diff --git a/plugins/net_plugin/net_plugin.cpp b/plugins/net_plugin/net_plugin.cpp
index c17f4e19ef50ac618e8df3172c34763f5a8b64bc..0a3ecde0b6c7a28da5f5abd0ea8b6ad382d5dd63 100644
--- a/plugins/net_plugin/net_plugin.cpp
+++ b/plugins/net_plugin/net_plugin.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-  #include <eos/chain/types.hpp>
+#include <eos/chain/types.hpp>
 
 #include <eos/net_plugin/net_plugin.hpp>
 #include <eos/net_plugin/protocol.hpp>
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ namespace eos {
     uint32_t     end_block = 0;
     uint32_t     last = 0; ///< last sent or received
     time_point   start_time; ///< time request made or received
-    vector<signed_block> block_cache;
+    vector< vector<char> > block_cache;
   };
 #if 0
   struct by_start_block;
@@ -105,8 +105,8 @@ namespace eos {
     connection( string endpoint )
       : block_state(),
         trx_state(),
-        in_sync_state(),
-        out_sync_state(),
+        sync_received(),
+        sync_requested(),
         socket( std::make_shared<tcp::socket>( std::ref( app().get_io_service() ))),
         pending_message_size(),
         pending_message_buffer(),
@@ -124,8 +124,8 @@ namespace eos {
     connection( socket_ptr s )
       : block_state(),
         trx_state(),
-        in_sync_state(),
-        out_sync_state(),
+        sync_received(),
+        sync_requested(),
         socket( s ),
         pending_message_size(),
         pending_message_buffer(),
@@ -157,12 +157,14 @@ namespace eos {
 
     block_state_index              block_state;
     transaction_state_index        trx_state;
-    vector<sync_state>             in_sync_state;  // we are requesting info from this peer
-    vector<sync_state>             out_sync_state; // this peer is requesting info from us
+    vector<sync_state>             sync_received;  // we are requesting info from this peer
+    vector<sync_state>             sync_requested; // this peer is requesting info from us
     socket_ptr                     socket;
 
     uint32_t                       pending_message_size;
     vector<char>                   pending_message_buffer;
+    vector<char>                   blk_buffer;
+    size_t                         message_size;
 
     fc::sha256                     remote_node_id;
     handshake_message              last_handshake;
@@ -177,8 +179,9 @@ namespace eos {
     }
 
     void reset () {
-      in_sync_state.clear();
-      out_sync_state.clear();
+      dlog ("reset clearing sync_received");
+      sync_received.clear();
+      sync_requested.clear();
       block_state.clear();
       trx_state.clear();
     }
@@ -207,7 +210,7 @@ namespace eos {
 
     void send_next_message() {
       if( !out_queue.size() ) {
-        if (out_sync_state.size() > 0) {
+        if (sync_requested.size() > 0) {
           write_block_backlog();
         }
         return;
@@ -220,7 +223,6 @@ namespace eos {
       fc::datastream<char*> ds( buffer.data(), buffer.size() );
       ds.write( (char*)&size, sizeof(size) );
       fc::raw::pack( ds, m );
-      boost::asio::buffer abuff( buffer.data(), buffer.size());
       boost::asio::async_write( *socket, boost::asio::buffer( buffer.data(), buffer.size() ),
                    [this,buf=std::move(buffer)]( boost::system::error_code ec, std::size_t bytes_transferred ) {
                      if( ec ) {
@@ -238,12 +240,12 @@ namespace eos {
 
    void write_block_backlog ( ) {
       chain_controller& cc = app().find_plugin<chain_plugin>()->chain();
-      auto ss = out_sync_state.begin();
+      auto ss = sync_requested.begin();
       uint32_t num = ++ss->last; //get_node()->value().last;
       ilog ("num = ${num} end = ${end}",("num",num)("end",ss->end_block));
       if (num >= ss->end_block) {
-        out_sync_state.erase(ss);
-        ilog ("out sync size = ${s}",("s",out_sync_state.size()));
+        sync_requested.erase(ss);
+        ilog ("out sync size = ${s}",("s",sync_requested.size()));
       }
       try {
         fc::optional<signed_block> sb = cc.fetch_block_by_number(num);
@@ -462,48 +464,71 @@ namespace eos {
       }
       uint32_t low = sync_req_head + 1;
       uint32_t high = low + sync_req_span < sync_head ? low + sync_req_span : sync_head;
-      sync_state req =  {low, high, sync_req_head, time_point::now(), vector<signed_block>() };
-      c->in_sync_state.push_back (req);
+      sync_state req =  {low, high, sync_req_head, time_point::now(), vector< vector<char> >() };
+      c->sync_received.push_back (req);
+      dlog ("pushing new cache from ${l} to ${h} on ${c} size = ${s}",
+            ("l",low)("h",high)("c",c->peer_addr)("s",c->sync_received.size()));
+
       sync_request_message srm = {req.start_block, req.end_block };
       c->send (srm);
       sync_req_head = high;
       return (sync_req_head == sync_head);
     }
 
-    void set_sync_head (uint32_t target) {
-      if (sync_head == sync_req_head) {
+    void set_sync_head (connection_ptr c, uint32_t target) {
+      bool stable = (sync_head == sync_req_head);
+      if (stable) {
         sync_req_head = chain_plug->chain().head_block_num();
       }
-
-      sync_head = target;
-      for (auto &c : connections) {
-        if (c->ready()) {
-          if (get_sync_req (c)) {
-            break;
+      ilog ("Catching up with chain, our head is ${cc}, theirs is ${t}",
+            ("cc",sync_req_head)("t",target));
+      if (target >  sync_head) {
+        sync_head = target;
+        if (stable) {
+          for (auto &ci : connections) {
+            if (ci->ready()) {
+              if (get_sync_req (ci)) {
+                break;
+              }
+            }
           }
+        } else {
+          get_sync_req (c);
         }
       }
     }
 
     void apply_cached_blocks (connection_ptr conn) {
-      uint32_t start = 1 + chain_plug->chain().head_block_num();
       bool keep_going = true;
       while (keep_going) {
         keep_going = false;
         for (auto &c : connections) {
-          if (c == conn || !c->ready()) {
+          if (c == conn || !c->ready()) { // || c->sync_received.size() == 0) {
             continue;
           }
           try {
-            auto ss = c->in_sync_state.begin();
+            auto ss = c->sync_received.begin();
+            if (ss == c->sync_received.end()) {
+              dlog ("conn ${c} has empty sync_received");
+              continue;
+            }
+            uint32_t start = 1 + chain_plug->chain().head_block_num();
             if (start == ss->start_block) {
+              if (ss->last < start) {
+                dlog ("found the set but the cache is empty");
+                return;
+              }
               for (auto & blk : ss->block_cache) {
-                chain_plug->accept_block (blk,true);
+                auto block = fc::raw::unpack<signed_block>( blk );
+                chain_plug->accept_block (block,true);
+                ++start;
                 ss->start_block++;
               }
               ss->block_cache.clear();
-              if (ss->start_block == ss->end_block) {
-                c->in_sync_state.erase(ss);
+              dlog ("cleared a cache, start = ${s} and end = ${e} head = ${h}",
+                    ("s",start)("e",ss->end_block)("h",chain_plug->chain().head_block_num()));
+              if (start >= ss->end_block) {
+                c->sync_received.erase(ss);
                 keep_going = true;
               }
             }
@@ -555,13 +580,13 @@ namespace eos {
       }
 
       if ( c->remote_node_id != msg.node_id) {
-        c->reset();
+        //        c->reset();
         c->remote_node_id = msg.node_id;
       }
 
       uint32_t head = cc.head_block_num ();
       if ( msg.head_num  >  head) {
-        set_sync_head(msg.head_num);
+        set_sync_head(c, msg.head_num);
       }
       else {
         c->syncing = head != msg.head_num;
@@ -646,7 +671,7 @@ namespace eos {
 
     void handle_message (connection_ptr c, const sync_request_message &msg) {
       sync_state req = {msg.start_block,msg.end_block,msg.start_block-1,time_point::now()};
-      c->out_sync_state.push_back (req);
+      c->sync_requested.push_back (req);
       c->write_block_backlog ();
     }
 
@@ -706,46 +731,56 @@ namespace eos {
       chain_controller &cc = chain_plug->chain();
       try {
         if (cc.is_known_block(msg.id())) {
+          dlog ("skipping known block");
           return;
         }
       } catch (...) {
       }
       uint32_t num = msg.block_num();
+      dlog ("handling block #${n} conn = ${c}",("n", num)("c",c->peer_addr));
       bool syncing = sync_head > cc.head_block_num();
       if (syncing) {
-        for( auto &ss : c->in_sync_state) {
-          if (num <= ss.end_block) {
-            ss.last = num;
-            if (num == ss.end_block) {
-              get_sync_req (c);
-            }
+        dlog ("sync_rec size ${s}",("s", c->sync_received.size()));
+        for( auto &ss : c->sync_received) {
+          if (num > ss.end_block) {
 
-            if (num == cc.head_block_num()+1) {
-              try {
-                chain_plug->accept_block(msg, true);
-                auto s0 = c->in_sync_state.begin();
-                if (s0->start_block == s0->end_block) {
-                  c->in_sync_state.erase(s0);
-                  apply_cached_blocks(c);
-                }
-                else {
-                  s0->start_block++;
-                }
-              } catch (const unlinkable_block_exception &ex) {
-                elog ("unable to accept block #${n} syncing",("n",num));
-                //close (c);
-              } catch (const assert_exception &ex) {
-                elog ("unable to accept block on assert exception #${n}",("n",num));
-                //close (c);
-              }
+            continue;
+          }
+          ss.last = num;
+          if (num == ss.end_block) {
+            get_sync_req (c);
+          }
 
-            } else {
-              ss.block_cache.push_back(msg);
+          if (num == cc.head_block_num()+1) {
+            try {
+              dlog ("sync accepting block #${n}",("n", num));
+              chain_plug->accept_block(msg, true);
+              auto s0 = c->sync_received.begin();
+              if (s0->start_block == s0->end_block) {
+                c->sync_received.erase(s0);
+                apply_cached_blocks(c);
+              }
+              else {
+                s0->start_block++;
+              }
+            } catch (const unlinkable_block_exception &ex) {
+              elog ("unable to accept block #${n} syncing",("n",num));
+              //close (c);
+            } catch (const assert_exception &ex) {
+              elog ("unable to accept block on assert exception #${n}",("n",num));
+              //close (c);
             }
-            break;
+
+          } else {
+            dlog ("caching block #${n} size = ${s}", ("n", num)("s", c->blk_buffer.size()));
+            // ss.block_cache.emplace_back(::move(c->blk_buffer));
+
+            ss.block_cache.push_back(c->blk_buffer);
           }
+          break;
         }
         if ( chain_plug->chain().head_block_num() == sync_head) {
+          dlog ("caught up with previous target ${t}",("t",sync_head));
           handshake_message hello;
           handshake_initializer::populate(hello);
           send_all (hello, [c](connection_ptr conn) -> bool {
@@ -772,6 +807,25 @@ namespace eos {
       }
     }
 
+    struct precache : public fc::visitor<void> {
+      connection_ptr c;
+      precache (connection_ptr conn) : c(conn) {}
+
+      void operator()(const signed_block &msg) const
+      {
+        c->blk_buffer.resize(c->message_size);
+        memcpy(c->blk_buffer.data(),c->pending_message_buffer.data(), c->message_size);
+      }
+
+      template <typename T>
+      void operator()(const T &msg) const
+      {
+        //no-op
+      }
+
+    };
+
+
 
     struct msgHandler : public fc::visitor<void> {
       net_plugin_impl &impl;
@@ -791,7 +845,10 @@ namespace eos {
           [this,c]( boost::system::error_code ec, std::size_t bytes_transferred ) {
             if( !ec ) {
               try {
+                c->message_size = bytes_transferred;
                 auto msg = fc::raw::unpack<net_message>( c->pending_message_buffer );
+                precache pc( c );
+                msg.visit (pc);
                 start_read_message( c );
 
                 msgHandler m(*this, c);