diff --git a/lib/MessageDb.js b/lib/MessageDb.js
index fd77530..832087c 100644
--- a/lib/MessageDb.js
+++ b/lib/MessageDb.js
@@ -83,13 +83,21 @@ MessageDb.prototype.authenticate = function(m) {
   return AuthMessage._verify(frompubkey, sig, encrypted);
 };
 
+MessageDb.parseKey = function(key) {
+  var ret = {};
+  var spl = key.split('-');
+  
+  ret.to = spl[1];
+  ret.ts = +spl[2];
+
+  return ret;
+};
+
 MessageDb.fromStorage = function(data) {
-  var spl = data.key.split('-');
-  var to = spl[1];
-  var ts = +spl[2];
+  var parsed = MessageDb.parseKey(data.key);
   var message = data.value;
-  message.ts = ts;
-  message.to = to;
+  message.ts = parsed.ts;
+  message.to = parsed.to;
   return message;
 };
 
@@ -117,8 +125,13 @@ MessageDb.prototype.getMessages = function(to, lower_ts, upper_ts, cb) {
 };
 
 MessageDb.prototype.removeUpTo = function(ts) {
+  preconditions.checkArgument(ts);
+  preconditions.checkArgument(typeof ts === 'number');
   var opts = {};
-  db.createKeyStream(opts);
+  db.createKeyStream(opts)
+    .on('data', function(key) {
+      console.log('key=', key)
+    });
 };
 
 module.exports = soop(MessageDb);
diff --git a/test/test.MessageDb.js b/test/test.MessageDb.js
index efc1006..492c454 100644
--- a/test/test.MessageDb.js
+++ b/test/test.MessageDb.js
@@ -108,6 +108,10 @@ describe('MessageDb', function() {
       done();
     });
   });
+  it('should be able #removeUpTo', function() {
+    var mdb = sharedMDB;
+    mdb.removeUpTo(microtime.now());
+  });
   it('should be able to close instance', function() {
     var mdb = new MessageDb(opts);
     mdb.close();