diff --git a/nano/core_test/network.cpp b/nano/core_test/network.cpp
index a6940eb74f..ba6e6023e8 100644
--- a/nano/core_test/network.cpp
+++ b/nano/core_test/network.cpp
@@ -1249,17 +1249,41 @@ TEST (network, loopback_channel)
 }
 
 // Ensure the network filters messages with the incorrect magic number
-TEST (network, filter)
+TEST (network, filter_invalid_network_bytes)
 {
-	nano::system system{ 1 };
+	nano::system system{ 2 };
 	auto & node1 = *system.nodes[0];
+	auto & node2 = *system.nodes[1];
+
+	// find the comms channel that goes from node2 to node1
+	auto channel = node2.network.find_channel (node1.network.endpoint ());
+	ASSERT_NE (nullptr, channel);
+
+	// send a keepalive, from node2 to node1, with the wrong network bytes
 	nano::keepalive keepalive{ nano::dev::network_params.network };
-	const_cast<nano::networks &> (keepalive.header.network) = nano::networks::nano_dev_network;
-	node1.network.inbound (keepalive, std::make_shared<nano::transport::channel_loopback> (node1));
-	ASSERT_EQ (0, node1.stats.count (nano::stat::type::message, nano::stat::detail::invalid_network));
 	const_cast<nano::networks &> (keepalive.header.network) = nano::networks::invalid;
-	node1.network.inbound (keepalive, std::make_shared<nano::transport::channel_loopback> (node1));
-	ASSERT_EQ (1, node1.stats.count (nano::stat::type::message, nano::stat::detail::invalid_network));
+	channel->send (keepalive);
+
+	ASSERT_TIMELY (5s, 1 == node1.stats.count (nano::stat::type::message, nano::stat::detail::invalid_network));
+}
+
+// Ensure the network filters messages with the incorrect minimum version
+TEST (network, filter_invalid_version_using)
+{
+	nano::system system{ 2 };
+	auto & node1 = *system.nodes[0];
+	auto & node2 = *system.nodes[1];
+
+	// find the comms channel that goes from node2 to node1
+	auto channel = node2.network.find_channel (node1.network.endpoint ());
+	ASSERT_NE (nullptr, channel);
+
+	// send a keepalive, from node2 to node1, with the wrong version_using
+	nano::keepalive keepalive{ nano::dev::network_params.network };
+	const_cast<uint8_t &> (keepalive.header.version_using) = nano::dev::network_params.network.protocol_version_min - 1;
+	channel->send (keepalive);
+
+	ASSERT_TIMELY (5s, 1 == node1.stats.count (nano::stat::type::message, nano::stat::detail::outdated_version));
 }
 
 TEST (network, fill_keepalive_self)
diff --git a/nano/node/bootstrap/bootstrap_server.cpp b/nano/node/bootstrap/bootstrap_server.cpp
index 9c898589c4..5a5529666e 100644
--- a/nano/node/bootstrap/bootstrap_server.cpp
+++ b/nano/node/bootstrap/bootstrap_server.cpp
@@ -168,6 +168,18 @@ void nano::bootstrap_server::receive_header_action (boost::system::error_code co
 		nano::message_header header (error, type_stream);
 		if (!error)
 		{
+			if (header.network != node->network_params.network.current_network)
+			{
+				node->stats.inc (nano::stat::type::message, nano::stat::detail::invalid_network);
+				return;
+			}
+
+			if (header.version_using < node->network_params.network.protocol_version_min)
+			{
+				node->stats.inc (nano::stat::type::message, nano::stat::detail::outdated_version);
+				return;
+			}
+
 			auto this_l (shared_from_this ());
 			switch (header.type)
 			{
diff --git a/nano/node/common.cpp b/nano/node/common.cpp
index f4cbc7a144..ddfa9cb2ab 100644
--- a/nano/node/common.cpp
+++ b/nano/node/common.cpp
@@ -337,6 +337,12 @@ void nano::message_parser::deserialize_buffer (uint8_t const * buffer_a, std::si
 		nano::message_header header (error, stream);
 		if (!error)
 		{
+			if (header.network != network.current_network)
+			{
+				status = parse_status::invalid_header;
+				return;
+			}
+
 			if (header.version_using < network.protocol_version_min)
 			{
 				status = parse_status::outdated_version;
diff --git a/nano/node/network.cpp b/nano/node/network.cpp
index 0b2ed57909..3e4ca6d85d 100644
--- a/nano/node/network.cpp
+++ b/nano/node/network.cpp
@@ -15,14 +15,9 @@ nano::network::network (nano::node & node_a, uint16_t port_a) :
 	id (nano::network_constants::active_network),
 	syn_cookies (node_a.network_params.network.max_peers_per_ip),
 	inbound{ [this] (nano::message const & message, std::shared_ptr<nano::transport::channel> const & channel) {
-		if (message.header.network == id)
-		{
-			process_message (message, channel);
-		}
-		else
-		{
-			this->node.stats.inc (nano::stat::type::message, nano::stat::detail::invalid_network);
-		}
+		debug_assert (message.header.network == node.network_params.network.current_network);
+		debug_assert (message.header.version_using >= node.network_params.network.protocol_version_min);
+		process_message (message, channel);
 	} },
 	buffer_container (node_a.stats, nano::network::buffer_size, 4096), // 2Mb receive buffer
 	resolver (node_a.io_ctx),
diff --git a/nano/node/transport/tcp.cpp b/nano/node/transport/tcp.cpp
index c0d6259a23..2b678096d2 100644
--- a/nano/node/transport/tcp.cpp
+++ b/nano/node/transport/tcp.cpp
@@ -631,9 +631,10 @@ void nano::transport::tcp_channels::start_tcp_receive_node_id (std::shared_ptr<n
 					auto error (false);
 					nano::bufferstream stream (receive_buffer_a->data (), size_a);
 					nano::message_header header (error, stream);
+					// the header type should in principle be checked after checking the network bytes and the version numbers, I will not change it here since the benefits do not outweight the difficulties
 					if (!error && header.type == nano::message_type::node_id_handshake)
 					{
-						if (header.version_using >= node_l->network_params.network.protocol_version_min)
+						if (header.network == node_l->network_params.network.current_network && header.version_using >= node_l->network_params.network.protocol_version_min)
 						{
 							nano::node_id_handshake message (error, stream, header);
 							if (!error && message.response && message.query)
@@ -704,6 +705,16 @@ void nano::transport::tcp_channels::start_tcp_receive_node_id (std::shared_ptr<n
 						}
 						else
 						{
+							// error handling, either the networks bytes or the version is wrong
+							if (header.network == node_l->network_params.network.current_network)
+							{
+								node_l->stats.inc (nano::stat::type::message, nano::stat::detail::invalid_network);
+							}
+							else
+							{
+								node_l->stats.inc (nano::stat::type::message, nano::stat::detail::outdated_version);
+							}
+
 							// Version of channel is not high enough, just abort. Don't fallback to udp, instead cleanup attempt
 							cleanup_node_id_handshake_socket (endpoint_a);
 							{