diff --git a/benchmarks/codec_test.go b/benchmarks/codec_test.go
index ee61cc9a4..53cbf632c 100644
--- a/benchmarks/codec_test.go
+++ b/benchmarks/codec_test.go
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/tendermint/go-amino"
 
-	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/crypto"
 	proto "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/benchmarks/proto"
+	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/crypto"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/p2p"
 	ctypes "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/rpc/core/types"
 )
diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index f5361c22b..e01819305 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -299,9 +299,8 @@ type P2PConfig struct {
 	// Time to wait before flushing messages out on the connection, in ms
 	FlushThrottleTimeout int `mapstructure:"flush_throttle_timeout"`
 
-	// Maximum size of a message packet, in bytes
-	// Includes a header, which is ~13 bytes
-	MaxPacketMsgSize int `mapstructure:"max_packet_msg_size"`
+	// Maximum size of a message packet payload, in bytes
+	MaxPacketMsgPayloadSize int `mapstructure:"max_packet_msg_payload_size"`
 
 	// Rate at which packets can be sent, in bytes/second
 	SendRate int64 `mapstructure:"send_rate"`
@@ -340,23 +339,23 @@ type P2PConfig struct {
 // DefaultP2PConfig returns a default configuration for the peer-to-peer layer
 func DefaultP2PConfig() *P2PConfig {
 	return &P2PConfig{
-		ListenAddress:        "tcp://0.0.0.0:26656",
-		UPNP:                 false,
-		AddrBook:             defaultAddrBookPath,
-		AddrBookStrict:       true,
-		MaxNumPeers:          50,
-		FlushThrottleTimeout: 100,
-		MaxPacketMsgSize:     1024,   // 1 kB
-		SendRate:             512000, // 500 kB/s
-		RecvRate:             512000, // 500 kB/s
-		PexReactor:           true,
-		SeedMode:             false,
-		AllowDuplicateIP:     true, // so non-breaking yet
-		HandshakeTimeout:     20 * time.Second,
-		DialTimeout:          3 * time.Second,
-		TestDialFail:         false,
-		TestFuzz:             false,
-		TestFuzzConfig:       DefaultFuzzConnConfig(),
+		ListenAddress:           "tcp://0.0.0.0:26656",
+		UPNP:                    false,
+		AddrBook:                defaultAddrBookPath,
+		AddrBookStrict:          true,
+		MaxNumPeers:             50,
+		FlushThrottleTimeout:    100,
+		MaxPacketMsgPayloadSize: 1024,   // 1 kB
+		SendRate:                512000, // 500 kB/s
+		RecvRate:                512000, // 500 kB/s
+		PexReactor:              true,
+		SeedMode:                false,
+		AllowDuplicateIP:        true, // so non-breaking yet
+		HandshakeTimeout:        20 * time.Second,
+		DialTimeout:             3 * time.Second,
+		TestDialFail:            false,
+		TestFuzz:                false,
+		TestFuzzConfig:          DefaultFuzzConnConfig(),
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/config/toml.go b/config/toml.go
index b3745d3c8..4569291d4 100644
--- a/config/toml.go
+++ b/config/toml.go
@@ -164,9 +164,8 @@ flush_throttle_timeout = {{ .P2P.FlushThrottleTimeout }}
 # Maximum number of peers to connect to
 max_num_peers = {{ .P2P.MaxNumPeers }}
 
-# Maximum size of a message packet, in bytes
-# Includes a header, which is ~13 bytes
-max_packet_msg_size = {{ .P2P.MaxPacketMsgSize }}
+# Maximum size of a message packet payload, in bytes
+max_packet_msg_payload_size = {{ .P2P.MaxPacketMsgPayloadSize }}
 
 # Rate at which packets can be sent, in bytes/second
 send_rate = {{ .P2P.SendRate }}
diff --git a/crypto/merkle/doc.go b/crypto/merkle/doc.go
index da65dd858..865c30217 100644
--- a/crypto/merkle/doc.go
+++ b/crypto/merkle/doc.go
@@ -28,4 +28,4 @@ https://bitcointalk.org/?topic=102395
 TODO(ismail): add 2nd pre-image protection or clarify further on how we use this and why this secure.
 
 */
-package merkle
\ No newline at end of file
+package merkle
diff --git a/crypto/merkle/simple_tree.go b/crypto/merkle/simple_tree.go
index 35a6eaa7c..46a075909 100644
--- a/crypto/merkle/simple_tree.go
+++ b/crypto/merkle/simple_tree.go
@@ -9,12 +9,12 @@ func SimpleHashFromTwoHashes(left, right []byte) []byte {
 	var hasher = tmhash.New()
 	err := encodeByteSlice(hasher, left)
 	if err != nil {
-			panic(err)
-		}
+		panic(err)
+	}
 	err = encodeByteSlice(hasher, right)
 	if err != nil {
-			panic(err)
-		}
+		panic(err)
+	}
 	return hasher.Sum(nil)
 }
 
diff --git a/crypto/merkle/simple_tree_test.go b/crypto/merkle/simple_tree_test.go
index a721bccea..6eef93623 100644
--- a/crypto/merkle/simple_tree_test.go
+++ b/crypto/merkle/simple_tree_test.go
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ import (
 	cmn "github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/common"
 	. "github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/test"
 
-	"testing"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/crypto/tmhash"
+	"testing"
 )
 
 type testItem []byte
diff --git a/docs/running-in-production.md b/docs/running-in-production.md
index 3ceded499..225a97853 100644
--- a/docs/running-in-production.md
+++ b/docs/running-in-production.md
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ to prevent Denial-of-service attacks. You can read more about it
 ### P2P
 
 The core of the Tendermint peer-to-peer system is `MConnection`. Each
-connection has `MaxPacketMsgSize`, which is the maximum packet
+connection has `MaxPacketMsgPayloadSize`, which is the maximum packet
 size and bounded send & receive queues. One can impose restrictions on
 send & receive rate per connection (`SendRate`, `RecvRate`).
 
diff --git a/docs/specification/configuration.md b/docs/specification/configuration.md
index 9ceb8be72..214757b9f 100644
--- a/docs/specification/configuration.md
+++ b/docs/specification/configuration.md
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ flush_throttle_timeout = 100
 max_num_peers = 50
 
 # Maximum size of a message packet payload, in bytes
-max_msg_packet_payload_size = 1024
+max_packet_msg_payload_size = 1024
 
 # Rate at which packets can be sent, in bytes/second
 send_rate = 512000
diff --git a/evidence/wire.go b/evidence/wire.go
index d4db37c54..fb3a177cc 100644
--- a/evidence/wire.go
+++ b/evidence/wire.go
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@ package evidence
 
 import (
 	"github.com/tendermint/go-amino"
-	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/crypto"
+	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
 )
 
 var cdc = amino.NewCodec()
diff --git a/p2p/conn/connection.go b/p2p/conn/connection.go
index 1392c8051..b19a1ca19 100644
--- a/p2p/conn/connection.go
+++ b/p2p/conn/connection.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	defaultMaxPacketMsgSize = 1024
+	defaultMaxPacketMsgPayloadSize = 1024
 
 	numBatchPacketMsgs = 10
 	minReadBufferSize  = 1024
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ type MConnection struct {
 
 	created time.Time // time of creation
 
-	emptyPacketMsgSize int
+	_maxPacketMsgSize int
 }
 
 // MConnConfig is a MConnection configuration.
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ type MConnConfig struct {
 	RecvRate int64 `mapstructure:"recv_rate"`
 
 	// Maximum payload size
-	MaxPacketMsgSize int `mapstructure:"max_packet_msg_size"`
+	MaxPacketMsgPayloadSize int `mapstructure:"max_packet_msg_payload_size"`
 
 	// Interval to flush writes (throttled)
 	FlushThrottle time.Duration `mapstructure:"flush_throttle"`
@@ -120,12 +120,12 @@ type MConnConfig struct {
 // DefaultMConnConfig returns the default config.
 func DefaultMConnConfig() MConnConfig {
 	return MConnConfig{
-		SendRate:         defaultSendRate,
-		RecvRate:         defaultRecvRate,
-		MaxPacketMsgSize: defaultMaxPacketMsgSize,
-		FlushThrottle:    defaultFlushThrottle,
-		PingInterval:     defaultPingInterval,
-		PongTimeout:      defaultPongTimeout,
+		SendRate:                defaultSendRate,
+		RecvRate:                defaultRecvRate,
+		MaxPacketMsgPayloadSize: defaultMaxPacketMsgPayloadSize,
+		FlushThrottle:           defaultFlushThrottle,
+		PingInterval:            defaultPingInterval,
+		PongTimeout:             defaultPongTimeout,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -146,17 +146,16 @@ func NewMConnectionWithConfig(conn net.Conn, chDescs []*ChannelDescriptor, onRec
 	}
 
 	mconn := &MConnection{
-		conn:               conn,
-		bufConnReader:      bufio.NewReaderSize(conn, minReadBufferSize),
-		bufConnWriter:      bufio.NewWriterSize(conn, minWriteBufferSize),
-		sendMonitor:        flow.New(0, 0),
-		recvMonitor:        flow.New(0, 0),
-		send:               make(chan struct{}, 1),
-		pong:               make(chan struct{}, 1),
-		onReceive:          onReceive,
-		onError:            onError,
-		config:             config,
-		emptyPacketMsgSize: emptyPacketMsgSize(config.MaxPacketMsgSize),
+		conn:          conn,
+		bufConnReader: bufio.NewReaderSize(conn, minReadBufferSize),
+		bufConnWriter: bufio.NewWriterSize(conn, minWriteBufferSize),
+		sendMonitor:   flow.New(0, 0),
+		recvMonitor:   flow.New(0, 0),
+		send:          make(chan struct{}, 1),
+		pong:          make(chan struct{}, 1),
+		onReceive:     onReceive,
+		onError:       onError,
+		config:        config,
 	}
 
 	// Create channels
@@ -173,6 +172,9 @@ func NewMConnectionWithConfig(conn net.Conn, chDescs []*ChannelDescriptor, onRec
 
 	mconn.BaseService = *cmn.NewBaseService(nil, "MConnection", mconn)
 
+	// maxPacketMsgSize() is a bit heavy, so call just once
+	mconn._maxPacketMsgSize = mconn.maxPacketMsgSize()
+
 	return mconn
 }
 
@@ -397,7 +399,7 @@ func (c *MConnection) sendSomePacketMsgs() bool {
 	// Block until .sendMonitor says we can write.
 	// Once we're ready we send more than we asked for,
 	// but amortized it should even out.
-	c.sendMonitor.Limit(c.config.MaxPacketMsgSize, atomic.LoadInt64(&c.config.SendRate), true)
+	c.sendMonitor.Limit(c._maxPacketMsgSize, atomic.LoadInt64(&c.config.SendRate), true)
 
 	// Now send some PacketMsgs.
 	for i := 0; i < numBatchPacketMsgs; i++ {
@@ -455,7 +457,7 @@ func (c *MConnection) recvRoutine() {
 FOR_LOOP:
 	for {
 		// Block until .recvMonitor says we can read.
-		c.recvMonitor.Limit(c.config.MaxPacketMsgSize, atomic.LoadInt64(&c.config.RecvRate), true)
+		c.recvMonitor.Limit(c._maxPacketMsgSize, atomic.LoadInt64(&c.config.RecvRate), true)
 
 		// Peek into bufConnReader for debugging
 		/*
@@ -475,7 +477,7 @@ FOR_LOOP:
 		var packet Packet
 		var _n int64
 		var err error
-		_n, err = cdc.UnmarshalBinaryReader(c.bufConnReader, &packet, int64(c.config.MaxPacketMsgSize))
+		_n, err = cdc.UnmarshalBinaryReader(c.bufConnReader, &packet, int64(c._maxPacketMsgSize))
 		c.recvMonitor.Update(int(_n))
 		if err != nil {
 			if c.IsRunning() {
@@ -548,6 +550,16 @@ func (c *MConnection) stopPongTimer() {
 	}
 }
 
+// maxPacketMsgSize returns a maximum size of PacketMsg, including the overhead
+// of amino encoding.
+func (c *MConnection) maxPacketMsgSize() int {
+	return len(cdc.MustMarshalBinary(PacketMsg{
+		ChannelID: 0x01,
+		EOF:       1,
+		Bytes:     make([]byte, c.config.MaxPacketMsgPayloadSize),
+	})) + 10 // leave room for changes in amino
+}
+
 type ConnectionStatus struct {
 	Duration    time.Duration
 	SendMonitor flow.Status
@@ -631,7 +643,7 @@ func newChannel(conn *MConnection, desc ChannelDescriptor) *Channel {
 		desc:                    desc,
 		sendQueue:               make(chan []byte, desc.SendQueueCapacity),
 		recving:                 make([]byte, 0, desc.RecvBufferCapacity),
-		maxPacketMsgPayloadSize: conn.config.MaxPacketMsgSize - conn.emptyPacketMsgSize,
+		maxPacketMsgPayloadSize: conn.config.MaxPacketMsgPayloadSize,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -780,24 +792,3 @@ type PacketMsg struct {
 func (mp PacketMsg) String() string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf("PacketMsg{%X:%X T:%X}", mp.ChannelID, mp.Bytes, mp.EOF)
 }
-
-// - Uvarint length of MustMarshalBinary(packet) = 1 or 2 bytes
-//   (as long as it's less than 16,384 bytes)
-// - Prefix bytes = 4 bytes
-// - ChannelID field key + byte = 2 bytes
-// - EOF field key + byte = 2 bytes
-// - Bytes field key = 1 bytes
-// - Uvarint length of MustMarshalBinary(bytes) = 1 or 2 bytes
-// = up to 13 bytes overhead for the packet.
-
-func emptyPacketMsgSize(maxPayloadSize int) int {
-	emptyPacketMsgSize := len(cdc.MustMarshalBinary(PacketMsg{
-		ChannelID: 0x01,
-		EOF:       1,
-		Bytes:     make([]byte, maxPayloadSize),
-	}))
-	// -1 byte of data
-	// +1 byte because uvarint length of MustMarshalBinary(bytes) will be 2 bytes for big packets
-	// +1 byte because uvarint length of MustMarshalBinary(packet) will be 2 bytes for big packets
-	return emptyPacketMsgSize - maxPayloadSize + 1 + 1
-}
diff --git a/p2p/conn/connection_test.go b/p2p/conn/connection_test.go
index 6e4c1a090..8006b37a8 100644
--- a/p2p/conn/connection_test.go
+++ b/p2p/conn/connection_test.go
@@ -426,7 +426,7 @@ func TestMConnectionReadErrorLongMessage(t *testing.T) {
 	var packet = PacketMsg{
 		ChannelID: 0x01,
 		EOF:       1,
-		Bytes:     make([]byte, mconnClient.config.MaxPacketMsgSize-emptyPacketMsgSize(mconnClient.config.MaxPacketMsgSize)),
+		Bytes:     make([]byte, mconnClient.config.MaxPacketMsgPayloadSize),
 	}
 	_, err = cdc.MarshalBinaryWriter(buf, packet)
 	assert.Nil(t, err)
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ func TestMConnectionReadErrorLongMessage(t *testing.T) {
 	packet = PacketMsg{
 		ChannelID: 0x01,
 		EOF:       1,
-		Bytes:     make([]byte, mconnClient.config.MaxPacketMsgSize+1),
+		Bytes:     make([]byte, mconnClient.config.MaxPacketMsgPayloadSize+100),
 	}
 	_, err = cdc.MarshalBinaryWriter(buf, packet)
 	assert.Nil(t, err)
diff --git a/p2p/switch.go b/p2p/switch.go
index ae322b54f..bf5f9747f 100644
--- a/p2p/switch.go
+++ b/p2p/switch.go
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ func NewSwitch(cfg *config.P2PConfig, options ...SwitchOption) *Switch {
 	mConfig.FlushThrottle = time.Duration(cfg.FlushThrottleTimeout) * time.Millisecond
 	mConfig.SendRate = cfg.SendRate
 	mConfig.RecvRate = cfg.RecvRate
-	mConfig.MaxPacketMsgSize = cfg.MaxPacketMsgSize
+	mConfig.MaxPacketMsgPayloadSize = cfg.MaxPacketMsgPayloadSize
 
 	sw.mConfig = mConfig
 
diff --git a/privval/priv_validator.go b/privval/priv_validator.go
index 9f02482ab..8a54b5ccf 100644
--- a/privval/priv_validator.go
+++ b/privval/priv_validator.go
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ func (pv *FilePV) saveSigned(height int64, round int, step int8,
 func (pv *FilePV) SignHeartbeat(chainID string, heartbeat *types.Heartbeat) error {
 	pv.mtx.Lock()
 	defer pv.mtx.Unlock()
-	sig, err:= pv.PrivKey.Sign(heartbeat.SignBytes(chainID))
+	sig, err := pv.PrivKey.Sign(heartbeat.SignBytes(chainID))
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/privval/priv_validator_test.go b/privval/priv_validator_test.go
index 4fc8f97fc..345b51438 100644
--- a/privval/priv_validator_test.go
+++ b/privval/priv_validator_test.go
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
-	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/crypto"
+	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
 	cmn "github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/common"
 )
 
diff --git a/rpc/core/pipe.go b/rpc/core/pipe.go
index 9fcb75e19..bf32c9c66 100644
--- a/rpc/core/pipe.go
+++ b/rpc/core/pipe.go
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@ package core
 import (
 	"time"
 
-	crypto "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/crypto"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/consensus"
+	crypto "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/crypto"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/p2p"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/proxy"
 	sm "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/state"