diff --git a/consensus/consensus.go b/consensus/consensus.go
index 8079a5f..1aff9d1 100644
--- a/consensus/consensus.go
+++ b/consensus/consensus.go
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
 package consensus
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"math/big"
 	"sync"
 
-	"github.com/fxamacker/cbor/v2"
-
 	"github.com/Secured-Finance/dione/cache"
 
 	"github.com/Secured-Finance/dione/consensus/types"
@@ -47,9 +46,9 @@ func NewPBFTConsensusManager(psb *pubsub.PubSubRouter, minApprovals int, privKey
 	pcm.ethereumClient = ethereumClient
 	pcm.cache = evc
 	pcm.consensusMap = map[string]*Consensus{}
-	pcm.psb.Hook(pubsub.PrePrepareMessageType, pcm.handlePrePrepare)
-	pcm.psb.Hook(pubsub.PrepareMessageType, pcm.handlePrepare)
-	pcm.psb.Hook(pubsub.CommitMessageType, pcm.handleCommit)
+	pcm.psb.Hook(pubsub.PrePrepareMessageType, pcm.handlePrePrepare, types2.DioneTask{})
+	pcm.psb.Hook(pubsub.PrepareMessageType, pcm.handlePrepare, types2.DioneTask{})
+	pcm.psb.Hook(pubsub.CommitMessageType, pcm.handleCommit, types2.DioneTask{})
 	return pcm
 }
 
@@ -64,7 +63,7 @@ func (pcm *PBFTConsensusManager) Propose(task types2.DioneTask) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (pcm *PBFTConsensusManager) handlePrePrepare(message *pubsub.PubSubMessage) {
+func (pcm *PBFTConsensusManager) handlePrePrepare(message *pubsub.GenericMessage) {
 	cmsg, err := unmarshalPayload(message)
 	if err != nil {
 		return
@@ -87,6 +86,7 @@ func (pcm *PBFTConsensusManager) handlePrePrepare(message *pubsub.PubSubMessage)
 	prepareMsg, err := NewMessage(message, pubsub.PrepareMessageType)
 	if err != nil {
 		logrus.Errorf("failed to create prepare message: %v", err)
+		return
 	}
 
 	pcm.createConsensusInfo(&cmsg.Task, false)
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ func (pcm *PBFTConsensusManager) handlePrePrepare(message *pubsub.PubSubMessage)
 	pcm.psb.BroadcastToServiceTopic(&prepareMsg)
 }
 
-func (pcm *PBFTConsensusManager) handlePrepare(message *pubsub.PubSubMessage) {
+func (pcm *PBFTConsensusManager) handlePrepare(message *pubsub.GenericMessage) {
 	cmsg, err := unmarshalPayload(message)
 	if err != nil {
 		return
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ func (pcm *PBFTConsensusManager) handlePrepare(message *pubsub.PubSubMessage) {
 	pcm.msgLog.AddMessage(cmsg)
 
 	if len(pcm.msgLog.Get(types.MessageTypePrepare, cmsg.Task.ConsensusID)) >= pcm.minApprovals {
-		commitMsg, err := NewMessage(message, types.MessageTypeCommit)
+		commitMsg, err := NewMessage(message, pubsub.CommitMessageType)
 		if err != nil {
 			logrus.Errorf("failed to create commit message: %w", err)
 		}
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ func (pcm *PBFTConsensusManager) handlePrepare(message *pubsub.PubSubMessage) {
 	}
 }
 
-func (pcm *PBFTConsensusManager) handleCommit(message *pubsub.PubSubMessage) {
+func (pcm *PBFTConsensusManager) handleCommit(message *pubsub.GenericMessage) {
 	cmsg, err := unmarshalPayload(message)
 	if err != nil {
 		return
@@ -184,12 +184,10 @@ func (pcm *PBFTConsensusManager) GetConsensusInfo(consensusID string) *Consensus
 	return c
 }
 
-func unmarshalPayload(msg *pubsub.PubSubMessage) (types.ConsensusMessage, error) {
-	var task types2.DioneTask
-	err := cbor.Unmarshal(msg.Payload, &task)
-	if err != nil {
-		logrus.Debug(err)
-		return types.ConsensusMessage{}, err
+func unmarshalPayload(msg *pubsub.GenericMessage) (types.ConsensusMessage, error) {
+	task, ok := msg.Payload.(types2.DioneTask)
+	if !ok {
+		return types.ConsensusMessage{}, fmt.Errorf("cannot convert payload to DioneTask")
 	}
 	var consensusMessageType types.MessageType
 	switch msg.Type {
diff --git a/consensus/utils.go b/consensus/utils.go
index d1813a0..a94a1df 100644
--- a/consensus/utils.go
+++ b/consensus/utils.go
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@ import (
 	"encoding/binary"
 	"fmt"
 
+	"github.com/fxamacker/cbor/v2"
+
+	"github.com/Secured-Finance/dione/pubsub"
+
 	types2 "github.com/Secured-Finance/dione/consensus/types"
 
 	"github.com/mitchellh/hashstructure/v2"
@@ -107,17 +111,17 @@ func VerifyTaskSignature(task types.DioneTask) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func NewMessage(msg *types2.Message, typ types2.MessageType) (types2.Message, error) {
-	var newMsg types2.Message
+func NewMessage(msg *pubsub.GenericMessage, typ pubsub.PubSubMessageType) (pubsub.GenericMessage, error) {
+	var newMsg pubsub.GenericMessage
 	newMsg.Type = typ
 	newCMsg := msg.Payload
 	newMsg.Payload = newCMsg
 	return newMsg, nil
 }
 
-func CreatePrePrepareWithTaskSignature(task *types.DioneTask, privateKey []byte) (*types2.Message, error) {
-	var message types2.Message
-	message.Type = types2.MessageTypePrePrepare
+func CreatePrePrepareWithTaskSignature(task *types.DioneTask, privateKey []byte) (*pubsub.GenericMessage, error) {
+	var message pubsub.GenericMessage
+	message.Type = pubsub.PrePrepareMessageType
 
 	cHash, err := hashstructure.Hash(task, hashstructure.FormatV2, nil)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -128,6 +132,10 @@ func CreatePrePrepareWithTaskSignature(task *types.DioneTask, privateKey []byte)
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	task.Signature = signature.Data
-	message.Payload = types2.ConsensusMessage{Task: *task}
+	data, err := cbor.Marshal(types2.ConsensusMessage{Task: *task})
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	message.Payload = data
 	return &message, nil
 }
diff --git a/pubsub/message.go b/pubsub/message.go
index 5537d51..4b803f3 100644
--- a/pubsub/message.go
+++ b/pubsub/message.go
@@ -13,8 +13,13 @@ const (
 	NewBlockMessageType
 )
 
-type PubSubMessage struct {
+type GenericMessage struct {
 	Type    PubSubMessageType
 	From    peer.ID `cbor:"-"`
+	Payload interface{}
+}
+
+type PubSubMessage struct {
+	Type    PubSubMessageType
 	Payload []byte
 }
diff --git a/pubsub/pubsub_router.go b/pubsub/pubsub_router.go
index bd39edb..e76cae8 100644
--- a/pubsub/pubsub_router.go
+++ b/pubsub/pubsub_router.go
@@ -21,9 +21,10 @@ type PubSubRouter struct {
 	handlers            map[PubSubMessageType][]Handler
 	oracleTopicName     string
 	oracleTopic         *pubsub.Topic
+	typeMapping         map[PubSubMessageType]interface{} // message type -> sample
 }
 
-type Handler func(message *PubSubMessage)
+type Handler func(message *GenericMessage)
 
 func NewPubSubRouter(h host.Host, oracleTopic string, isBootstrap bool) *PubSubRouter {
 	ctx, ctxCancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
@@ -102,16 +103,30 @@ func (psr *PubSubRouter) handleMessage(p *pubsub.Message) {
 	if senderPeerID == psr.node.ID() {
 		return
 	}
-	var message PubSubMessage
-	err = cbor.Unmarshal(p.Data, &message)
+	var genericMessage PubSubMessage
+	var message GenericMessage
+	err = cbor.Unmarshal(p.Data, &genericMessage)
 	if err != nil {
-		logrus.Warn("Unable to decode message data! " + err.Error())
+		logrus.Warn("Unable to decode pubsub message data! " + err.Error())
+		return
+	}
+	sampleMsg, ok := psr.typeMapping[genericMessage.Type]
+	if !ok {
+		logrus.Warnf("Unknown message type %d: we have no clue how to decode it", genericMessage.Type)
+		return
+	}
+	destMsg := sampleMsg
+	err = cbor.Unmarshal(genericMessage.Payload, &destMsg)
+	if err != nil {
+		logrus.Warn("Unable to decode pubsub message data! " + err.Error())
 		return
 	}
 	message.From = senderPeerID
-	handlers, ok := psr.handlers[message.Type]
+	message.Type = genericMessage.Type
+	message.Payload = destMsg
+	handlers, ok := psr.handlers[genericMessage.Type]
 	if !ok {
-		logrus.Warn("Dropping message " + string(message.Type) + " because we don't have any handlers!")
+		logrus.Warn("Dropping pubsub message " + string(genericMessage.Type) + " because we don't have any handlers!")
 		return
 	}
 	for _, v := range handlers {
@@ -119,15 +134,16 @@ func (psr *PubSubRouter) handleMessage(p *pubsub.Message) {
 	}
 }
 
-func (psr *PubSubRouter) Hook(messageType PubSubMessageType, handler Handler) {
+func (psr *PubSubRouter) Hook(messageType PubSubMessageType, handler Handler, sample interface{}) {
 	_, ok := psr.handlers[messageType]
 	if !ok {
 		psr.handlers[messageType] = []Handler{}
 	}
 	psr.handlers[messageType] = append(psr.handlers[messageType], handler)
+	psr.typeMapping[messageType] = sample
 }
 
-func (psr *PubSubRouter) BroadcastToServiceTopic(msg *PubSubMessage) error {
+func (psr *PubSubRouter) BroadcastToServiceTopic(msg *GenericMessage) error {
 	data, err := cbor.Marshal(msg)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err