diff --git a/p2p/protocols/accounting.go b/p2p/protocols/accounting.go
index 469a43657d..06a1a58454 100644
--- a/p2p/protocols/accounting.go
+++ b/p2p/protocols/accounting.go
@@ -61,7 +61,13 @@ type Price struct {
 	Payer   Payer
 }
 
-//ForSender gives back the price for sending a message
+//For gives back the price for a message
+//A protocol provides the message price in absolute value
+//This method then returns the correct signed amount,
+//depending on who pays, which is identified by the `payer` argument:
+//`Send` will pass a `Sender` payer, `Receive` will pass the `Receiver` argument.
+//Thus: If Sending and sender pays, amount positive, otherwise negative
+//If Receiving, and receiver pays, amount positive, otherwise negative
 func (p *Price) For(payer Payer, size uint32) int64 {
 	price := p.Value
 	if p.PerByte {
@@ -114,7 +120,7 @@ func (ah *Accounting) Send(peer *Peer, size uint32, msg interface{}) error {
 	costToLocalNode := price.For(Sender, size)
 	//do the accounting
 	err := ah.Add(costToLocalNode, peer)
-	//record metrics
+	//record metrics: just increase counters for user-facing metrics
 	ah.doMetrics(costToLocalNode, size, err)
 	return err
 }
@@ -134,18 +140,24 @@ func (ah *Accounting) Receive(peer *Peer, size uint32, msg interface{}) error {
 	costToLocalNode := price.For(Receiver, size)
 	//do the accounting
 	err := ah.Add(costToLocalNode, peer)
-	//record metrics
+	//record metrics: just increase counters for user-facing metrics
 	ah.doMetrics(costToLocalNode, size, err)
 	return err
 }
 
 //record some metrics
+//this is not an error handling. `err` is returned by both `Send` and `Receive`
+//`err` will only be non-nil if a limit has been violated (overdraft), in which case the peer has been dropped.
+//if the limit has been violated and `err` is thus not nil:
+// * if the price is positive, local node has been credited; thus `err` implicitly signals the REMOTE has been dropped
+// * if the price is negative, local node has been debited, thus `err` implicitly signals LOCAL node "overdraft"
 func (ah *Accounting) doMetrics(price int64, size uint32, err error) {
 	if price > 0 {
 		mBalanceCredit.Inc(price)
 		mBytesCredit.Inc(int64(size))
 		mMsgCredit.Inc(1)
 		if err != nil {
+			//increase the number of times a remote node has been dropped due to "overdraft"
 			mPeerDrops.Inc(1)
 		}
 	} else {
@@ -153,6 +165,7 @@ func (ah *Accounting) doMetrics(price int64, size uint32, err error) {
 		mBytesDebit.Inc(int64(size))
 		mMsgDebit.Inc(1)
 		if err != nil {
+			//increase the number of times the local node has done an "overdraft" in respect to other nodes
 			mSelfDrops.Inc(1)
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/p2p/protocols/protocol.go b/p2p/protocols/protocol.go
index b6329aa2c0..7dddd852fa 100644
--- a/p2p/protocols/protocol.go
+++ b/p2p/protocols/protocol.go
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ import (
 	"bufio"
 	"bytes"
 	"context"
-	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"reflect"
@@ -361,11 +360,6 @@ func (p *Peer) handleIncoming(handle func(ctx context.Context, msg interface{})
 
 	//if the accounting hook is set, call it
 	if p.spec.Hook != nil {
-		if wmsg.Size != uint32(len(wmsg.Payload)) {
-			errMsg := "Advertised message size and payload length don't match"
-			log.Warn(errMsg)
-			p.Drop(errors.New(errMsg))
-		}
 		err := p.spec.Hook.Receive(p, wmsg.Size, val)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
diff --git a/p2p/protocols/protocol_test.go b/p2p/protocols/protocol_test.go
index be7c619923..2874af48d2 100644
--- a/p2p/protocols/protocol_test.go
+++ b/p2p/protocols/protocol_test.go
@@ -235,9 +235,13 @@ func TestProtocolHook(t *testing.T) {
 	runFunc := func(p *p2p.Peer, rw p2p.MsgReadWriter) error {
 		peer := NewPeer(p, rw, spec)
 		ctx := context.TODO()
-		peer.Send(ctx, &dummyMsg{
+		err := peer.Send(ctx, &dummyMsg{
 			Content: "handshake"})
 
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+
 		handle := func(ctx context.Context, msg interface{}) error {
 			return nil
 		}
@@ -335,7 +339,10 @@ func TestNoHook(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := context.TODO()
 	msg := &perBytesMsgSenderPays{Content: "testBalance"}
 	//send a message
-	peer.Send(ctx, msg)
+	err := peer.Send(ctx, msg)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
 	//simulate receiving a message
 	rw.msg = msg
 	peer.handleIncoming(func(ctx context.Context, msg interface{}) error {