diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,11 @@
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](http://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/)
 and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
+## 0.17.4
+### Fixed
+- Reduce verbosity on incoming header decode test.
+- Show appropriate error message upon receiving empty headers.
+
 ## 0.17.13
 ### Added
 - Display more details about invalid incoming headers.
diff --git a/haskoin-node.cabal b/haskoin-node.cabal
--- a/haskoin-node.cabal
+++ b/haskoin-node.cabal
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@
 --
 -- see: https://github.com/sol/hpack
 --
--- hash: c1a4396b3f82b4a278470d6085ab2c65b132c37bfc67dca1c21dfe8277bf0775
+-- hash: 5d100416eb908a4c0c3c591ab5da8a5d02f56be464f1e8fe78672e19289ffdd6
 
 name:           haskoin-node
-version:        0.17.13
+version:        0.17.14
 synopsis:       P2P library for Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash
 description:    Please see the README on GitHub at <https://github.com/haskoin/haskoin-node#readme>
 category:       Bitcoin, Finance, Network
diff --git a/src/Haskoin/Node/Peer.hs b/src/Haskoin/Node/Peer.hs
--- a/src/Haskoin/Node/Peer.hs
+++ b/src/Haskoin/Node/Peer.hs
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@
     | PeerTimeout
     | UnknownPeer
     | PeerTooOld
+    | EmptyHeader
     deriving Eq
 
 instance Show PeerException where
@@ -109,6 +110,7 @@
     show PeerTimeout             = "Peer timed out"
     show UnknownPeer             = "Unknown peer"
     show PeerTooOld              = "Peer too old"
+    show EmptyHeader             = "Empty header"
 
 instance Exception PeerException
 
@@ -184,13 +186,14 @@
 inPeerConduit net a =
     forever $ do
         x <- takeCE 24 .| foldC
+        when (B.null x) $ do
+            $(logErrorS) (peerLog a) $ "Peer sent empty header"
+            throwIO EmptyHeader
         case decode x of
             Left e -> do
                 $(logErrorS) (peerLog a) $
-                    "Could not decode message header: " <>
-                    encodeHex x
-                $(logErrorS) (peerLog a) $
-                    "Error: " <> cs e
+                    "Could not decode message header: \"" <>
+                    encodeHex x <> "\""
                 throwIO DecodeHeaderError
             Right (MessageHeader _ cmd len _) -> do
                 when (len > 32 * 2 ^ (20 :: Int)) $ do