diff --git a/lib/bcoin/peer.js b/lib/bcoin/peer.js
index 53925f21..96123ae9 100644
--- a/lib/bcoin/peer.js
+++ b/lib/bcoin/peer.js
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ var constants = bcoin.protocol.constants;
  * @property {Bloom?} filter - The _peer's_ bloom filter.
  * @property {Boolean} relay - Whether to relay transactions
  * immediately to the peer.
- * @property {Buffer} challenge - Local nonce.
+ * @property {BN} challenge - Local nonce.
  * @property {Number} lastPong - Timestamp for last `pong`
  * received (unix time).
  * @property {String} id - Peer's uid.
@@ -1235,7 +1235,7 @@ Peer.prototype._handlePing = function handlePing(data) {
 };
 
 Peer.prototype._handlePong = function handlePong(data) {
-  if (!this.challenge || utils.cmp(data.nonce, this.challenge) !== 0)
+  if (!this.challenge || this.challenge.cmp(data.nonce) !== 0)
     return this.emit('pong', false);
 
   this.lastPong = utils.now();
diff --git a/lib/bcoin/protocol/framer.js b/lib/bcoin/protocol/framer.js
index 23a21eca..9b50770b 100644
--- a/lib/bcoin/protocol/framer.js
+++ b/lib/bcoin/protocol/framer.js
@@ -450,7 +450,7 @@ Framer.version = function version(options, writer) {
   p.write64(utils.now());
   Framer.address(remote, false, p);
   Framer.address(local, false, p);
-  p.writeBytes(utils.nonce());
+  p.writeU64(utils.nonce());
   p.writeVarString(agent);
   p.write32(options.height || 0);
   p.writeU8(options.relay ? 1 : 0);
@@ -536,7 +536,7 @@ Framer.notFound = function notFound(items, writer) {
 
 Framer.ping = function ping(data) {
   var p = new Buffer(8);
-  data.nonce.copy(p, 0, 0, 8);
+  utils.writeU64(p, data.nonce, 0);
   return p;
 };
 
@@ -549,7 +549,7 @@ Framer.ping = function ping(data) {
 
 Framer.pong = function pong(data) {
   var p = new Buffer(8);
-  data.nonce.copy(p, 0, 0, 8);
+  utils.writeU64(p, data.nonce, 0);
   return p;
 };
 
diff --git a/lib/bcoin/protocol/parser.js b/lib/bcoin/protocol/parser.js
index 0d2c91b3..f470b8c2 100644
--- a/lib/bcoin/protocol/parser.js
+++ b/lib/bcoin/protocol/parser.js
@@ -435,7 +435,7 @@ Parser.parsePing = function parsePing(p) {
   p = new BufferReader(p);
 
   return {
-    nonce: p.readBytes(8)
+    nonce: p.readU64()
   };
 };
 
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ Parser.parsePong = function parsePong(p) {
   p = new BufferReader(p);
 
   return {
-    nonce: p.readBytes(8)
+    nonce: p.readU64()
   };
 };
 
@@ -469,7 +469,7 @@ Parser.parseVersion = function parseVersion(p) {
   ts = p.read53();
   recv = Parser.parseAddress(p, false);
   from = Parser.parseAddress(p, false);
-  nonce = p.readBytes(8);
+  nonce = p.readU64();
   agent = p.readVarString('ascii');
   height = p.read32();
 
diff --git a/lib/bcoin/types.js b/lib/bcoin/types.js
index 3b186abe..17382deb 100644
--- a/lib/bcoin/types.js
+++ b/lib/bcoin/types.js
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@
 
 /**
  * @typedef {Object} PingPacket
- * @property {Buffer} nonce
+ * @property {BN} nonce
  * @global
  */
 
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@
  * @property {Number} ts - Timestamp of discovery.
  * @property {NetworkAddress} local - Our address.
  * @property {NetworkAddress} remote - Their address.
- * @property {Buffer} nonce
+ * @property {BN} nonce
  * @property {String} agent - User agent string.
  * @property {Number} height - Chain height.
  * @property {Boolean} relay - Whether transactions
diff --git a/lib/bcoin/utils.js b/lib/bcoin/utils.js
index 08358c72..fff7ffce 100644
--- a/lib/bcoin/utils.js
+++ b/lib/bcoin/utils.js
@@ -1286,14 +1286,14 @@ utils.U64 = new bn('ffffffffffffffff', 'hex');
 
 /**
  * Create an 8 byte nonce.
- * @returns {Buffer}
+ * @returns {BN}
  */
 
 utils.nonce = function _nonce() {
   var nonce = new Buffer(8);
   utils.writeU32(nonce, Math.random() * 0x100000000 | 0, 0);
   utils.writeU32(nonce, Math.random() * 0x100000000 | 0, 4);
-  return nonce;
+  return new bn(nonce);
 };
 
 //