diff --git a/lib/bcoin/block.js b/lib/bcoin/block.js
index 7c9b1523..72401260 100644
--- a/lib/bcoin/block.js
+++ b/lib/bcoin/block.js
@@ -543,8 +543,6 @@ Block.fromCompact = function fromCompact(json) {
 Block.prototype.toRaw = function toRaw(enc) {
   var data;
 
-  assert(this.subtype === 'block');
-
   data = this.render();
 
   if (enc === 'hex')
@@ -553,17 +551,28 @@ Block.prototype.toRaw = function toRaw(enc) {
   return data;
 };
 
-Block._fromRaw = function _fromRaw(data, enc) {
+Block._fromRaw = function _fromRaw(data, enc, subtype) {
   var parser = new bcoin.protocol.parser();
 
+  if (!subtype)
+    subtype = 'block';
+
   if (enc === 'hex')
     data = new Buffer(data, 'hex');
 
+  if (subtype === 'headers')
+    return parser.parseHeaders(data);
+
+  if (subtype === 'merkleblock')
+    return parser.parseMerkleBlock(data);
+
   return parser.parseBlock(data);
 };
 
-Block.fromRaw = function fromRaw(data, enc) {
-  return new Block(Block._fromRaw(data, enc), 'block');
+Block.fromRaw = function fromRaw(data, enc, subtype) {
+  if (!subtype)
+    subtype = 'block';
+  return new Block(Block._fromRaw(data, enc, subtype), subtype);
 };
 
 /**