diff --git a/src/encoder.ts b/src/encoder.ts
index 4f869e6..d8c93f7 100644
--- a/src/encoder.ts
+++ b/src/encoder.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ export const uint16BEDecode = data => {
 };
 uint16BEDecode.bytes = 2;
 
+// Note: IK and XX encoder usage is opposite (XX uses in stages encode0 where IK uses encode1)
+
 export function encode0(message: MessageBuffer): bytes {
   return Buffer.concat([message.ne, message.ciphertext]);
 }
diff --git a/src/handshake-ik.ts b/src/handshake-ik.ts
index 5683c99..62a02f7 100644
--- a/src/handshake-ik.ts
+++ b/src/handshake-ik.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import {Buffer} from "buffer";
 import {decode0, decode1, encode0, encode1} from "./encoder";
 import {verifySignedPayload} from "./utils";
 import {FailedIKError} from "./errors";
+import {logger} from "./logger";
 
 export class IKHandshake implements IHandshake {
   public isInitiator: boolean;
@@ -44,15 +45,16 @@ export class IKHandshake implements IHandshake {
   public async stage0(): Promise<void> {
     if (this.isInitiator) {
       const messageBuffer = this.ik.sendMessage(this.session, this.payload);
-      this.connection.writeLP(encode0(messageBuffer));
+      this.connection.writeLP(encode1(messageBuffer));
     } else {
-      const receivedMsg = await this.connection.readLP();
-      const receivedMessageBuffer = decode0(receivedMsg);
+      const receivedMsg = (await this.connection.readLP()).slice();
+      const receivedMessageBuffer = decode1(Buffer.from(receivedMsg));
       const plaintext = this.ik.recvMessage(this.session, receivedMessageBuffer);
 
       try {
         await verifySignedPayload(receivedMessageBuffer.ns, plaintext, this.remotePeer.id);
       } catch (e) {
+        logger("Responder breaking up with IK handshake in stage 0.");
         throw new FailedIKError(receivedMsg, `Error occurred while verifying initiator's signed payload: ${e.message}`);
       }
     }
@@ -60,18 +62,19 @@ export class IKHandshake implements IHandshake {
 
   public async stage1(): Promise<void> {
     if (this.isInitiator) {
-      const receivedMsg = await this.connection.readLP();
-      const receivedMessageBuffer = decode1(receivedMsg);
+      const receivedMsg = (await this.connection.readLP()).slice();
+      const receivedMessageBuffer = decode0(Buffer.from(receivedMsg));
       const plaintext = this.ik.recvMessage(this.session, receivedMessageBuffer);
 
       try {
         await verifySignedPayload(receivedMessageBuffer.ns, plaintext, this.remotePeer.id);
       } catch (e) {
+        logger("Initiator breaking up with IK handshake in stage 1.");
         throw new FailedIKError(receivedMsg, `Error occurred while verifying responder's signed payload: ${e.message}`);
       }
     } else {
       const messageBuffer = this.ik.sendMessage(this.session, this.payload);
-      this.connection.writeLP(encode1(messageBuffer));
+      this.connection.writeLP(encode0(messageBuffer));
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/src/handshake-xx-fallback.ts b/src/handshake-xx-fallback.ts
index c01539b..ed14f4d 100644
--- a/src/handshake-xx-fallback.ts
+++ b/src/handshake-xx-fallback.ts
@@ -39,37 +39,34 @@ export class XXFallbackHandshake extends XXHandshake {
       this.xx.sendMessage(this.session, Buffer.alloc(0), this.ephemeralKeys);
       logger("XX Fallback Stage 0 - Initialized state as the first message was sent by initiator.");
     } else {
-      logger("XX Fallback Stage 0 - Responder waiting to receive first message...");
       const receivedMessageBuffer = decode0(this.initialMsg);
       this.xx.recvMessage(this.session, {
         ne: receivedMessageBuffer.ne,
         ns: Buffer.alloc(0),
         ciphertext: Buffer.alloc(0),
       });
-      logger("XX Fallback Stage 0 - Responder received first message.");
+      logger("XX Fallback Stage 0 - Responder used received message from IK.");
     }
   }
 
   // stage 1
   public async exchange(): Promise<void> {
     if (this.isInitiator) {
-      logger('XX Fallback Stage 1 - Initiator waiting to receive first message from responder...');
       const receivedMessageBuffer = decode1(this.initialMsg);
       const plaintext = this.xx.recvMessage(this.session, receivedMessageBuffer);
-      logger('XX Fallback Stage 1 - Initiator received the message. Got remote\'s static key.');
+      logger('XX Fallback Stage 1 - Initiator used received message from IK.');
 
       logger("Initiator going to check remote's signature...");
       try {
         await verifySignedPayload(receivedMessageBuffer.ns, plaintext, this.remotePeer.id);
       } catch (e) {
-        throw new Error(`Error occurred while verifying signed payload: ${e.message}`);
+        throw new Error(`Error occurred while verifying signed payload from responder: ${e.message}`);
       }
       logger("All good with the signature!");
     } else {
-      logger('XX Fallback Stage 1 - Responder sending out first message with signed payload and static key.');
-      const messageBuffer = this.xx.sendMessage(this.session, this.payload);
-      this.connection.writeLP(encode1(messageBuffer));
-      logger('XX Fallback Stage 1 - Responder sent the second handshake message with signed payload.')
+      logger("XX Fallback Stage 1 - Responder start");
+      super.exchange();
+      logger("XX Fallback Stage 1 - Responder end");
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/handshake-xx.ts b/src/handshake-xx.ts
index 5f42238..ed65093 100644
--- a/src/handshake-xx.ts
+++ b/src/handshake-xx.ts
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ export class XXHandshake implements IHandshake {
   public async exchange(): Promise<void> {
     if (this.isInitiator) {
       logger('Stage 1 - Initiator waiting to receive first message from responder...');
-      const receivedMessageBuffer = decode1((await this.connection.readLP()).slice());
+      const receivedMessageBuffer = decode1(await this.connection.readLP());
       const plaintext = this.xx.recvMessage(this.session, receivedMessageBuffer);
       logger('Stage 1 - Initiator received the message. Got remote\'s static key.');
 
diff --git a/src/noise.ts b/src/noise.ts
index c678042..b0d65ef 100644
--- a/src/noise.ts
+++ b/src/noise.ts
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ export class Noise implements INoiseConnection {
         throw new Error("Remote static key should be initialized.");
       }
 
-      const IKhandshake = new IKHandshake(isInitiator, payload, this.prologue, this.staticKeys, connection, remotePeer, foundRemoteStaticKey);
+      const IKhandshake = new IKHandshake(isInitiator, Buffer.from(payload), this.prologue, this.staticKeys, connection, remotePeer, foundRemoteStaticKey);
       try {
         return await this.performIKHandshake(IKhandshake);
       } catch (e) {
@@ -189,13 +189,8 @@ export class Noise implements INoiseConnection {
     handshake: IKHandshake,
   ): Promise<IKHandshake> {
 
-    try {
-      await handshake.stage0();
-      await handshake.stage1();
-    } catch (e) {
-      console.error("Error in IK handshake: ", e);
-      throw e;
-    }
+    await handshake.stage0();
+    await handshake.stage1();
 
     return handshake;
   }
diff --git a/test/noise.test.ts b/test/noise.test.ts
index 4281874..da52381 100644
--- a/test/noise.test.ts
+++ b/test/noise.test.ts
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ describe("Noise", () => {
       const staticKeysInitiator = generateKeypair();
       const noiseInit = new Noise(staticKeysInitiator.privateKey);
       const noiseResp = new Noise();
+      const xxSpy = sandbox.spy(noiseInit, "performXXFallbackHandshake");
 
       // Prepare key cache for noise pipes
       await KeyCache.store(localPeer, staticKeysInitiator.publicKey);
@@ -185,9 +186,46 @@ describe("Noise", () => {
       wrappedOutbound.writeLP(Buffer.from("test fallback"));
       const response = await wrappedInbound.readLP();
       expect(response.toString()).equal("test fallback");
+
+      assert(xxSpy.calledOnce, "XX Fallback method was never called.");
     } catch (e) {
       console.error(e);
       assert(false, e.message);
     }
   });
+
+  it("XX fallback with XX as responder has noise pipes disabled", async() => {
+      try {
+        const staticKeysInitiator = generateKeypair();
+        const noiseInit = new Noise(staticKeysInitiator.privateKey);
+        const staticKeysResponder = generateKeypair();
+        console.log("staticKeysInitiator: ", staticKeysInitiator)
+        console.log("staticKeysResponder: ", staticKeysResponder)
+        const noiseResp = new Noise(staticKeysResponder.privateKey, undefined, false);
+        const xxSpy = sandbox.spy(noiseInit, "performXXFallbackHandshake");
+
+        // Prepare key cache for noise pipes
+        await KeyCache.store(localPeer, staticKeysInitiator.publicKey);
+        await KeyCache.store(remotePeer, staticKeysResponder.publicKey);
+
+        const [inboundConnection, outboundConnection] = DuplexPair();
+
+        const [outbound, inbound] = await Promise.all([
+          noiseInit.secureOutbound(localPeer, outboundConnection, remotePeer),
+          noiseResp.secureInbound(remotePeer, inboundConnection, localPeer),
+        ]);
+
+        const wrappedInbound = Wrap(inbound.conn);
+        const wrappedOutbound = Wrap(outbound.conn);
+
+        wrappedOutbound.writeLP(Buffer.from("test fallback"));
+        const response = await wrappedInbound.readLP();
+        expect(response.toString()).equal("test fallback");
+
+        assert(xxSpy.calledOnce, "XX Fallback method was never called.");
+      } catch (e) {
+        console.error(e);
+        assert(false, e.message);
+      }
+    });
 });