diff --git a/src/com/google/bitcoin/core/Message.java b/src/com/google/bitcoin/core/Message.java
index c2cb49d0..540e06a8 100644
--- a/src/com/google/bitcoin/core/Message.java
+++ b/src/com/google/bitcoin/core/Message.java
@@ -153,9 +153,10 @@ public abstract class Message implements Serializable {
             cursor += 1;
             return "";
         }
+        cursor += varInt.getSizeInBytes();
         byte[] characters = new byte[(int)varInt.value];
         System.arraycopy(bytes, cursor, characters, 0, characters.length);
-        cursor += varInt.getSizeInBytes();
+        cursor += characters.length;
         try {
             return new String(characters, "UTF-8");
         } catch (UnsupportedEncodingException e) {
diff --git a/src/com/google/bitcoin/core/PeerAddress.java b/src/com/google/bitcoin/core/PeerAddress.java
index 491c4b75..cb71c425 100644
--- a/src/com/google/bitcoin/core/PeerAddress.java
+++ b/src/com/google/bitcoin/core/PeerAddress.java
@@ -115,4 +115,14 @@ public class PeerAddress extends Message {
     public String toString() {
         return "[" + addr.getHostAddress() + "]:" + port;
     }
+
+    @Override
+    public boolean equals(Object o) {
+        if (!(o instanceof PeerAddress)) return false;
+        PeerAddress other = (PeerAddress) o;
+        return other.addr.equals(addr) &&
+               other.port == port &&
+               other.services.equals(services) &&
+               other.time == time;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/com/google/bitcoin/core/PeerGroup.java b/src/com/google/bitcoin/core/PeerGroup.java
index f2e70c80..3eb0dc1c 100644
--- a/src/com/google/bitcoin/core/PeerGroup.java
+++ b/src/com/google/bitcoin/core/PeerGroup.java
@@ -325,9 +325,9 @@ public class PeerGroup {
     }
     
     /**
-     * Download the blockchain from peers.
+     * Download the blockchain from peers.<p>
      * 
-     * <p>This method wait until the download is complete.  "Complete" is defined as downloading
+     * This method waits until the download is complete.  "Complete" is defined as downloading
      * from at least one peer all the blocks that are in that peer's inventory.
      */
     public void downloadBlockChain() {
diff --git a/src/com/google/bitcoin/core/VersionMessage.java b/src/com/google/bitcoin/core/VersionMessage.java
index 373c56ad..09ee18e3 100644
--- a/src/com/google/bitcoin/core/VersionMessage.java
+++ b/src/com/google/bitcoin/core/VersionMessage.java
@@ -124,4 +124,17 @@ public class VersionMessage extends Message {
     public boolean hasBlockChain() {
         return (localServices & NODE_NETWORK) == NODE_NETWORK;
     }
+
+    @Override
+    public boolean equals(Object o) {
+        if (!(o instanceof VersionMessage)) return false;
+        VersionMessage other = (VersionMessage) o;
+        return other.bestHeight == bestHeight &&
+               other.clientVersion == clientVersion &&
+               other.localServices == localServices &&
+               other.time == time &&
+               other.subVer.equals(subVer) &&
+               other.myAddr.equals(myAddr) &&
+               other.theirAddr.equals(theirAddr);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/tests/com/google/bitcoin/core/BitcoinSerializerTest.java b/tests/com/google/bitcoin/core/BitcoinSerializerTest.java
index 92accb0f..fcad5fd1 100644
--- a/tests/com/google/bitcoin/core/BitcoinSerializerTest.java
+++ b/tests/com/google/bitcoin/core/BitcoinSerializerTest.java
@@ -62,6 +62,12 @@ public class BitcoinSerializerTest {
         assertEquals(31900, vm.clientVersion);
         assertEquals(1292899814L, vm.time);
         assertEquals(98645L, vm.bestHeight);
+
+        // Standard version messsages don't use strings. Create one and round-trip here to check that works OK.
+        vm.subVer = "test string";
+        byte[] bits = vm.bitcoinSerialize();
+        VersionMessage vm2 = new VersionMessage(NetworkParameters.prodNet(), bits);
+        assertEquals(vm, vm2);
     }