diff --git a/chitchat/src/digest.rs b/chitchat/src/digest.rs
index 9bb6f7a..5abc424 100644
--- a/chitchat/src/digest.rs
+++ b/chitchat/src/digest.rs
@@ -10,17 +10,30 @@ pub(crate) struct NodeDigest {
     pub(crate) max_version: Version,
 }
 
-impl NodeDigest {
-    pub(crate) fn new(
-        heartbeat: Heartbeat,
-        last_gc_version: Version,
-        max_version: Version,
-    ) -> Self {
-        Self {
+impl Serializable for NodeDigest {
+    fn serialize(&self, buf: &mut Vec<u8>) {
+        self.heartbeat.serialize(buf);
+        self.last_gc_version.serialize(buf);
+        self.max_version.serialize(buf);
+    }
+
+    fn serialized_len(&self) -> usize {
+        self.heartbeat.serialized_len()
+            + self.last_gc_version.serialized_len()
+            + self.max_version.serialized_len()
+    }
+}
+
+impl Deserializable for NodeDigest {
+    fn deserialize(buf: &mut &[u8]) -> anyhow::Result<Self> {
+        let heartbeat = Heartbeat::deserialize(buf)?;
+        let last_gc_version = Version::deserialize(buf)?;
+        let max_version = Version::deserialize(buf)?;
+        Ok(NodeDigest {
             heartbeat,
             last_gc_version,
             max_version,
-        }
+        })
     }
 }
 
@@ -43,7 +56,11 @@ impl Digest {
         last_gc_version: Version,
         max_version: Version,
     ) {
-        let node_digest = NodeDigest::new(heartbeat, last_gc_version, max_version);
+        let node_digest = NodeDigest {
+            heartbeat,
+            last_gc_version,
+            max_version,
+        };
         self.node_digests.insert(node, node_digest);
     }
 }
@@ -53,18 +70,14 @@ impl Serializable for Digest {
         (self.node_digests.len() as u16).serialize(buf);
         for (chitchat_id, node_digest) in &self.node_digests {
             chitchat_id.serialize(buf);
-            node_digest.heartbeat.serialize(buf);
-            node_digest.last_gc_version.serialize(buf);
-            node_digest.max_version.serialize(buf);
+            node_digest.serialize(buf);
         }
     }
     fn serialized_len(&self) -> usize {
         let mut len = (self.node_digests.len() as u16).serialized_len();
         for (chitchat_id, node_digest) in &self.node_digests {
             len += chitchat_id.serialized_len();
-            len += node_digest.heartbeat.serialized_len();
-            len += node_digest.last_gc_version.serialized_len();
-            len += node_digest.max_version.serialized_len();
+            len += node_digest.serialized_len();
         }
         len
     }
@@ -77,12 +90,39 @@ impl Deserializable for Digest {
 
         for _ in 0..num_nodes {
             let chitchat_id = ChitchatId::deserialize(buf)?;
-            let heartbeat = Heartbeat::deserialize(buf)?;
-            let max_version = u64::deserialize(buf)?;
-            let last_gc_version = u64::deserialize(buf)?;
-            let node_digest = NodeDigest::new(heartbeat, last_gc_version, max_version);
+            let node_digest = NodeDigest::deserialize(buf)?;
             node_digests.insert(chitchat_id, node_digest);
         }
         Ok(Digest { node_digests })
     }
 }
+
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use crate::digest::{Digest, NodeDigest};
+    use crate::serialize::test_serdeser_aux;
+    use crate::{ChitchatId, Heartbeat};
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_digests_serialization() {
+        let node_digest = NodeDigest {
+            heartbeat: crate::Heartbeat(100u64),
+            last_gc_version: 2,
+            max_version: 3,
+        };
+        test_serdeser_aux(&node_digest, 24);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_digest() {
+        let mut digest = Digest::default();
+        let node1 = ChitchatId::for_local_test(10_001);
+        let node2 = ChitchatId::for_local_test(10_002);
+        let node3 = ChitchatId::for_local_test(10_002);
+        digest.add_node(node1, Heartbeat(101), 1, 11);
+        digest.add_node(node2, Heartbeat(102), 20, 12);
+        digest.add_node(node3, Heartbeat(103), 0, 13);
+        test_serdeser_aux(&digest, 104);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/chitchat/src/transport/channel.rs b/chitchat/src/transport/channel.rs
index 137076c..e511938 100644
--- a/chitchat/src/transport/channel.rs
+++ b/chitchat/src/transport/channel.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use async_trait::async_trait;
 use tokio::sync::mpsc::{Receiver, Sender};
 use tracing::info;
 
-use crate::serialize::Serializable;
+use crate::serialize::{Deserializable, Serializable};
 use crate::transport::{Socket, Transport};
 use crate::ChitchatMessage;
 
@@ -56,6 +56,15 @@ impl Transport for ChannelTransport {
     }
 }
 
+fn serialize_deserialize_chitchat_message(message: ChitchatMessage) -> ChitchatMessage {
+    let buf = message.serialize_to_vec();
+    assert_eq!(buf.len(), message.serialized_len());
+    let mut read_cursor: &[u8] = &buf[..];
+    let message = ChitchatMessage::deserialize(&mut read_cursor).unwrap();
+    assert!(read_cursor.is_empty());
+    message
+}
+
 impl ChannelTransport {
     pub fn with_mtu(mtu: usize) -> Self {
         Self {
@@ -92,6 +101,8 @@ impl ChannelTransport {
         to_addr: SocketAddr,
         message: ChitchatMessage,
     ) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+        // We serialize/deserialize message to get closer to the real world.
+        let message = serialize_deserialize_chitchat_message(message);
         let num_bytes = message.serialized_len();
         if let Some(mtu) = self.mtu_opt {
             if num_bytes > mtu {