diff --git a/src/common/protocol.c b/src/common/protocol.c
--- a/src/common/protocol.c
+++ b/src/common/protocol.c
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include "protocol.h"
 
 #include <malloc.h>
+#include <string.h>
 
 #define DISTREN_REQUEST_MAGIC (0x32423434)
 
@@ -36,13 +37,37 @@ int distren_request_new(struct distren_r
 
   newreq->magic = DISTREN_REQUEST_MAGIC;
   newreq->len = len;
-  newreq->enumsize = sizeof(enum distren_request_type);
   newreq->type = type;
 
   (*req) = newreq;
   return 0;
 }
 
+int distren_request_new_fromdata(struct distren_request **req, void *data, size_t len)
+{
+  struct distren_request *newreq;
+
+  if(len < sizeof(struct distren_request))
+    return 1;
+
+  if( ((struct distren_request *)data)->magic != DISTREN_REQUEST_MAGIC )
+    {
+      fprintf(stderr, "packet doesn't match magic stuffs\n");
+      return 1;
+    }
+
+  newreq = malloc(sizeof(struct distren_request));
+  if(!newreq)
+    {
+      fprintf(stderr, "OOM\n");
+      return 1;
+    }
+
+  memcpy(newreq, data, sizeof(struct distren_request));
+  (*req) = newreq;
+  return 0;
+}
+
 int distren_request_free(struct distren_request *req)
 {
   free(req);