diff --git a/whisper/whisper.go b/whisper/whisper.go
index d9affe09b1..f3b539d2c0 100644
--- a/whisper/whisper.go
+++ b/whisper/whisper.go
@@ -25,17 +25,19 @@ const (
 	signatureLength = 65
 )
 
+const (
+	DefaultTimeToLive  = 50 * time.Second
+	DefaultProofOfWork = 50 * time.Millisecond
+)
+
 type MessageEvent struct {
 	To      *ecdsa.PrivateKey
 	From    *ecdsa.PublicKey
 	Message *Message
 }
 
-const (
-	DefaultTimeToLive  = 50 * time.Second
-	DefaultProofOfWork = 50 * time.Millisecond
-)
-
+// Whisper represents a dark communication interface through the Ethereum
+// network, using its very own P2P communication layer.
 type Whisper struct {
 	protocol p2p.Protocol
 	filters  *filter.Filters
@@ -199,7 +201,6 @@ func (self *Whisper) add(envelope *Envelope) error {
 		self.expiry[envelope.Expiry].Add(hash)
 		go self.postEvent(envelope)
 	}
-
 	glog.V(logger.Detail).Infof("added whisper envelope %x\n", envelope)
 
 	return nil
diff --git a/whisper/whisper_test.go b/whisper/whisper_test.go
index 27c57eee18..5c29956cfa 100644
--- a/whisper/whisper_test.go
+++ b/whisper/whisper_test.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/crypto"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/logger/glog"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/p2p"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/p2p/nat"
 )
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@ type testNode struct {
 }
 
 func startNodes(n int) ([]*testNode, error) {
+	// Start up the cluster of nodes
 	cluster := make([]*testNode, 0, n)
 	for i := 0; i < n; i++ {
 		shh := New()
@@ -46,6 +48,11 @@ func startNodes(n int) ([]*testNode, error) {
 			client: shh,
 		})
 	}
+	// Manually wire together the cluster nodes
+	root := cluster[0].server.Self()
+	for _, node := range cluster[1:] {
+		node.server.SuggestPeer(root)
+	}
 	return cluster, nil
 }
 
@@ -56,6 +63,7 @@ func stopNodes(cluster []*testNode) {
 }
 
 func TestSelfMessage(t *testing.T) {
+	// Start the single node cluster
 	cluster, err := startNodes(1)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("failed to boot test cluster: %v", err)
@@ -96,6 +104,10 @@ func TestSelfMessage(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestDirectMessage(t *testing.T) {
+	glog.SetV(6)
+	glog.SetToStderr(true)
+
+	// Start the sender-recipient cluster
 	cluster, err := startNodes(2)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("failed to boot test cluster: %v", err)