diff --git a/ipc/codegen/src/codegen.rs b/ipc/codegen/src/codegen.rs
index 08944196f..63f225100 100644
--- a/ipc/codegen/src/codegen.rs
+++ b/ipc/codegen/src/codegen.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 
 // You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 // along with Parity.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
-
 use aster;
 
 use syntax::ast::{
@@ -61,10 +60,24 @@ pub fn expand_ipc_implementation(
 	};
 
 	push_client(cx, &builder, &item, &dispatches, push);
+	push_handshake_struct(cx, push);
 
 	push(Annotatable::Item(impl_item))
 }
 
+fn push_handshake_struct(cx: &ExtCtxt, push: &mut FnMut(Annotatable)) {
+	let handshake_item = quote_item!(cx,
+		#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize)]
+		pub struct BinHandshake {
+			api_version: String,
+			protocol_version: String,
+			_reserved: Vec<u8>,
+		}
+	).unwrap();
+
+	push(Annotatable::Item(handshake_item));
+}
+
 fn field_name(builder: &aster::AstBuilder, arg: &Arg) -> ast::Ident {
 	match arg.pat.node {
 		PatKind::Ident(_, ref ident, _) => builder.id(ident.node),
@@ -548,6 +561,14 @@ fn implement_interface(
 	let dispatch_arms = implement_dispatch_arms(cx, builder, &dispatch_table, false);
 	let dispatch_arms_buffered = implement_dispatch_arms(cx, builder, &dispatch_table, true);
 
+	let handshake_arm = quote_arm!(&cx, 0 => {
+		let handshake_payload = ::bincode::serde::deserialize_from::<_, BinHandshake>(r, ::bincode::SizeLimit::Infinite).unwrap();
+		::bincode::serde::serialize::<bool>(&Self::handshake(&::ipc::Handshake {
+			api_version: ::semver::Version::parse(&handshake_payload.api_version).unwrap(),
+			protocol_version: ::semver::Version::parse(&handshake_payload.protocol_version).unwrap(),
+		}), ::bincode::SizeLimit::Infinite).unwrap()
+	});
+
 	Ok((quote_item!(cx,
 		impl $impl_generics ::ipc::IpcInterface<$ty> for $ty $where_clause {
 			fn dispatch<R>(&self, r: &mut R) -> Vec<u8>
@@ -561,6 +582,9 @@ fn implement_interface(
 				}
 				// method_num is a 16-bit little-endian unsigned number
 				match method_num[1] as u16 + (method_num[0] as u16)*256 {
+					// handshake
+					$handshake_arm
+					// user methods
 					$dispatch_arms
 					_ => vec![]
 				}
diff --git a/ipc/rpc/src/interface.rs b/ipc/rpc/src/interface.rs
index 060da36a9..5b5a30b27 100644
--- a/ipc/rpc/src/interface.rs
+++ b/ipc/rpc/src/interface.rs
@@ -22,9 +22,8 @@ use std::sync::atomic::*;
 use semver::Version;
 
 pub struct Handshake {
-	protocol_version: Version,
-	api_version: Version,
-	reserved: [u8; 64],
+	pub protocol_version: Version,
+	pub api_version: Version,
 }
 
 pub trait IpcConfig {
@@ -34,13 +33,22 @@ pub trait IpcConfig {
 	fn protocol_version() -> Version {
 		Version::parse("1.0.0").unwrap()
 	}
+	fn handshake(handshake: &Handshake) -> bool {
+		handshake.protocol_version == Self::protocol_version() &&
+			handshake.api_version == Self::api_version()
+	}
+}
+
+pub enum Error {
+	UnkownSystemCall,
+	ClientUnsupported,
 }
 
 pub trait IpcInterface<T> where T: IpcConfig {
 	/// reads the message from io, dispatches the call and returns serialized result
 	fn dispatch<R>(&self, r: &mut R) -> Vec<u8> where R: Read;
 
-	/// deserialize the payload from buffer, dispatches invoke and returns serialized result
+	/// deserializes the payload from buffer, dispatches invoke and returns serialized result
 	/// (for non-blocking io)
 	fn dispatch_buf(&self, method_num: u16, buf: &[u8]) -> Vec<u8>;
 }
diff --git a/ipc/rpc/src/lib.rs b/ipc/rpc/src/lib.rs
index a0d718871..f0083e66e 100644
--- a/ipc/rpc/src/lib.rs
+++ b/ipc/rpc/src/lib.rs
@@ -20,4 +20,4 @@ extern crate ethcore_devtools as devtools;
 extern crate semver;
 
 pub mod interface;
-pub use interface::{IpcInterface, IpcSocket, invoke, IpcConfig};
+pub use interface::{IpcInterface, IpcSocket, invoke, IpcConfig, Handshake, Error};
diff --git a/ipc/tests/service.rs.in b/ipc/tests/service.rs.in
index 14de716da..f48596e6c 100644
--- a/ipc/tests/service.rs.in
+++ b/ipc/tests/service.rs.in
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 use std::sync::RwLock;
 use std::ops::*;
+use ipc::IpcConfig;
 
 pub struct Service {
 	pub commits: RwLock<usize>,