diff --git a/server/peer/server.go b/server/peer/server.go
index 7de420b..72ab04a 100644
--- a/server/peer/server.go
+++ b/server/peer/server.go
@@ -234,10 +234,10 @@ func (s *Server) handleCompositeRequest(data []byte) ([]byte, error) {
 
 	response := compositeResponse{
 		LbrycrdAddress: LbrycrdAddress,
+		AvailableBlobs: []string{},
 	}
 
 	if len(request.RequestedBlobs) > 0 {
-		var availableBlobs []string
 		for _, blobHash := range request.RequestedBlobs {
 			if reflector.IsProtected(blobHash) {
 				return nil, errors.Err("requested blob is protected")
@@ -247,15 +247,16 @@ func (s *Server) handleCompositeRequest(data []byte) ([]byte, error) {
 				return nil, err
 			}
 			if exists {
-				availableBlobs = append(availableBlobs, blobHash)
+				response.AvailableBlobs = append(response.AvailableBlobs, blobHash)
 			}
 		}
-		response.AvailableBlobs = availableBlobs
 	}
 
-	response.BlobDataPaymentRate = paymentRateAccepted
-	if request.BlobDataPaymentRate < 0 {
-		response.BlobDataPaymentRate = paymentRateTooLow
+	if request.BlobDataPaymentRate != nil {
+		response.BlobDataPaymentRate = paymentRateAccepted
+		if *request.BlobDataPaymentRate < 0 {
+			response.BlobDataPaymentRate = paymentRateTooLow
+		}
 	}
 
 	var blob []byte
@@ -270,13 +271,13 @@ func (s *Server) handleCompositeRequest(data []byte) ([]byte, error) {
 		blob, trace, err = s.store.Get(request.RequestedBlob)
 		log.Debug(trace.String())
 		if errors.Is(err, store.ErrBlobNotFound) {
-			response.IncomingBlob = incomingBlob{
+			response.IncomingBlob = &incomingBlob{
 				Error: err.Error(),
 			}
 		} else if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		} else {
-			response.IncomingBlob = incomingBlob{
+			response.IncomingBlob = &incomingBlob{
 				BlobHash: request.RequestedBlob,
 				Length:   len(blob),
 			}
@@ -305,7 +306,15 @@ func (s *Server) logError(e error) {
 }
 
 func readNextMessage(buf *bufio.Reader) ([]byte, error) {
-	msg := make([]byte, 0)
+	first_byte, err := buf.ReadByte()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	if first_byte != '{' {
+		// every request starts with '{'. Checking here disconnects earlier, so we don't wait until timeout
+		return nil, errInvalidData
+	}
+	msg := []byte("{")
 	eof := false
 
 	for {
@@ -326,6 +335,8 @@ func readNextMessage(buf *bufio.Reader) ([]byte, error) {
 
 			if len(msg) > maxRequestSize {
 				return msg, errRequestTooLarge
+			} else if len(msg) > 0 && msg[0] != '{' {
+				return msg, errInvalidData
 			}
 
 			// yes, this is how the peer protocol knows when the request finishes
@@ -360,6 +371,7 @@ const (
 )
 
 var errRequestTooLarge = errors.Base("request is too large")
+var errInvalidData = errors.Base("Invalid data")
 
 type availabilityRequest struct {
 	LbrycrdAddress bool     `json:"lbrycrd_address"`
@@ -396,13 +408,13 @@ type blobResponse struct {
 type compositeRequest struct {
 	LbrycrdAddress      bool     `json:"lbrycrd_address"`
 	RequestedBlobs      []string `json:"requested_blobs"`
-	BlobDataPaymentRate float64  `json:"blob_data_payment_rate"`
+	BlobDataPaymentRate *float64 `json:"blob_data_payment_rate"`
 	RequestedBlob       string   `json:"requested_blob"`
 }
 
 type compositeResponse struct {
-	LbrycrdAddress      string       `json:"lbrycrd_address,omitempty"`
-	AvailableBlobs      []string     `json:"available_blobs,omitempty"`
-	BlobDataPaymentRate string       `json:"blob_data_payment_rate,omitempty"`
-	IncomingBlob        incomingBlob `json:"incoming_blob,omitempty"`
+	LbrycrdAddress      string        `json:"lbrycrd_address,omitempty"`
+	AvailableBlobs      []string      `json:"available_blobs"`
+	BlobDataPaymentRate string        `json:"blob_data_payment_rate,omitempty"`
+	IncomingBlob        *incomingBlob `json:"incoming_blob,omitempty"`
 }