByte()
+	if len(s.stack) > 0 && err == io.EOF {
+		err = io.ErrUnexpectedEOF
+	}
+	return b, err
+}
+
+func (s *Stream) willRead(n uint64) {
+	s.kind = -1 // rearm Kind
+	if len(s.stack) > 0 {
+		s.stack[len(s.stack)-1].pos += n
+	}
+}
diff --git a/rlp/decode_test.go b/rlp/decode_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5cb42b870f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rlp/decode_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,469 @@
+package rlp
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"encoding/hex"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"math/big"
+	"reflect"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/ethutil"
+)
+
+func TestStreamKind(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		input    string
+		wantKind Kind
+		wantLen  uint64
+	}{
+		{"00", Byte, 0},
+		{"01", Byte, 0},
+		{"7F", Byte, 0},
+		{"80", String, 0},
+		{"B7", String, 55},
+		{"B800", String, 0},
+		{"B90400", String, 1024},
+		{"BA000400", String, 1024},
+		{"BB00000400", String, 1024},
+		{"BFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF", String, ^uint64(0)},
+		{"C0", List, 0},
+		{"C8", List, 8},
+		{"F7", List, 55},
+		{"F800", List, 0},
+		{"F804", List, 4},
+		{"F90400", List, 1024},
+		{"FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF", List, ^uint64(0)},
+	}
+
+	for i, test := range tests {
+		s := NewStream(bytes.NewReader(unhex(test.input)))
+		kind, len, err := s.Kind()
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("test %d: Type returned error: %v", i, err)
+			continue
+		}
+		if kind != test.wantKind {
+			t.Errorf("test %d: kind mismatch: got %d, want %d", i, kind, test.wantKind)
+		}
+		if len != test.wantLen {
+			t.Errorf("test %d: len mismatch: got %d, want %d", i, len, test.wantLen)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestStreamErrors(t *testing.T) {
+	type calls []string
+	tests := []struct {
+		string
+		calls
+		error
+	}{
+		{"", calls{"Kind"}, io.EOF},
+		{"", calls{"List"}, io.EOF},
+		{"", calls{"Uint"}, io.EOF},
+		{"C0", calls{"Bytes"}, ErrExpectedString},
+		{"C0", calls{"Uint"}, ErrExpectedString},
+		{"81", calls{"Bytes"}, io.ErrUnexpectedEOF},
+		{"81", calls{"Uint"}, io.ErrUnexpectedEOF},
+		{"BFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF", calls{"Bytes"}, io.ErrUnexpectedEOF},
+		{"89000000000000000001", calls{"Uint"}, errors.New("rlp: string is larger than 64 bits")},
+		{"00", calls{"List"}, ErrExpectedList},
+		{"80", calls{"List"}, ErrExpectedList},
+		{"C0", calls{"List", "Uint"}, EOL},
+		{"C801", calls{"List", "Uint", "Uint"}, io.ErrUnexpectedEOF},
+		{"C8C9", calls{"List", "Kind"}, ErrElemTooLarge},
+		{"C3C2010201", calls{"List", "List", "Uint", "Uint", "ListEnd", "Uint"}, EOL},
+		{"00", calls{"ListEnd"}, errNotInList},
+		{"C40102", calls{"List", "Uint", "ListEnd"}, errNotAtEOL},
+	}
+
+testfor:
+	for i, test := range tests {
+		s := NewStream(bytes.NewReader(unhex(test.string)))
+		rs := reflect.ValueOf(s)
+		for j, call := range test.calls {
+			fval := rs.MethodByName(call)
+			ret := fval.Call(nil)
+			err := "<nil>"
+			if lastret := ret[len(ret)-1].Interface(); lastret != nil {
+				err = lastret.(error).Error()
+			}
+			if j == len(test.calls)-1 {
+				if err != test.error.Error() {
+					t.Errorf("test %d: last call (%s) error mismatch\ngot:  %s\nwant: %v",
+						i, call, err, test.error)
+				}
+			} else if err != "<nil>" {
+				t.Errorf("test %d: call %d (%s) unexpected error: %q", i, j, call, err)
+				continue testfor
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestStreamList(t *testing.T) {
+	s := NewStream(bytes.NewReader(unhex("C80102030405060708")))
+
+	len, err := s.List()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("List error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len != 8 {
+		t.Fatalf("List returned invalid length, got %d, want 8", len)
+	}
+
+	for i := uint64(1); i <= 8; i++ {
+		v, err := s.Uint()
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Uint error: %v", err)
+		}
+		if i != v {
+			t.Errorf("Uint returned wrong value, got %d, want %d", v, i)
+		}
+	}
+
+	if _, err := s.Uint(); err != EOL {
+		t.Errorf("Uint error mismatch, got %v, want %v", err, EOL)
+	}
+	if err = s.ListEnd(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ListEnd error: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestDecodeErrors(t *testing.T) {
+	r := bytes.NewReader(nil)
+
+	if err := Decode(r, nil); err != errDecodeIntoNil {
+		t.Errorf("Decode(r, nil) error mismatch, got %q, want %q", err, errDecodeIntoNil)
+	}
+
+	var nilptr *struct{}
+	if err := Decode(r, nilptr); err != errDecodeIntoNil {
+		t.Errorf("Decode(r, nilptr) error mismatch, got %q, want %q", err, errDecodeIntoNil)
+	}
+
+	if err := Decode(r, struct{}{}); err != errNoPointer {
+		t.Errorf("Decode(r, struct{}{}) error mismatch, got %q, want %q", err, errNoPointer)
+	}
+
+	expectErr := "rlp: type chan bool is not RLP-serializable"
+	if err := Decode(r, new(chan bool)); err == nil || err.Error() != expectErr {
+		t.Errorf("Decode(r, new(chan bool)) error mismatch, got %q, want %q", err, expectErr)
+	}
+
+	if err := Decode(r, new(int)); err != io.EOF {
+		t.Errorf("Decode(r, new(int)) error mismatch, got %q, want %q", err, io.EOF)
+	}
+}
+
+type decodeTest struct {
+	input string
+	ptr   interface{}
+	value interface{}
+	error error
+}
+
+type simplestruct struct {
+	A int
+	B string
+}
+
+type recstruct struct {
+	I     int
+	Child *recstruct
+}
+
+var sharedByteArray [5]byte
+
+var (
+	veryBigInt = big.NewInt(0).Add(
+		big.NewInt(0).Lsh(big.NewInt(0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFF), 16),
+		big.NewInt(0xFFFF),
+	)
+)
+
+var decodeTests = []decodeTest{
+	// integers
+	{input: "05", ptr: new(uint32), value: uint32(5)},
+	{input: "80", ptr: new(uint32), value: uint32(0)},
+	{input: "8105", ptr: new(uint32), value: uint32(5)},
+	{input: "820505", ptr: new(uint32), value: uint32(0x0505)},
+	{input: "83050505", ptr: new(uint32), value: uint32(0x050505)},
+	{input: "8405050505", ptr: new(uint32), value: uint32(0x05050505)},
+	{input: "850505050505", ptr: new(uint32), error: errors.New("rlp: string is larger than 32 bits")},
+	{input: "C0", ptr: new(uint32), error: ErrExpectedString},
+
+	// slices
+	{input: "C0", ptr: new([]int), value: []int{}},
+	{input: "C80102030405060708", ptr: new([]int), value: []int{1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8}},
+
+	// arrays
+	{input: "C0", ptr: new([5]int), value: [5]int{}},
+	{input: "C50102030405", ptr: new([5]int), value: [5]int{1, 2, 3, 4, 5}},
+	{input: "C6010203040506", ptr: new([5]int), error: errors.New("rlp: input List has more than 5 elements")},
+
+	// byte slices
+	{input: "01", ptr: new([]byte), value: []byte{1}},
+	{input: "80", ptr: new([]byte), value: []byte{}},
+	{input: "8D6162636465666768696A6B6C6D", ptr: new([]byte), value: []byte("abcdefghijklm")},
+	{input: "C0", ptr: new([]byte), value: []byte{}},
+	{input: "C3010203", ptr: new([]byte), value: []byte{1, 2, 3}},
+	{input: "C3820102", ptr: new([]byte), error: errors.New("rlp: string is larger than 8 bits")},
+
+	// byte arrays
+	{input: "01", ptr: new([5]byte), value: [5]byte{1}},
+	{input: "80", ptr: new([5]byte), value: [5]byte{}},
+	{input: "850102030405", ptr: new([5]byte), value: [5]byte{1, 2, 3, 4, 5}},
+	{input: "C0", ptr: new([5]byte), value: [5]byte{}},
+	{input: "C3010203", ptr: new([5]byte), value: [5]byte{1, 2, 3, 0, 0}},
+	{input: "C3820102", ptr: new([5]byte), error: errors.New("rlp: string is larger than 8 bits")},
+	{input: "86010203040506", ptr: new([5]byte), error: errStringDoesntFitArray},
+	{input: "850101", ptr: new([5]byte), error: io.ErrUnexpectedEOF},
+
+	// byte array reuse (should be zeroed)
+	{input: "850102030405", ptr: &sharedByteArray, value: [5]byte{1, 2, 3, 4, 5}},
+	{input: "8101", ptr: &sharedByteArray, value: [5]byte{1}}, // kind: String
+	{input: "850102030405", ptr: &sharedByteArray, value: [5]byte{1, 2, 3, 4, 5}},
+	{input: "01", ptr: &sharedByteArray, value: [5]byte{1}}, // kind: Byte
+	{input: "C3010203", ptr: &sharedByteArray, value: [5]byte{1, 2, 3, 0, 0}},
+	{input: "C101", ptr: &sharedByteArray, value: [5]byte{1}}, // kind: List
+
+	// zero sized byte arrays
+	{input: "80", ptr: new([0]byte), value: [0]byte{}},
+	{input: "C0", ptr: new([0]byte), value: [0]byte{}},
+	{input: "01", ptr: new([0]byte), error: errStringDoesntFitArray},
+	{input: "8101", ptr: new([0]byte), error: errStringDoesntFitArray},
+
+	// strings
+	{input: "00", ptr: new(string), value: "\000"},
+	{input: "8D6162636465666768696A6B6C6D", ptr: new(string), value: "abcdefghijklm"},
+	{input: "C0", ptr: new(string), error: ErrExpectedString},
+
+	// big ints
+	{input: "01", ptr: new(*big.Int), value: big.NewInt(1)},
+	{input: "89FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF", ptr: new(*big.Int), value: veryBigInt},
+	{input: "10", ptr: new(big.Int), value: *big.NewInt(16)}, // non-pointer also works
+	{input: "C0", ptr: new(*big.Int), error: ErrExpectedString},
+
+	// structs
+	{input: "C0", ptr: new(simplestruct), value: simplestruct{0, ""}},
+	{input: "C105", ptr: new(simplestruct), value: simplestruct{5, ""}},
+	{input: "C50583343434", ptr: new(simplestruct), value: simplestruct{5, "444"}},
+	{input: "C3010101", ptr: new(simplestruct), error: errors.New("rlp: input List has too many elements")},
+	{
+		input: "C501C302C103",
+		ptr:   new(recstruct),
+		value: recstruct{1, &recstruct{2, &recstruct{3, nil}}},
+	},
+
+	// pointers
+	{input: "00", ptr: new(*int), value: (*int)(nil)},
+	{input: "80", ptr: new(*int), value: (*int)(nil)},
+	{input: "C0", ptr: new(*int), value: (*int)(nil)},
+	{input: "07", ptr: new(*int), value: intp(7)},
+	{input: "8108", ptr: new(*int), value: intp(8)},
+	{input: "C109", ptr: new(*[]int), value: &[]int{9}},
+	{input: "C58403030303", ptr: new(*[][]byte), value: &[][]byte{{3, 3, 3, 3}}},
+
+	// interface{}
+	{input: "00", ptr: new(interface{}), value: []byte{0}},
+	{input: "01", ptr: new(interface{}), value: []byte{1}},
+	{input: "80", ptr: new(interface{}), value: []byte{}},
+	{input: "850505050505", ptr: new(interface{}), value: []byte{5, 5, 5, 5, 5}},
+	{input: "C0", ptr: new(interface{}), value: []interface{}{}},
+	{input: "C50183040404", ptr: new(interface{}), value: []interface{}{[]byte{1}, []byte{4, 4, 4}}},
+}
+
+func intp(i int) *int { return &i }
+
+func TestDecode(t *testing.T) {
+	for i, test := range decodeTests {
+		input, err := hex.DecodeString(test.input)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("test %d: invalid hex input %q", i, test.input)
+			continue
+		}
+		err = Decode(bytes.NewReader(input), test.ptr)
+		if err != nil && test.error == nil {
+			t.Errorf("test %d: unexpected Decode error: %v\ndecoding into %T\ninput %q",
+				i, err, test.ptr, test.input)
+			continue
+		}
+		if test.error != nil && fmt.Sprint(err) != fmt.Sprint(test.error) {
+			t.Errorf("test %d: Decode error mismatch\ngot  %v\nwant %v\ndecoding into %T\ninput %q",
+				i, err, test.error, test.ptr, test.input)
+			continue
+		}
+		deref := reflect.ValueOf(test.ptr).Elem().Interface()
+		if err == nil && !reflect.DeepEqual(deref, test.value) {
+			t.Errorf("test %d: value mismatch\ngot  %#v\nwant %#v\ndecoding into %T\ninput %q",
+				i, deref, test.value, test.ptr, test.input)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+type testDecoder struct{ called bool }
+
+func (t *testDecoder) DecodeRLP(s *Stream) error {
+	if _, err := s.Uint(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	t.called = true
+	return nil
+}
+
+func TestDecodeDecoder(t *testing.T) {
+	var s struct {
+		T1 testDecoder
+		T2 *testDecoder
+		T3 **testDecoder
+	}
+	if err := Decode(bytes.NewReader(unhex("C3010203")), &s); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Decode error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if !s.T1.called {
+		t.Errorf("DecodeRLP was not called for (non-pointer) testDecoder")
+	}
+
+	if s.T2 == nil {
+		t.Errorf("*testDecoder has not been allocated")
+	} else if !s.T2.called {
+		t.Errorf("DecodeRLP was not called for *testDecoder")
+	}
+
+	if s.T3 == nil || *s.T3 == nil {
+		t.Errorf("**testDecoder has not been allocated")
+	} else if !(*s.T3).called {
+		t.Errorf("DecodeRLP was not called for **testDecoder")
+	}
+}
+
+type byteDecoder byte
+
+func (bd *byteDecoder) DecodeRLP(s *Stream) error {
+	_, err := s.Uint()
+	*bd = 255
+	return err
+}
+
+func (bd byteDecoder) called() bool {
+	return bd == 255
+}
+
+// This test verifies that the byte slice/byte array logic
+// does not kick in for element types implementing Decoder.
+func TestDecoderInByteSlice(t *testing.T) {
+	var slice []byteDecoder
+	if err := Decode(bytes.NewReader(unhex("C101")), &slice); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("unexpected Decode error %v", err)
+	} else if !slice[0].called() {
+		t.Errorf("DecodeRLP not called for slice element")
+	}
+
+	var array [1]byteDecoder
+	if err := Decode(bytes.NewReader(unhex("C101")), &array); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("unexpected Decode error %v", err)
+	} else if !array[0].called() {
+		t.Errorf("DecodeRLP not called for array element")
+	}
+}
+
+func ExampleDecode() {
+	input, _ := hex.DecodeString("C90A1486666F6F626172")
+
+	type example struct {
+		A, B    int
+		private int // private fields are ignored
+		String  string
+	}
+
+	var s example
+	err := Decode(bytes.NewReader(input), &s)
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Printf("Error: %v\n", err)
+	} else {
+		fmt.Printf("Decoded value: %#v\n", s)
+	}
+	// Output:
+	// Decoded value: rlp.example{A:10, B:20, private:0, String:"foobar"}
+}
+
+func ExampleStream() {
+	input, _ := hex.DecodeString("C90A1486666F6F626172")
+	s := NewStream(bytes.NewReader(input))
+
+	// Check what kind of value lies ahead
+	kind, size, _ := s.Kind()
+	fmt.Printf("Kind: %v size:%d\n", kind, size)
+
+	// Enter the list
+	if _, err := s.List(); err != nil {
+		fmt.Printf("List error: %v\n", err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	// Decode elements
+	fmt.Println(s.Uint())
+	fmt.Println(s.Uint())
+	fmt.Println(s.Bytes())
+
+	// Acknowledge end of list
+	if err := s.ListEnd(); err != nil {
+		fmt.Printf("ListEnd error: %v\n", err)
+	}
+	// Output:
+	// Kind: List size:9
+	// 10 <nil>
+	// 20 <nil>
+	// [102 111 111 98 97 114] <nil>
+}
+
+func BenchmarkDecode(b *testing.B) {
+	enc := encTest(90000)
+	b.SetBytes(int64(len(enc)))
+	b.ReportAllocs()
+	b.ResetTimer()
+
+	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+		var s []int
+		r := bytes.NewReader(enc)
+		if err := Decode(r, &s); err != nil {
+			b.Fatalf("Decode error: %v", err)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func BenchmarkDecodeIntSliceReuse(b *testing.B) {
+	enc := encTest(100000)
+	b.SetBytes(int64(len(enc)))
+	b.ReportAllocs()
+	b.ResetTimer()
+
+	var s []int
+	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+		r := bytes.NewReader(enc)
+		if err := Decode(r, &s); err != nil {
+			b.Fatalf("Decode error: %v", err)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func encTest(n int) []byte {
+	s := make([]interface{}, n)
+	for i := 0; i < n; i++ {
+		s[i] = i
+	}
+	return ethutil.Encode(s)
+}
+
+func unhex(str string) []byte {
+	b, err := hex.DecodeString(str)
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(fmt.Sprintf("invalid hex string: %q", str))
+	}
+	return b
+}
diff --git a/rlp/doc.go b/rlp/doc.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..aab98ea43a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rlp/doc.go
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+/*
+Package rlp implements the RLP serialization format.
+
+The purpose of RLP (Recursive Linear Prefix) qis to encode arbitrarily
+nested arrays of binary data, and RLP is the main encoding method used
+to serialize objects in Ethereum. The only purpose of RLP is to encode
+structure; encoding specific atomic data types (eg. strings, ints,
+floats) is left up to higher-order protocols; in Ethereum integers
+must be represented in big endian binary form with no leading zeroes
+(thus making the integer value zero be equivalent to the empty byte
+array).
+
+RLP values are distinguished by a type tag. The type tag precedes the
+value in the input stream and defines the size and kind of the bytes
+that follow.
+*/
+package rlp
diff --git a/rlp/typecache.go b/rlp/typecache.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..75dbb43c27
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rlp/typecache.go
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+package rlp
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"math/big"
+	"reflect"
+	"sync"
+)
+
+type decoder func(*Stream, reflect.Value) error
+
+type typeinfo struct {
+	decoder
+}
+
+var (
+	typeCacheMutex sync.RWMutex
+	typeCache      = make(map[reflect.Type]*typeinfo)
+)
+
+func cachedTypeInfo(typ reflect.Type) (*typeinfo, error) {
+	typeCacheMutex.RLock()
+	info := typeCache[typ]
+	typeCacheMutex.RUnlock()
+	if info != nil {
+		return info, nil
+	}
+	// not in the cache, need to generate info for this type.
+	typeCacheMutex.Lock()
+	defer typeCacheMutex.Unlock()
+	return cachedTypeInfo1(typ)
+}
+
+func cachedTypeInfo1(typ reflect.Type) (*typeinfo, error) {
+	info := typeCache[typ]
+	if info != nil {
+		// another goroutine got the write lock first
+		return info, nil
+	}
+	// put a dummmy value into the cache before generating.
+	// if the generator tries to lookup itself, it will get
+	// the dummy value and won't call itself recursively.
+	typeCache[typ] = new(typeinfo)
+	info, err := genTypeInfo(typ)
+	if err != nil {
+		// remove the dummy value if the generator fails
+		delete(typeCache, typ)
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	*typeCache[typ] = *info
+	return typeCache[typ], err
+}
+
+var (
+	decoderInterface = reflect.TypeOf(new(Decoder)).Elem()
+	bigInt           = reflect.TypeOf(big.Int{})
+)
+
+func genTypeInfo(typ reflect.Type) (info *typeinfo, err error) {
+	info = new(typeinfo)
+	kind := typ.Kind()
+	switch {
+	case typ.Implements(decoderInterface):
+		info.decoder = decodeDecoder
+	case kind != reflect.Ptr && reflect.PtrTo(typ).Implements(decoderInterface):
+		info.decoder = decodeDecoderNoPtr
+	case typ.AssignableTo(reflect.PtrTo(bigInt)):
+		info.decoder = decodeBigInt
+	case typ.AssignableTo(bigInt):
+		info.decoder = decodeBigIntNoPtr
+	case isInteger(kind):
+		info.decoder = makeNumDecoder(typ)
+	case kind == reflect.String:
+		info.decoder = decodeString
+	case kind == reflect.Slice || kind == reflect.Array:
+		info.decoder, err = makeListDecoder(typ)
+	case kind == reflect.Struct:
+		info.decoder, err = makeStructDecoder(typ)
+	case kind == reflect.Ptr:
+		info.decoder, err = makePtrDecoder(typ)
+	case kind == reflect.Interface && typ.NumMethod() == 0:
+		info.decoder = decodeInterface
+	default:
+		err = fmt.Errorf("rlp: type %v is not RLP-serializable", typ)
+	}
+	return info, err
+}
+
+func isInteger(k reflect.Kind) bool {
+	return k >= reflect.Int && k <= reflect.Uintptr
+}