diff --git a/app/controllers/socket.js b/app/controllers/socket.js
index be6e614..173ddb3 100644
--- a/app/controllers/socket.js
+++ b/app/controllers/socket.js
@@ -7,40 +7,63 @@ var mdb = require('../../lib/MessageDb').default();
 
 module.exports.init = function(io_ext) {
   ios = io_ext;
-  ios.sockets.on('connection', function(socket) {
-    socket.on('subscribe', function(topic) {
-      socket.join(topic);
-    });
-    socket.on('message', function(m) {
-      mdb.addMessage(m, function(err) {
-        if (err) throw err; // TODO: handle
+  if (ios) {
+    // when a new socket connects
+    ios.sockets.on('connection', function(socket) {
+      // when it subscribes, make it join the according room
+      socket.on('subscribe', function(topic) {
+        socket.join(topic);
+      });
+
+      // when it requests sync, send him all pending messages
+      socket.on('sync', function(ts) {
+        mdb.getMessages(to, lower_ts, upper_ts, function(err, messages) {
+          if (err) {
+            throw new Error('Couldn\'t get messages on sync request: ' + err);
+          }
+          for (var i = 0; i < message.length; i++) {
+            broadcastMessage(messages[i]);
+          }
+        });
+      });
+
+      // when it sends a message, add it to db
+      socket.on('message', function(m) {
+        mdb.addMessage(m, function(err) {
+          if (err) {
+            throw new Error('Couldn\'t add message to database: ' + err);
+          }
+        });
       });
     });
+    mdb.on('message', broadcastMessage);
+  }
+};
+
+var simpleTx = function(tx) {
+  return {
+    txid: tx
+  };
+};
+
+var fullTx = function(tx) {
+  var t = {
+    txid: tx.txid,
+    size: tx.size,
+  };
+  // Outputs
+  var valueOut = 0;
+  tx.vout.forEach(function(o) {
+    valueOut += o.valueSat;
   });
 
-  mdb.on('message', broadcastMessage);
+  t.valueOut = (valueOut.toFixed(8) / util.COIN);
+  return t;
 };
 
 module.exports.broadcastTx = function(tx) {
   if (ios) {
-    var t;
-    if (typeof tx === 'string') {
-      t = {
-        txid: tx
-      };
-    } else {
-      t = {
-        txid: tx.txid,
-        size: tx.size,
-      };
-      // Outputs
-      var valueOut = 0;
-      tx.vout.forEach(function(o) {
-        valueOut += o.valueSat;
-      });
-
-      t.valueOut = (valueOut.toFixed(8) / util.COIN);
-    }
+    var t = (typeof tx === 'string') ? simpleTx(tx) : fullTx(tx);
     ios.sockets.in('inv').emit('tx', t);
   }
 };
diff --git a/examples/messages.html b/examples/messages.html
index dfbd83e..088befb 100644
--- a/examples/messages.html
+++ b/examples/messages.html
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@
   <script src="http://code.jquery.com/jquery-1.11.1.js"></script>
   <script src="./bitcore.js"></script>
   <script>
+    var fixedPK = prompt('Enter your private key or leave empty to generate one', 'a52e54d90c1ff4846e6f164e56405094cc96ecc0ea7732831e24418204c8ab55');
+
     $(document).ready(function()
     {
       // load dependencies 
@@ -69,6 +71,11 @@
 
       // generate new identity
       var pk = Key.generateSync();
+      if (fixedPK) {
+        pk.private = new Buffer(fixedPK, 'hex');
+        pk.regenerateSync();
+      }
+      console.log(pk.private.toString('hex'));
       var pubkey = pk.public.toString('hex');
       $('#pubkey').text('Your key: '+pubkey);
 
@@ -97,6 +104,7 @@
 
       // receive chat handler
       socket.emit('subscribe', pubkey);
+      socket.emit('sync', pubkey);
       socket.on('message', function(msg)
       {
         try {
diff --git a/lib/MessageDb.js b/lib/MessageDb.js
index 36b195c..a572698 100644
--- a/lib/MessageDb.js
+++ b/lib/MessageDb.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ var bitcore = require('bitcore');
 var AuthMessage = bitcore.AuthMessage;
 var preconditions = require('preconditions').singleton();
 
-var MESSAGE_PREFIX = 'msg-'; // msg-<sin1>-<sin2> => <message>
+var MESSAGE_PREFIX = 'msg-'; // msg-<recieving_pubkey>-<ts> => <message>
 
 var MAX_OPEN_FILES = 500;
 var CONCURRENCY = 5;
@@ -55,9 +55,12 @@ MessageDb.prototype.close = function(cb) {
 };
 
 
-var messageKey = function(pubkey, to, ts) {
+var messageKey = function(to, ts) {
+  preconditions.checkArgument(typeof to === 'string');
+  preconditions.checkArgument(to.length === 66);
+  preconditions.checkArgument(!ts || typeof ts === 'number');
   if (!ts) ts = Math.round(microtime.now());
-  return MESSAGE_PREFIX + pubkey.toString() + '-' + to.toString() + '-' + ts;
+  return MESSAGE_PREFIX + to.toString() + '-' + ts;
 };
 
 MessageDb.prototype.addMessage = function(m, cb) {
@@ -67,7 +70,7 @@ MessageDb.prototype.addMessage = function(m, cb) {
     return;
   }
 
-  var key = messageKey(m.pubkey, m.to);
+  var key = messageKey(m.to);
   var value = m;
   this.db.put(key, value, cb);
 };
@@ -85,20 +88,19 @@ MessageDb.prototype.authenticate = function(m) {
 
 MessageDb.fromStorage = function(data) {
   var spl = data.key.split('-');
-  var pubkey = spl[1];
-  var to = spl[2];
-  var ts = +spl[3];
+  var to = spl[1];
+  var ts = +spl[2];
   var message = data.value;
   message.ts = ts;
   message.to = to;
   return message;
 };
 
-MessageDb.prototype.getMessages = function(pubkey, to, lower_ts, upper_ts, cb) {
+MessageDb.prototype.getMessages = function(to, lower_ts, upper_ts, cb) {
   var list = [];
   var opts = {
-    end: messageKey(pubkey, to, lower_ts),
-    start: messageKey(pubkey, to, upper_ts),
+    end: messageKey(to, lower_ts),
+    start: messageKey(to, upper_ts),
     // limit: limit, TODO
     reverse: true,
   };
diff --git a/test/test.MessageDb.js b/test/test.MessageDb.js
index 151b661..e65ac2c 100644
--- a/test/test.MessageDb.js
+++ b/test/test.MessageDb.js
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ describe('MessageDb', function() {
     mdb.addMessage(message, function(err) {
       expect(err).to.not.exist;
       var upper_ts = microtime.now();
-      mdb.getMessages(from, to, lower_ts, upper_ts, function(err, messages) {
+      mdb.getMessages(to, lower_ts, upper_ts, function(err, messages) {
         expect(err).to.not.exist;
         messages.length.should.equal(1);
         messages[0].ts.should.be.below(upper_ts);
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ describe('MessageDb', function() {
         setTimeout(function() {
           mdb.addMessage(message3, function(err) {
             expect(err).to.not.exist;
-            mdb.getMessages(from, to, lower_ts, upper_ts, function(err, messages) {
+            mdb.getMessages(to, lower_ts, upper_ts, function(err, messages) {
               expect(err).to.not.exist;
               messages.length.should.equal(2);
               messages[0].ts.should.be.below(upper_ts);
diff --git a/test/test.socket-server.js b/test/test.socket-server.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f074472
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test.socket-server.js
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+'use strict';
+
+var chai = require('chai');
+var should = chai.should;
+var expect = chai.expect;
+var sinon = require('sinon');
+
+var socket = require('../app/controllers/socket');
+var bitcore = require('bitcore');
+var EventEmitter = require('events').EventEmitter;
+
+describe('socket server', function() {
+  it('should be able to call init with no args', function() {
+    socket.init.should.not.throw();
+  });
+  it('should register socket handlers', function() {
+    var io = {
+      sockets: new EventEmitter()
+    }
+    socket.init(io);
+
+    var mockSocket = {};
+    mockSocket.on = sinon.spy(); 
+    io.sockets.emit('connection', mockSocket);
+    mockSocket.on.calledWith('subscribe');
+    mockSocket.on.calledWith('sync');
+    mockSocket.on.calledWith('message');
+  });
+
+});