diff --git a/src/client/libdistren_request.c b/src/client/libdistren_request.c
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/client/libdistren_request.c
@@ -0,0 +1,144 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2010 Nathan Phillip Brink
+ *
+ * This file is a part of DistRen.
+ *
+ * DistRen is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * DistRen is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+ * along with DistRen.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#include "common/config.h"
+
+#include "libdistren.h"
+
+#include "common/protocol.h"
+#include "common/remoteio.h"
+#include "common/request.h"
+
+static void handle_ping(struct remoteio *rem, struct distren_request *req, void *req_data);
+static void handle_version(struct remoteio *rem, struct distren_request *req, void *req_data);
+static void handle_disconnect(distren_t distren, struct remoteio *rem, struct distren_request *req, void *req_data);
+
+size_t libdistren_remoteio_read_handle(struct remoteio *rem, void *garbage, void *buf, size_t len, distren_t distren)
+{
+  size_t to_return;
+  size_t last_len;
+  short err;
+
+  struct distren_request *req;
+  void *req_data;
+
+  to_return = 0;
+  while(!distren->done_ad)
+    {
+      if(!len)
+	return to_return;
+
+      putchar(*(char *)buf);
+      if(*(char *)buf == '\n')
+	distren->done_ad = 1;
+
+      len --;
+      to_return ++;
+      buf ++;
+    }
+
+  /* hack to get into the loop at all ;-) */
+  last_len = 1; 
+  while(last_len)
+    {
+      last_len = distren_request_handle(NULL, buf, len, &req, &req_data, &err);
+      if(err)
+	{
+	  remoteio_close(rem);
+	  return to_return;
+	}
+      if(!last_len)
+	return to_return;
+
+      switch((enum distren_request_type)req->type)
+	{
+	case DISTREN_REQUEST_PING:
+	  handle_ping(rem, req, req_data);
+	  break;
+
+	case DISTREN_REQUEST_VERSION:
+	  handle_version(rem, req, req_data);
+	  break;
+
+	case DISTREN_REQUEST_DISCONNECT:
+	  handle_disconnect(distren, rem, req, req_data);
+	  break;
+
+	default:
+	  /*
+	   * we don't implement everything because we don't need to do
+	   * so. But, we should complain when we get something we
+	   * don't recognize because... server protocols change
+	   * ;-). Oh, and when I'm first writing this, this
+	   * block will be hit a lot ;-).
+	   */
+	  fprintf(stderr, "Unrecognized request type: %lu\n", (unsigned long)req->type);
+	  break;
+	}
+
+      distren_request_free(req);
+      buf += last_len;
+      len -= last_len;
+    }
+
+  return to_return;
+}
+
+void libdistren_remoteio_close_handle(void *garbage, distren_t distren)
+{
+  distren->rem = NULL;
+}
+
+
+/* handlers */
+
+static void handle_ping(struct remoteio *rem, struct distren_request *req, void *req_data)
+{
+  struct distren_request *pong_req;
+  void *pong_req_data;
+
+  distren_request_poing(&pong_req, &pong_req_data, 0, req_data, req->len);
+  distren_request_send(rem, pong_req, pong_req_data);
+  distren_request_free_with_data(pong_req, pong_req_data);
+}
+
+static void handle_version(struct remoteio *rem, struct distren_request *req, void *req_data)
+{
+  static const char *package_string = PACKAGE_STRING;
+
+  size_t counter;
+
+  fprintf(stderr, "info: connected to a server running ");
+  for(counter = 0; counter < req->len; counter ++)
+    putc(((char *)req_data)[counter], stderr);
+  putc('\n', stderr);
+
+  /* am I supposed to respond here? ;-) */
+}
+
+static void handle_disconnect(distren_t distren, struct remoteio *rem, struct distren_request *req, void *req_data)
+{
+  size_t tmp;
+
+  fputs("warning: The server has disconnected us because ``", stderr);
+  tmp = fwrite(req_data, 1, req->len, stderr);
+  fputs("''\n", stderr);
+
+  remoteio_close(distren->rem);
+}