diff --git a/src/bt_peer_connection.cpp b/src/bt_peer_connection.cpp
index 3828c3df1..197d6be2b 100644
--- a/src/bt_peer_connection.cpp
+++ b/src/bt_peer_connection.cpp
@@ -221,6 +221,9 @@ namespace libtorrent
 	
 	void bt_peer_connection::on_metadata()
 	{
+#ifdef TORRENT_VERBOSE_LOGGING
+		peer_log("*** ON_METADATA");
+#endif
 		// connections that are still in the handshake
 		// will send their bitfield when the handshake
 		// is done
@@ -758,13 +761,13 @@ namespace libtorrent
 			// in anonymous mode, every peer connection
 			// has a unique peer-id
 			for (int i = 0; i < 20; ++i)
-				*ptr++ = random();
+				ptr[i] = random();
 		}
 		else
 		{
 			memcpy(ptr, &m_ses.get_peer_id()[0], 20);
-//			ptr += 20;
 		}
+//		ptr += 20;
 
 #ifdef TORRENT_VERBOSE_LOGGING
 		peer_log("==> HANDSHAKE [ ih: %s ]", to_hex(ih.to_string()).c_str());
@@ -2020,7 +2023,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 
 		if (t->is_seed())
 		{
-			memset(ptr, 0xff, packet_size - 6);
+			memset(ptr, 0xff, packet_size - 5);
 
 			// Clear trailing bits
 			unsigned char *p = ((unsigned char *)msg) + packet_size - 1;
diff --git a/src/metadata_transfer.cpp b/src/metadata_transfer.cpp
index 6520286fd..674c298b1 100644
--- a/src/metadata_transfer.cpp
+++ b/src/metadata_transfer.cpp
@@ -289,8 +289,8 @@ namespace libtorrent { namespace
 			if (m_message_index == 0) return;
 
 #ifdef TORRENT_VERBOSE_LOGGING
-			(*m_pc.m_logger) << time_now_string()
-				<< " ==> METADATA_REQUEST  [ start: " << start << " | size: " << size << " ]\n";
+			m_pc.peer_log("==> METADATA_REQUEST  [ start: %d | size: %d ]\n"
+				, start, size);
 #endif
 
 			char msg[9];
@@ -327,12 +327,8 @@ namespace libtorrent { namespace
 				char* ptr = msg;
 
 #ifdef TORRENT_VERBOSE_LOGGING
-				(*m_pc.m_logger) << time_now_string()
-					<< " ==> METADATA [ start: " << req.first
-					<< " | size: " << req.second
-					<< " | offset: " << offset.first
-					<< " | byte_size: " << offset.second
-					<< " ]\n";
+				m_pc.peer_log("==> METADATA [ start: %d | total_size: %d | offset: %d | data_size: %d ]"
+					, req.first, req.second, offset.first, offset.second);
 #endif
 				// yes, we have metadata, send it
 				detail::write_uint32(11 + offset.second, ptr);
@@ -349,8 +345,7 @@ namespace libtorrent { namespace
 			else
 			{
 #ifdef TORRENT_VERBOSE_LOGGING
-				(*m_pc.m_logger) << time_now_string()
-					<< " ==> DONT HAVE METADATA\n";
+				m_pc.peer_log("==> DONT HAVE METADATA\n");
 #endif
 				char msg[4+3];
 				char* ptr = msg;
@@ -391,10 +386,8 @@ namespace libtorrent { namespace
 					int size = detail::read_uint8(body.begin) + 1;
 
 #ifdef TORRENT_VERBOSE_LOGGING
-					(*m_pc.m_logger) << time_now_string()
-						<< " <== METADATA_REQUEST [ start: " << start
-						<< " | size: " << size
-						<< " ]\n";
+					m_pc.peer_log("<== METADATA_REQUEST  [ start: %d | size: %d ]\n"
+						, start, size);
 #endif
 
 					if (length != 3)
@@ -416,11 +409,8 @@ namespace libtorrent { namespace
 					int data_size = length - 9;
 
 #ifdef TORRENT_VERBOSE_LOGGING
-					(*m_pc.m_logger) << time_now_string()
-						<< " <== METADATA [ total_size: " << total_size
-						<< " | offset: " << offset
-						<< " | data_size: " << data_size
-						<< " ]\n";
+					m_pc.peer_log("<== METADATA [ total_size: %d | offset: %d | data_size: %d ]"
+						,total_size, offset, data_size);
 #endif
 
 					if (total_size > m_torrent.session().settings().max_metadata_size)
@@ -462,8 +452,7 @@ namespace libtorrent { namespace
 					m_tp.cancel_metadata_request(m_last_metadata_request);
 				m_waiting_metadata_request = false;
 #ifdef TORRENT_VERBOSE_LOGGING
-				(*m_pc.m_logger) << time_now_string()
-					<< " <== DONT HAVE METADATA\n";
+				m_pc.peer_log("<== DONT HAVE METADATA\n");
 #endif
 				break;
 			default:
diff --git a/src/torrent.cpp b/src/torrent.cpp
index 0ab37b0f3..975aa7552 100644
--- a/src/torrent.cpp
+++ b/src/torrent.cpp
@@ -6527,24 +6527,35 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		}
 #endif
 
-		if (!m_connections_initialized)
+		m_connections_initialized = true;
+		m_files_checked = true;
+
+		for (torrent::peer_iterator i = m_connections.begin();
+			i != m_connections.end();)
 		{
-			m_connections_initialized = true;
+			peer_connection* pc = *i;
+			++i;
+
 			// all peer connections have to initialize themselves now that the metadata
 			// is available
-			for (torrent::peer_iterator i = m_connections.begin();
-				i != m_connections.end();)
+			if (!m_connections_initialized)
 			{
-				peer_connection* pc = *i;
-				++i;
 				if (pc->is_disconnecting()) continue;
 				pc->on_metadata_impl();
 				if (pc->is_disconnecting()) continue;
 				pc->init();
 			}
+
+#ifdef TORRENT_VERBOSE_LOGGING
+			pc->peer_log("*** ON_FILES_CHECKED");
+#endif
+			if (pc->is_interesting() && !pc->has_peer_choked())
+			{
+				request_a_block(*this, *pc);
+				pc->send_block_requests();
+			}
 		}
 
-		m_files_checked = true;
 
 		start_announcing();
 
diff --git a/src/ut_metadata.cpp b/src/ut_metadata.cpp
index 25c321def..0994b57cf 100644
--- a/src/ut_metadata.cpp
+++ b/src/ut_metadata.cpp
@@ -238,7 +238,10 @@ namespace libtorrent { namespace
 			TORRENT_ASSERT(!m_pc.associated_torrent().expired());
 
 #ifdef TORRENT_VERBOSE_LOGGING
-			m_pc.peer_log("==> UT_METADATA [ type: %d | piece: %d ]", type, piece);
+			char const* names[] = {"request", "data", "dont-have"};
+			char const* n = "";
+			if (type >= 0 && type < 3) n = names[type];
+			m_pc.peer_log("==> UT_METADATA [ type: %d (%s) | piece: %d ]", type, n, piece);
 #endif
 
 			// abort if the peer doesn't support the metadata extension
diff --git a/test/test_metadata_extension.cpp b/test/test_metadata_extension.cpp
index 6b1904dad..362d84d18 100644
--- a/test/test_metadata_extension.cpp
+++ b/test/test_metadata_extension.cpp
@@ -43,17 +43,33 @@ POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 
 using boost::tuples::ignore;
 
-void test_transfer(bool clear_files, bool disconnect
-	, boost::shared_ptr<libtorrent::torrent_plugin> (*constructor)(libtorrent::torrent*, void*))
+enum flags_t
+{
+	clear_files = 1,
+	disconnect = 2,
+	full_encryption = 4
+};
+
+void test_transfer(int flags
+	, boost::shared_ptr<libtorrent::torrent_plugin> (*constructor)(libtorrent::torrent*, void*)
+	, int timeout)
 {
 	using namespace libtorrent;
 
+	fprintf(stderr, "test transfer: timeout=%d %s%s%s\n"
+		, timeout
+		, (flags & clear_files) ? "clear-files " : ""
+		, (flags & disconnect) ? "disconnect " : ""
+		, (flags & full_encryption) ? "encryption " : "");
+
 	// these are declared before the session objects
 	// so that they are destructed last. This enables
 	// the sessions to destruct in parallel
 	session_proxy p1;
 	session_proxy p2;
 
+	// TODO: it would be nice to test reversing
+	// which session is making the connection as well
 	session ses1(fingerprint("LT", 0, 1, 0, 0), std::make_pair(48100, 49000), "0.0.0.0", 0);
 	session ses2(fingerprint("LT", 0, 1, 0, 0), std::make_pair(49100, 50000), "0.0.0.0", 0);
 	ses1.add_extension(constructor);
@@ -62,41 +78,45 @@ void test_transfer(bool clear_files, bool disconnect
 	torrent_handle tor2;
 #ifndef TORRENT_DISABLE_ENCRYPTION
 	pe_settings pes;
+	pes.prefer_rc4 = (flags & full_encryption);
 	pes.out_enc_policy = pe_settings::forced;
 	pes.in_enc_policy = pe_settings::forced;
 	ses1.set_pe_settings(pes);
 	ses2.set_pe_settings(pes);
 #endif
 
-	boost::tie(tor1, tor2, ignore) = setup_transfer(&ses1, &ses2, NULL, clear_files, true, true, "_meta");	
+	boost::tie(tor1, tor2, ignore) = setup_transfer(&ses1, &ses2, NULL, flags & clear_files, true, true, "_meta");	
 
-	for (int i = 0; i < 80; ++i)
+	for (int i = 0; i < timeout * 10; ++i)
 	{
 		// make sure this function can be called on
 		// torrents without metadata
-		if (!disconnect) tor2.status();
+		if ((flags & disconnect) == 0) tor2.status();
 		print_alerts(ses1, "ses1", false, true);
 		print_alerts(ses2, "ses2", false, true);
 
-		if (disconnect && tor2.is_valid()) ses2.remove_torrent(tor2);
-		if (!disconnect
+		if ((flags & disconnect) && tor2.is_valid()) ses2.remove_torrent(tor2);
+		if ((flags & disconnect) == 0
 			&& tor2.status().has_metadata) break;
 		test_sleep(100);
 	}
 
-	if (disconnect) goto done;
+	if (flags & disconnect) goto done;
 
 	TEST_CHECK(tor2.status().has_metadata);
 	std::cerr << "waiting for transfer to complete\n";
 
-	for (int i = 0; i < 30; ++i)
+	for (int i = 0; i < 20; ++i)
 	{
 		torrent_status st1 = tor1.status();
 		torrent_status st2 = tor2.status();
 
-		print_ses_rate(i, &st1, &st2);
+		print_alerts(ses1, "ses1", false, true);
+		print_alerts(ses2, "ses2", false, true);
+
+		print_ses_rate(i / 10.f, &st1, &st2);
 		if (st2.is_seeding) break;
-		test_sleep(1000);
+		test_sleep(100);
 	}
 
 	TEST_CHECK(tor2.status().is_seeding);
@@ -117,19 +137,11 @@ int test_main()
 {
 	using namespace libtorrent;
 
-	// test to disconnect one client prematurely
-	test_transfer(true, true, &create_metadata_plugin);
-	// test where one has data and one doesn't
-	test_transfer(true, false, &create_metadata_plugin);
-	// test where both have data (to trigger the file check)
-	test_transfer(false, false, &create_metadata_plugin);
+	for (int f = 0; f <= (clear_files | disconnect | full_encryption); ++f)
+		test_transfer(f, &create_metadata_plugin, 5);
 
-	// test to disconnect one client prematurely
-	test_transfer(true, true, &create_ut_metadata_plugin);
-	// test where one has data and one doesn't
-	test_transfer(true, false, &create_ut_metadata_plugin);
-	// test where both have data (to trigger the file check)
-	test_transfer(false, false, &create_ut_metadata_plugin);
+	for (int f = 0; f <= (clear_files | disconnect | full_encryption); ++f)
+		test_transfer(f, &create_ut_metadata_plugin, 2);
 
 	error_code ec;
 	remove_all("tmp1", ec);