diff --git a/src/croc/croc_test.go b/src/croc/croc_test.go
index 65b07c6..ca08c3c 100644
--- a/src/croc/croc_test.go
+++ b/src/croc/croc_test.go
@@ -67,9 +67,9 @@ func TestSendReceiveLocalWebsockets(t *testing.T) {
 	sendAndReceive(t, 1, true)
 }
 
-// func TestSendReceiveLocalTCP(t *testing.T) {
-// 	sendAndReceive(t, 2, true)
-// }
+func TestSendReceiveLocalTCP(t *testing.T) {
+	sendAndReceive(t, 2, true)
+}
 
 func generateRandomFile(megabytes int) (fname string) {
 	// generate a random file
diff --git a/src/croc/recipient.go b/src/croc/recipient.go
index d88afef..63bdf68 100644
--- a/src/croc/recipient.go
+++ b/src/croc/recipient.go
@@ -82,9 +82,26 @@ func (cr *Croc) receive(forceSend int, serverAddress string, tcpPorts []string,
 	// both parties should have a weak key
 	pw := []byte(codephrase)
 
+	// start the reader
+	websocketMessages := make(chan WebSocketMessage, 1024)
+	go func() {
+		defer func() {
+			if r := recover(); r != nil {
+				log.Debugf("recovered from %s", r)
+			}
+		}()
+		for {
+			messageType, message, err := c.ReadMessage()
+			websocketMessages <- WebSocketMessage{messageType, message, err}
+		}
+	}()
+
 	step := 0
 	for {
-		messageType, message, err := c.ReadMessage()
+		websocketMessage := <-websocketMessages
+		messageType := websocketMessage.messageType
+		message := websocketMessage.message
+		err := websocketMessage.err
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -151,6 +168,7 @@ func (cr *Croc) receive(forceSend int, serverAddress string, tcpPorts []string,
 
 			// initialize TCP connections if using (possible, but unlikely, race condition)
 			go func() {
+				log.Debug("initializing TCP connections")
 				if !useWebsockets {
 					log.Debugf("connecting to server")
 					tcpConnections = make([]comm.Comm, len(tcpPorts))
@@ -406,29 +424,20 @@ func (cr *Croc) receive(forceSend int, serverAddress string, tcpPorts []string,
 			startTime := time.Now()
 			if useWebsockets {
 				for {
-					var messageType int
 					// read from websockets
-					messageType, message, err = c.ReadMessage()
-					if messageType != websocket.BinaryMessage {
+					websocketMessageData := <-websocketMessages
+					if websocketMessageData.messageType != websocket.BinaryMessage {
 						continue
 					}
 					if err != nil {
 						log.Error(err)
 						return err
 					}
-					if bytes.Equal(message, []byte("magic")) {
+					if bytes.Equal(websocketMessageData.message, []byte("magic")) {
 						log.Debug("got magic")
 						break
 					}
-					dataChan <- message
-					// select {
-					// case dataChan <- message:
-					// default:
-					// 	log.Debug("blocked")
-					// 	// no message sent
-					// 	// block
-					// 	dataChan <- message
-					// }
+					dataChan <- websocketMessageData.message
 				}
 			} else {
 				log.Debugf("starting listening with tcp with %d connections", len(tcpConnections))
diff --git a/src/croc/sender.go b/src/croc/sender.go
index bea4a44..1ae0bee 100644
--- a/src/croc/sender.go
+++ b/src/croc/sender.go
@@ -102,9 +102,26 @@ func (cr *Croc) send(forceSend int, serverAddress string, tcpPorts []string, isL
 		return
 	}
 
+	// start the reader
+	websocketMessages := make(chan WebSocketMessage, 1024)
+	go func() {
+		defer func() {
+			if r := recover(); r != nil {
+				log.Debugf("recovered from %s", r)
+			}
+		}()
+		for {
+			messageType, message, err := c.ReadMessage()
+			websocketMessages <- WebSocketMessage{messageType, message, err}
+		}
+	}()
+
 	step := 0
 	for {
-		messageType, message, errRead := c.ReadMessage()
+		websocketMessage := <-websocketMessages
+		messageType := websocketMessage.messageType
+		message := websocketMessage.message
+		errRead := websocketMessage.err
 		if errRead != nil {
 			return errRead
 		}