diff --git a/llarp/dht/messages/findintro.cpp b/llarp/dht/messages/findintro.cpp
index ad654f33c..fcac8e893 100644
--- a/llarp/dht/messages/findintro.cpp
+++ b/llarp/dht/messages/findintro.cpp
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ namespace llarp
       if(!BEncodeMaybeReadDictInt("T", T, read, k, val))
         return false;
 
-      if(!BEncodeMaybeReadVersion("V", version, LLARP_PROTO_VERSION, read, k,
+      if(!BEncodeMaybeVerifyVersion("V", version, LLARP_PROTO_VERSION, read, k,
                                   val))
         return false;
 
diff --git a/llarp/dht/messages/gotrouter.cpp b/llarp/dht/messages/gotrouter.cpp
index 64115bbe9..a6c6b1d87 100644
--- a/llarp/dht/messages/gotrouter.cpp
+++ b/llarp/dht/messages/gotrouter.cpp
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ namespace llarp
         return bencode_read_integer(val, &txid);
       }
       bool read = false;
-      if(!BEncodeMaybeReadVersion("V", version, LLARP_PROTO_VERSION, read, key,
+      if(!BEncodeMaybeVerifyVersion("V", version, LLARP_PROTO_VERSION, read, key,
                                   val))
         return false;
 
diff --git a/llarp/messages/relay.cpp b/llarp/messages/relay.cpp
index 38f72eb05..3c54b078b 100644
--- a/llarp/messages/relay.cpp
+++ b/llarp/messages/relay.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ namespace llarp
     bool read = false;
     if(!BEncodeMaybeReadDictEntry("p", pathid, read, key, buf))
       return false;
-    if(!BEncodeMaybeReadVersion("v", version, LLARP_PROTO_VERSION, read, key,
+    if(!BEncodeMaybeVerifyVersion("v", version, LLARP_PROTO_VERSION, read, key,
                                 buf))
       return false;
     if(!BEncodeMaybeReadDictEntry("x", X, read, key, buf))
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ namespace llarp
     bool read = false;
     if(!BEncodeMaybeReadDictEntry("p", pathid, read, key, buf))
       return false;
-    if(!BEncodeMaybeReadVersion("v", version, LLARP_PROTO_VERSION, read, key,
+    if(!BEncodeMaybeVerifyVersion("v", version, LLARP_PROTO_VERSION, read, key,
                                 buf))
       return false;
     if(!BEncodeMaybeReadDictEntry("x", X, read, key, buf))
diff --git a/llarp/messages/relay_commit.cpp b/llarp/messages/relay_commit.cpp
index 604d9746a..7862f6f7a 100644
--- a/llarp/messages/relay_commit.cpp
+++ b/llarp/messages/relay_commit.cpp
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ namespace llarp
       return BEncodeReadArray(frames, buf);
     }
     bool read = false;
-    if(!BEncodeMaybeReadVersion("v", version, LLARP_PROTO_VERSION, read, key,
+    if(!BEncodeMaybeVerifyVersion("v", version, LLARP_PROTO_VERSION, read, key,
                                 buf))
       return false;
 
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ namespace llarp
       nextRC = std::make_unique< RouterContact >();
       return nextRC->BDecode(buffer);
     }
-    if(!BEncodeMaybeReadVersion("v", version, LLARP_PROTO_VERSION, read, *key,
+    if(!BEncodeMaybeVerifyVersion("v", version, LLARP_PROTO_VERSION, read, *key,
                                 buffer))
       return false;
     if(*key == "w")
diff --git a/llarp/messages/relay_status.cpp b/llarp/messages/relay_status.cpp
index 9eaf75b75..5e3cea935 100644
--- a/llarp/messages/relay_status.cpp
+++ b/llarp/messages/relay_status.cpp
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ namespace llarp
     }
     else if(key == "v")
     {
-      if(!BEncodeMaybeReadVersion("v", version, LLARP_PROTO_VERSION, read, key,
+      if(!BEncodeMaybeVerifyVersion("v", version, LLARP_PROTO_VERSION, read, key,
                                   buf))
       {
         return false;
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ namespace llarp
 
     if(!BEncodeMaybeReadDictInt("s", status, read, *key, buffer))
       return false;
-    if(!BEncodeMaybeReadVersion("v", version, LLARP_PROTO_VERSION, read, *key,
+    if(!BEncodeMaybeVerifyVersion("v", version, LLARP_PROTO_VERSION, read, *key,
                                 buffer))
       return false;
 
diff --git a/llarp/service/protocol.cpp b/llarp/service/protocol.cpp
index 8f723c1f2..878c247a8 100644
--- a/llarp/service/protocol.cpp
+++ b/llarp/service/protocol.cpp
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ namespace llarp
         return false;
       if(!BEncodeMaybeReadDictEntry("T", T, read, key, val))
         return false;
-      if(!BEncodeMaybeReadVersion("V", version, LLARP_PROTO_VERSION, read, key,
+      if(!BEncodeMaybeVerifyVersion("V", version, LLARP_PROTO_VERSION, read, key,
                                   val))
         return false;
       if(!BEncodeMaybeReadDictEntry("Z", Z, read, key, val))
diff --git a/llarp/util/bencode.hpp b/llarp/util/bencode.hpp
index f1f333dd3..05cd575f4 100644
--- a/llarp/util/bencode.hpp
+++ b/llarp/util/bencode.hpp
@@ -99,9 +99,11 @@ namespace llarp
     return true;
   }
 
+  /// If the key matches, reads in the version and ensures that it equals the
+  /// expected version
   template < typename Item_t >
   bool
-  BEncodeMaybeReadVersion(const char* k, Item_t& item, uint64_t expect,
+  BEncodeMaybeVerifyVersion(const char* k, Item_t& item, uint64_t expect,
                           bool& read, const llarp_buffer_t& key,
                           llarp_buffer_t* buf)
   {