diff --git a/exchange/bitswap/bitswap.go b/exchange/bitswap/bitswap.go
index 4f5bb45e721..4ba9e179fa4 100644
--- a/exchange/bitswap/bitswap.go
+++ b/exchange/bitswap/bitswap.go
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 package bitswap
 
 import (
-	"errors"
-
 	context "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/Godeps/_workspace/src/code.google.com/p/go.net/context"
 	ds "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/datastore.go"
 
@@ -120,14 +118,16 @@ func (bs *bitswap) HasBlock(ctx context.Context, blk blocks.Block) error {
 
 // TODO(brian): handle errors
 func (bs *bitswap) ReceiveMessage(ctx context.Context, p *peer.Peer, incoming bsmsg.BitSwapMessage) (
-	*peer.Peer, bsmsg.BitSwapMessage, error) {
+	*peer.Peer, bsmsg.BitSwapMessage) {
 	u.DOut("ReceiveMessage from %v\n", p.Key().Pretty())
 
 	if p == nil {
-		return nil, nil, errors.New("Received nil Peer")
+		// TODO propagate the error upward
+		return nil, nil
 	}
 	if incoming == nil {
-		return nil, nil, errors.New("Received nil Message")
+		// TODO propagate the error upward
+		return nil, nil
 	}
 
 	bs.strategy.MessageReceived(p, incoming) // FIRST
@@ -157,7 +157,12 @@ func (bs *bitswap) ReceiveMessage(ctx context.Context, p *peer.Peer, incoming bs
 		}
 	}
 	defer bs.strategy.MessageSent(p, message)
-	return p, message, nil
+	return p, message
+}
+
+func (bs *bitswap) ReceiveError(err error) {
+	// TODO log the network error
+	// TODO bubble the network error up to the parent context/error logger
 }
 
 // send strives to ensure that accounting is always performed when a message is
diff --git a/exchange/bitswap/network/interface.go b/exchange/bitswap/network/interface.go
index 15fa9c89e21..611dea8cbcc 100644
--- a/exchange/bitswap/network/interface.go
+++ b/exchange/bitswap/network/interface.go
@@ -33,7 +33,9 @@ type Adapter interface {
 type Receiver interface {
 	ReceiveMessage(
 		ctx context.Context, sender *peer.Peer, incoming bsmsg.BitSwapMessage) (
-		destination *peer.Peer, outgoing bsmsg.BitSwapMessage, err error)
+		destination *peer.Peer, outgoing bsmsg.BitSwapMessage)
+
+	ReceiveError(error)
 }
 
 // TODO(brian): move this to go-ipfs/net package
diff --git a/exchange/bitswap/network/net_message_adapter.go b/exchange/bitswap/network/net_message_adapter.go
index 603317afb31..fe3bd6a36e6 100644
--- a/exchange/bitswap/network/net_message_adapter.go
+++ b/exchange/bitswap/network/net_message_adapter.go
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 package network
 
 import (
-	"errors"
-
 	context "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/Godeps/_workspace/src/code.google.com/p/go.net/context"
 
 	bsmsg "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/exchange/bitswap/message"
@@ -31,33 +29,32 @@ type impl struct {
 // HandleMessage marshals and unmarshals net messages, forwarding them to the
 // BitSwapMessage receiver
 func (adapter *impl) HandleMessage(
-	ctx context.Context, incoming netmsg.NetMessage) (netmsg.NetMessage, error) {
+	ctx context.Context, incoming netmsg.NetMessage) netmsg.NetMessage {
 
 	if adapter.receiver == nil {
-		return nil, errors.New("No receiver. NetMessage dropped")
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	received, err := bsmsg.FromNet(incoming)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		go adapter.receiver.ReceiveError(err)
+		return nil
 	}
 
-	p, bsmsg, err := adapter.receiver.ReceiveMessage(ctx, incoming.Peer(), received)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
+	p, bsmsg := adapter.receiver.ReceiveMessage(ctx, incoming.Peer(), received)
 
 	// TODO(brian): put this in a helper function
 	if bsmsg == nil || p == nil {
-		return nil, nil
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	outgoing, err := bsmsg.ToNet(p)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		go adapter.receiver.ReceiveError(err)
+		return nil
 	}
 
-	return outgoing, nil
+	return outgoing
 }
 
 func (adapter *impl) SendMessage(
diff --git a/exchange/bitswap/testnet/network.go b/exchange/bitswap/testnet/network.go
index 5039e730be4..4d5f8c35ea4 100644
--- a/exchange/bitswap/testnet/network.go
+++ b/exchange/bitswap/testnet/network.go
@@ -76,18 +76,7 @@ func (n *network) deliver(
 		return errors.New("Invalid input")
 	}
 
-	nextPeer, nextMsg, err := r.ReceiveMessage(context.TODO(), from, message)
-	if err != nil {
-
-		// TODO should this error be returned across network boundary?
-
-		// TODO this raises an interesting question about network contract. How
-		// can the network be expected to behave under different failure
-		// conditions? What if peer is unreachable? Will we know if messages
-		// aren't delivered?
-
-		return err
-	}
+	nextPeer, nextMsg := r.ReceiveMessage(context.TODO(), from, message)
 
 	if (nextPeer == nil && nextMsg != nil) || (nextMsg == nil && nextPeer != nil) {
 		return errors.New("Malformed client request")
@@ -119,15 +108,12 @@ func (n *network) SendRequest(
 	if !ok {
 		return nil, errors.New("Cannot locate peer on network")
 	}
-	nextPeer, nextMsg, err := r.ReceiveMessage(context.TODO(), from, message)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-		// TODO return nil, NoResponse
-	}
+	nextPeer, nextMsg := r.ReceiveMessage(context.TODO(), from, message)
 
 	// TODO dedupe code
 	if (nextPeer == nil && nextMsg != nil) || (nextMsg == nil && nextPeer != nil) {
-		return nil, errors.New("Malformed client request")
+		r.ReceiveError(errors.New("Malformed client request"))
+		return nil, nil
 	}
 
 	// TODO dedupe code
@@ -144,7 +130,7 @@ func (n *network) SendRequest(
 			}
 			n.deliver(nextReceiver, nextPeer, nextMsg)
 		}()
-		return nil, NoResponse
+		return nil, nil
 	}
 	return nextMsg, nil
 }
diff --git a/exchange/bitswap/testnet/network_test.go b/exchange/bitswap/testnet/network_test.go
index 70b0615dbbe..15502783eac 100644
--- a/exchange/bitswap/testnet/network_test.go
+++ b/exchange/bitswap/testnet/network_test.go
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ func TestSendRequestToCooperativePeer(t *testing.T) {
 		ctx context.Context,
 		from *peer.Peer,
 		incoming bsmsg.BitSwapMessage) (
-		*peer.Peer, bsmsg.BitSwapMessage, error) {
+		*peer.Peer, bsmsg.BitSwapMessage) {
 
 		t.Log("Recipient received a message from the network")
 
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ func TestSendRequestToCooperativePeer(t *testing.T) {
 		m := bsmsg.New()
 		m.AppendBlock(testutil.NewBlockOrFail(t, expectedStr))
 
-		return from, m, nil
+		return from, m
 	}))
 
 	t.Log("Build a message and send a synchronous request to recipient")
@@ -74,19 +74,19 @@ func TestSendMessageAsyncButWaitForResponse(t *testing.T) {
 		ctx context.Context,
 		fromWaiter *peer.Peer,
 		msgFromWaiter bsmsg.BitSwapMessage) (
-		*peer.Peer, bsmsg.BitSwapMessage, error) {
+		*peer.Peer, bsmsg.BitSwapMessage) {
 
 		msgToWaiter := bsmsg.New()
 		msgToWaiter.AppendBlock(testutil.NewBlockOrFail(t, expectedStr))
 
-		return fromWaiter, msgToWaiter, nil
+		return fromWaiter, msgToWaiter
 	}))
 
 	waiter.SetDelegate(lambda(func(
 		ctx context.Context,
 		fromResponder *peer.Peer,
 		msgFromResponder bsmsg.BitSwapMessage) (
-		*peer.Peer, bsmsg.BitSwapMessage, error) {
+		*peer.Peer, bsmsg.BitSwapMessage) {
 
 		// TODO assert that this came from the correct peer and that the message contents are as expected
 		ok := false
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ func TestSendMessageAsyncButWaitForResponse(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Fatal("Message not received from the responder")
 
 		}
-		return nil, nil, nil
+		return nil, nil
 	}))
 
 	messageSentAsync := bsmsg.New()
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ func TestSendMessageAsyncButWaitForResponse(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 type receiverFunc func(ctx context.Context, p *peer.Peer,
-	incoming bsmsg.BitSwapMessage) (*peer.Peer, bsmsg.BitSwapMessage, error)
+	incoming bsmsg.BitSwapMessage) (*peer.Peer, bsmsg.BitSwapMessage)
 
 // lambda returns a Receiver instance given a receiver function
 func lambda(f receiverFunc) bsnet.Receiver {
@@ -126,13 +126,16 @@ func lambda(f receiverFunc) bsnet.Receiver {
 }
 
 type lambdaImpl struct {
-	f func(ctx context.Context, p *peer.Peer,
-		incoming bsmsg.BitSwapMessage) (
-		*peer.Peer, bsmsg.BitSwapMessage, error)
+	f func(ctx context.Context, p *peer.Peer, incoming bsmsg.BitSwapMessage) (
+		*peer.Peer, bsmsg.BitSwapMessage)
 }
 
 func (lam *lambdaImpl) ReceiveMessage(ctx context.Context,
 	p *peer.Peer, incoming bsmsg.BitSwapMessage) (
-	*peer.Peer, bsmsg.BitSwapMessage, error) {
+	*peer.Peer, bsmsg.BitSwapMessage) {
 	return lam.f(ctx, p, incoming)
 }
+
+func (lam *lambdaImpl) ReceiveError(err error) {
+	// TODO log error
+}
diff --git a/net/service/service.go b/net/service/service.go
index 91ee53c071c..f3d4ba5aa5d 100644
--- a/net/service/service.go
+++ b/net/service/service.go
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ type Handler interface {
 
 	// HandleMessage receives an incoming message, and potentially returns
 	// a response message to send back.
-	HandleMessage(context.Context, msg.NetMessage) (msg.NetMessage, error)
+	HandleMessage(context.Context, msg.NetMessage) msg.NetMessage
 }
 
 // Service is a networking component that protocols can use to multiplex
@@ -181,11 +181,7 @@ func (s *Service) handleIncomingMessage(ctx context.Context, m msg.NetMessage) {
 		}
 
 		// should this be "go HandleMessage ... ?"
-		r1, err := s.Handler.HandleMessage(ctx, m2)
-		if err != nil {
-			u.PErr("handled message yielded error %v\n", err)
-			return
-		}
+		r1 := s.Handler.HandleMessage(ctx, m2)
 
 		// if handler gave us a response, send it back out!
 		if r1 != nil {
diff --git a/net/service/service_test.go b/net/service/service_test.go
index 6642117f30f..251be311e55 100644
--- a/net/service/service_test.go
+++ b/net/service/service_test.go
@@ -15,15 +15,14 @@ import (
 // ReverseHandler reverses all Data it receives and sends it back.
 type ReverseHandler struct{}
 
-func (t *ReverseHandler) HandleMessage(ctx context.Context, m msg.NetMessage) (
-	msg.NetMessage, error) {
+func (t *ReverseHandler) HandleMessage(ctx context.Context, m msg.NetMessage) msg.NetMessage {
 
 	d := m.Data()
 	for i, j := 0, len(d)-1; i < j; i, j = i+1, j-1 {
 		d[i], d[j] = d[j], d[i]
 	}
 
-	return msg.New(m.Peer(), d), nil
+	return msg.New(m.Peer(), d)
 }
 
 func newPeer(t *testing.T, id string) *peer.Peer {
diff --git a/routing/dht/dht.go b/routing/dht/dht.go
index 507c19c3f5b..8ebecd5bd88 100644
--- a/routing/dht/dht.go
+++ b/routing/dht/dht.go
@@ -103,23 +103,26 @@ func (dht *IpfsDHT) Connect(ctx context.Context, npeer *peer.Peer) (*peer.Peer,
 }
 
 // HandleMessage implements the inet.Handler interface.
-func (dht *IpfsDHT) HandleMessage(ctx context.Context, mes msg.NetMessage) (msg.NetMessage, error) {
+func (dht *IpfsDHT) HandleMessage(ctx context.Context, mes msg.NetMessage) msg.NetMessage {
 
 	mData := mes.Data()
 	if mData == nil {
-		return nil, errors.New("message did not include Data")
+		// TODO handle/log err
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	mPeer := mes.Peer()
 	if mPeer == nil {
-		return nil, errors.New("message did not include a Peer")
+		// TODO handle/log err
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	// deserialize msg
 	pmes := new(Message)
 	err := proto.Unmarshal(mData, pmes)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Failed to decode protobuf message: %v\n", err)
+		// TODO handle/log err
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	// update the peer (on valid msgs only)
@@ -133,27 +136,30 @@ func (dht *IpfsDHT) HandleMessage(ctx context.Context, mes msg.NetMessage) (msg.
 	// get handler for this msg type.
 	handler := dht.handlerForMsgType(pmes.GetType())
 	if handler == nil {
-		return nil, errors.New("Recieved invalid message type")
+		// TODO handle/log err
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	// dispatch handler.
 	rpmes, err := handler(mPeer, pmes)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		// TODO handle/log err
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	// if nil response, return it before serializing
 	if rpmes == nil {
-		return nil, nil
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	// serialize response msg
 	rmes, err := msg.FromObject(mPeer, rpmes)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Failed to encode protobuf message: %v\n", err)
+		// TODO handle/log err
+		return nil
 	}
 
-	return rmes, nil
+	return rmes
 }
 
 // sendRequest sends out a request using dht.sender, but also makes sure to
diff --git a/routing/dht/ext_test.go b/routing/dht/ext_test.go
index 07999e651af..f8b9293a870 100644
--- a/routing/dht/ext_test.go
+++ b/routing/dht/ext_test.go
@@ -161,10 +161,7 @@ func TestGetFailures(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Error(err)
 	}
 
-	mes, err = d.HandleMessage(ctx, mes)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Error(err)
-	}
+	mes = d.HandleMessage(ctx, mes)
 
 	pmes := new(Message)
 	err = proto.Unmarshal(mes.Data(), pmes)