diff --git a/src/ut_pex.cpp b/src/ut_pex.cpp
index d1248637c..adf09a6fe 100644
--- a/src/ut_pex.cpp
+++ b/src/ut_pex.cpp
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ namespace libtorrent { namespace
 			for (torrent::peer_iterator i = m_torrent.begin()
 				, end(m_torrent.end()); i != end; ++i)
 			{
-				peer_connection* peer = *i;
+					peer_connection* peer = *i;
 				if (!send_peer(*peer)) continue;
 
 				tcp::endpoint const& remote = peer->remote();
@@ -198,18 +198,15 @@ namespace libtorrent { namespace
 
 		virtual bool on_extension_handshake(entry const& h)
 		{
-			entry const& messages = h["m"];
+			m_message_index = 0;
+			entry const* messages = h.find_key("m");
+			if (!messages || messages->type() != entry::dictionary_t) return false;
 
-			if (entry const* index = messages.find_key(extension_name))
-			{
-				m_message_index = index->integer();
-				return true;
-			}
-			else
-			{
-				m_message_index = 0;
-				return false;
-			}
+			entry const* index = messages->find_key(extension_name);
+			if (!index || index->type() != entry::int_t) return false;
+
+			m_message_index = index->integer();
+			return true;
 		}
 
 		virtual bool on_extended(int length, int msg, buffer::const_interval body)
@@ -222,11 +219,15 @@ namespace libtorrent { namespace
 
 			if (body.left() < length) return true;
 
-			try
+			entry pex_msg = bdecode(body.begin, body.end);
+
+			entry const* p = pex_msg.find_key("added");
+			entry const* pf = pex_msg.find_key("added.f");
+
+			if (p != 0 && pf != 0 && p->type() == entry::string_t && pf->type() == entry::string_t)
 			{
-				entry pex_msg = bdecode(body.begin, body.end);
-				std::string const& peers = pex_msg["added"].string();
-				std::string const& peer_flags = pex_msg["added.f"].string();
+				std::string const& peers = p->string();
+				std::string const& peer_flags = pf->string();
 
 				int num_peers = peers.length() / 6;
 				char const* in = peers.c_str();
@@ -243,32 +244,30 @@ namespace libtorrent { namespace
 					char flags = detail::read_uint8(fin);
 					p.peer_from_tracker(adr, pid, peer_info::pex, flags);
 				} 
-
-				if (entry const* p6 = pex_msg.find_key("added6"))
-				{
-					std::string const& peers6 = p6->string();
-					std::string const& peer6_flags = pex_msg["added6.f"].string();
-					
-					int num_peers = peers6.length() / 18;
-					char const* in = peers6.c_str();
-					char const* fin = peer6_flags.c_str();
-
-					if (int(peer6_flags.size()) != num_peers)
-						return true;
-
-					peer_id pid(0);
-					policy& p = m_torrent.get_policy();
-					for (int i = 0; i < num_peers; ++i)
-					{
-						tcp::endpoint adr = detail::read_v6_endpoint<tcp::endpoint>(in);
-						char flags = detail::read_uint8(fin);
-						p.peer_from_tracker(adr, pid, peer_info::pex, flags);
-					} 
-				}
 			}
-			catch (std::exception&)
+
+			entry const* p6 = pex_msg.find_key("added6");
+			entry const* p6f = pex_msg.find_key("added6.f");
+			if (p6 && p6f && p6->type() == entry::string_t && p6f->type() == entry::string_t)
 			{
-				throw protocol_error("invalid uT peer exchange message");
+				std::string const& peers6 = p6->string();
+				std::string const& peer6_flags = p6f->string();
+
+				int num_peers = peers6.length() / 18;
+				char const* in = peers6.c_str();
+				char const* fin = peer6_flags.c_str();
+
+				if (int(peer6_flags.size()) != num_peers)
+					return true;
+
+				peer_id pid(0);
+				policy& p = m_torrent.get_policy();
+				for (int i = 0; i < num_peers; ++i)
+				{
+					tcp::endpoint adr = detail::read_v6_endpoint<tcp::endpoint>(in);
+					char flags = detail::read_uint8(fin);
+					p.peer_from_tracker(adr, pid, peer_info::pex, flags);
+				} 
 			}
 			return true;
 		}