diff --git a/swarm/network/stream/delivery.go b/swarm/network/stream/delivery.go
index cb3392550e..de05cd5293 100644
--- a/swarm/network/stream/delivery.go
+++ b/swarm/network/stream/delivery.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 package stream
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"time"
@@ -197,6 +198,9 @@ func (d *Delivery) processReceivedChunks() {
 			// this should be has locally
 			log.Error("before db.Get", "peer", req.peer.ID(), "hash", storage.Key(req.Key).Hex())
 			chunk, err := d.db.Get(req.Key)
+			if !bytes.Equal(chunk.Key, req.Key) {
+				panic(fmt.Errorf("processReceivedChunks: chunk key %s != req key %s (peer %s)", chunk.Key.Hex(), storage.Key(req.Key).Hex(), req.peer.ID()))
+			}
 			log.Error("after db.Get", "peer", req.peer.ID(), "chunk", chunk.Key.Hex(), "reqC", chunk.ReqC, "err", err)
 			if err == nil {
 				log.Error("found existing?", "peer", req.peer.ID(), "hash", chunk.Key.Hex())
diff --git a/swarm/storage/dbstore.go b/swarm/storage/dbstore.go
index 74890b5ddf..fecb199e1b 100644
--- a/swarm/storage/dbstore.go
+++ b/swarm/storage/dbstore.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"encoding/binary"
 	"encoding/hex"
+	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"io/ioutil"
@@ -34,7 +35,6 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/log"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/rlp"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/swarm/storage/mock"
 	"github.com/syndtr/goleveldb/leveldb"
 	"github.com/syndtr/goleveldb/leveldb/opt"
@@ -221,7 +221,12 @@ func getDataKey(idx uint64, po uint8) []byte {
 }
 
 func encodeIndex(index *dpaDBIndex) []byte {
-	data, _ := rlp.EncodeToBytes(index)
+	//data, _ := rlp.EncodeToBytes(index)
+
+	data, err := json.Marshal(index)
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
 	return data
 }
 
@@ -230,8 +235,10 @@ func encodeData(chunk *Chunk) []byte {
 }
 
 func decodeIndex(data []byte, index *dpaDBIndex) error {
-	dec := rlp.NewStream(bytes.NewReader(data), 0)
-	return dec.Decode(index)
+	// dec := rlp.NewStream(bytes.NewReader(data), 0)
+	// return dec.Decode(index)
+	return json.Unmarshal(data, index)
+
 }
 
 func decodeData(data []byte, chunk *Chunk) {
@@ -542,6 +549,7 @@ func (s *DbStore) Put(chunk *Chunk) {
 	log.Error("DbStore.Put", "hash", chunk.Key.Hex())
 	done := make(chan struct{})
 	defer close(done)
+	key := Key(append(make([]byte, 0), chunk.Key...))
 	go func() {
 		log.Error("DbStore.Put WAITER STARTED", "hash", chunk.Key.Hex())
 		select {
@@ -549,6 +557,9 @@ func (s *DbStore) Put(chunk *Chunk) {
 			log.Error("DbStore.Put WAITING", "hash", chunk.Key.Hex())
 		case <-done:
 			log.Error("DbStore.Put EXITED", "hash", chunk.Key.Hex())
+			if !bytes.Equal(chunk.Key, key) {
+				panic(fmt.Errorf("DbStore.Get: chunk key %s != req key %s", chunk.Key.Hex(), key.Hex()))
+			}
 		}
 	}()
 
@@ -724,6 +735,10 @@ func (s *DbStore) get(key Key) (chunk *Chunk, err error) {
 		chunk = NewChunk(key, nil)
 		decodeData(data, chunk)
 
+		if !bytes.Equal(chunk.Key, key) {
+			panic(fmt.Errorf("DbStore.Get: chunk key %s != req key %s", chunk.Key.Hex(), key.Hex()))
+		}
+
 	} else {
 		err = ErrNotFound
 	}
diff --git a/swarm/storage/localstore.go b/swarm/storage/localstore.go
index f7cc4092d6..fe6646402a 100644
--- a/swarm/storage/localstore.go
+++ b/swarm/storage/localstore.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 package storage
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"encoding/binary"
 	"fmt"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -95,10 +96,18 @@ func NewTestLocalStoreForAddr(path string, basekey []byte) (*LocalStore, error)
 // unsafe, in that the data is not integrity checked
 func (self *LocalStore) Put(chunk *Chunk) {
 	chunk.Size = int64(binary.LittleEndian.Uint64(chunk.SData[0:8]))
-	self.memStore.Put(chunk)
-	log.Error("put to memstore", "hash", chunk.Key.Hex())
-	self.DbStore.Put(chunk)
-	log.Error("put to dbstore", "hash", chunk.Key.Hex())
+	c := &Chunk{
+		Key:      Key(append([]byte{}, chunk.Key...)),
+		SData:    append([]byte{}, chunk.SData...),
+		dbStored: chunk.dbStored,
+	}
+	self.memStore.Put(c)
+	log.Error("put to memstore", "hash", c.Key.Hex())
+	self.DbStore.Put(c)
+	log.Error("put to dbstore", "hash", c.Key.Hex())
+	if !bytes.Equal(chunk.Key, c.Key) {
+		panic(fmt.Errorf("LocalStore.Put: chunk %s != c %s", chunk.Key.Hex(), c.Key.Hex()))
+	}
 }
 
 // Get(chunk *Chunk) looks up a chunk in the local stores
@@ -122,7 +131,7 @@ func (self *LocalStore) Get(key Key) (chunk *Chunk, err error) {
 		return
 	}
 	chunk.Size = int64(binary.LittleEndian.Uint64(chunk.SData[0:8]))
-	self.memStore.Put(chunk)
+	//self.memStore.Put(chunk)
 	return
 }
 
diff --git a/swarm/storage/memstore.go b/swarm/storage/memstore.go
index 31e2baf454..e96e225a4d 100644
--- a/swarm/storage/memstore.go
+++ b/swarm/storage/memstore.go
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
 package storage
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
+	"fmt"
 	"sync"
 )
 
@@ -329,6 +331,9 @@ func (m *MemStore) Get(key Key) (*Chunk, error) {
 	if !ok {
 		return nil, ErrNotFound
 	}
+	if !bytes.Equal(c.Key, key) {
+		panic(fmt.Errorf("MemStore.Get: chunk key %s != req key %s", c.Key.Hex(), key.Hex()))
+	}
 	return c, nil
 }