diff --git a/src/server/distrend.c b/src/server/distrend.c
--- a/src/server/distrend.c
+++ b/src/server/distrend.c
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 #include "common/execio.h"
 #include "common/options.h"
 #include "common/protocol.h"
+#include "common/request.h"
 
 #include <confuse.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
@@ -89,7 +90,7 @@ int distrend_handle_request(struct distr
 /**
    client request handlers
  */
-int distrend_handle_version(struct general_info *geninfo, struct distrend_client *client, size_t req_len, void *req_data);
+int distrend_handle_version(struct general_info *geninfo, struct distrend_client *client, struct distren_request *req, void *req_data);
 
 /* **************XML Functions**************** */
 void update_general_info(struct general_info *geninfo);
@@ -207,46 +208,48 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 /* ********************** Functions ************************* */
 
-int distrend_handle_version(struct general_info *geninfo, struct distrend_client *client, size_t req_len, void *req_data)
+int distrend_handle_version(struct general_info *geninfo, struct distrend_client *client, struct distren_request *req, void *req_data)
 {
   char *tmp_str;
-  char fixedbuf[32];
+  struct distren_request_version version;
 
-  struct distren_request *newreq;
+  if(distren_request_parse_version(req, req_data, &version))
+    {
+      distrend_send_disconnect(client, "Invalid DISTREN_REQUEST_VERSION packet.");
+      return 1;
+    }
 
   if(client->state != DISTREND_CLIENT_PREVERSION)
     {
       distrend_send_disconnect(client, "You have already sent the VERSION command.");
+      return 1;
     }
-  if(strlen(PACKAGE_STRING) == req_len
-     && !strncmp(PACKAGE_STRING, req_data, req_len))
+  if(!strncmp(PACKAGE_STRING, version.package_string, DISTREN_REQUEST_VERSION_PACKAGE_STRING_LEN))
     {
       /**
-	 The client and I claim to be of the same version of distren :-D
-	 Now we will mark the client as valid.
-
-	 We won't increment his time to live, though, because it shouldn't take
-	 him that long to auth.
-      */
+       * The client and I claim to be of the same version of distren :-D
+       * Now we will mark the client as valid.
+       *
+       * We won't increment his time to live, though, because it shouldn't take
+       * him that long to auth.
+       */
       client->state = DISTREND_CLIENT_PREAUTH;
-
-      distren_request_new(&newreq, strlen(PACKAGE_STRING), DISTREN_REQUEST_VERSION);
-      distrend_client_write_request(client, newreq, PACKAGE_STRING);
-      distren_request_free(newreq);
     }
   else
     {
       /**
-	 The client claims to be of a different version of distren.
-	 Now we will just send a disconnect packet and disconnect the client.
-      */
-      strncpy(fixedbuf, req_data, 31);
-      fixedbuf[31] = '\0';
-      if(req_len < 31)
-	fixedbuf[req_len] = '\0';
-
-      _distren_asprintf(&tmp_str, "You have tried to connect to a %s server when your client claims to be running %s. Bye ;-)\n", PACKAGE_STRING, fixedbuf);
-      distrend_send_disconnect(client, tmp_str);
+       * The client claims to be of a different version of distren.
+       * Now we will just send a disconnect packet and disconnect the client.
+       */
+      _distren_asprintf(&tmp_str, "You have tried to connect to a %s server when your client claims to be running %s. Bye ;-)\n", PACKAGE_STRING, version.package_string);
+      if(tmp_str)
+	{
+	  distrend_send_disconnect(client, tmp_str);
+	  free(tmp_str);
+	}
+      else
+	distrend_send_disconnect(client, "Invalid PACKAGE_VERSION :-|.");
+      return 1;
     }
 
   return 0;