diff --git a/rtmp/rtmp.go b/rtmp/rtmp.go
index eb0d5621..2c6300d5 100644
--- a/rtmp/rtmp.go
+++ b/rtmp/rtmp.go
@@ -191,40 +191,38 @@ func connect(s *Session) error {
 
 // connectStream reads a packet and handles it
 func connectStream(s *Session) error {
-	var pkt packet
-
+	var err error
 	for !s.isPlaying && s.isConnected() {
-		err := readPacket(s, &pkt)
+		pkt := packet{}
+		err = readPacket(s, &pkt)
 		if err != nil {
 			break
 		}
-
 		if pkt.bodySize == 0 {
 			continue
 		}
-
 		if pkt.packetType == RTMP_PACKET_TYPE_AUDIO ||
 			pkt.packetType == RTMP_PACKET_TYPE_VIDEO ||
 			pkt.packetType == RTMP_PACKET_TYPE_INFO {
 			s.log(DebugLevel, pkg+"got packet before play; ignoring")
-			pkt.body = nil
 			continue
 		}
 
-		handlePacket(s, &pkt)
-		pkt.body = nil
+		err = handlePacket(s, &pkt)
+		if err != nil {
+			break
+		}
 	}
 
 	if !s.isPlaying {
-		return errConnStream
+		return err
 	}
 	return nil
 }
 
 // handlePacket handles a packet that the client has received.
 // NB: cases have been commented out that are not currently used by AusOcean
-func handlePacket(s *Session, pkt *packet) int32 {
-	var hasMediaPacket int32
+func handlePacket(s *Session, pkt *packet) error {
 	switch pkt.packetType {
 
 	case RTMP_PACKET_TYPE_CHUNK_SIZE:
@@ -266,7 +264,7 @@ func handlePacket(s *Session, pkt *packet) int32 {
 		if err != nil {
 			// This will never happen with the methods we implement.
 			s.log(WarnLevel, pkg+"unexpected error from handleInvoke", "error", err.Error())
-			hasMediaPacket = 2
+			return err
 		}
 
 	case RTMP_PACKET_TYPE_FLASH_VIDEO:
@@ -275,7 +273,7 @@ func handlePacket(s *Session, pkt *packet) int32 {
 	default:
 		s.log(WarnLevel, pkg+"unknown packet type", "type", pkt.packetType)
 	}
-	return hasMediaPacket
+	return nil
 }
 
 func readN(s *Session, buf []byte) error {
@@ -286,7 +284,6 @@ func readN(s *Session, buf []byte) error {
 	n, err := io.ReadFull(s.link.conn, buf)
 	if err != nil {
 		s.log(DebugLevel, pkg+"read failed", "error", err.Error())
-		s.close()
 		return err
 	}
 	s.nBytesIn += int32(n)
@@ -308,7 +305,6 @@ func writeN(s *Session, buf []byte) error {
 	_, err = s.link.conn.Write(buf)
 	if err != nil {
 		s.log(WarnLevel, pkg+"write failed", "error", err.Error())
-		s.close()
 		return err
 	}
 	return nil
@@ -404,12 +400,10 @@ func sendConnectPacket(s *Session) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if copy(enc, []byte{0, 0, AMF_OBJECT_END}) != 3 {
-		return errCopying // TODO: is this even possible?
-	}
+	copy(enc, []byte{0, 0, AMF_OBJECT_END})
 	enc = enc[3:]
 
-	/* add auth string */
+	// add auth string
 	if s.link.auth != "" {
 		enc = C_AMF_EncodeBoolean(enc, s.link.lFlags&RTMP_LF_AUTH != 0)
 		if enc == nil {
@@ -430,7 +424,7 @@ func sendConnectPacket(s *Session) error {
 
 	pkt.bodySize = uint32((len(pbuf) - RTMP_MAX_HEADER_SIZE) - len(enc))
 
-	return sendPacket(s, &pkt, true)
+	return sendPacket(s, &pkt, true) // response expected
 }
 
 func sendCreateStream(s *Session) error {
@@ -458,7 +452,7 @@ func sendCreateStream(s *Session) error {
 
 	pkt.bodySize = uint32((len(pbuf) - RTMP_MAX_HEADER_SIZE) - len(enc))
 
-	return sendPacket(s, &pkt, true)
+	return sendPacket(s, &pkt, true) // response expected
 }
 
 func sendReleaseStream(s *Session) error {
@@ -589,7 +583,7 @@ func sendPublish(s *Session) error {
 
 	pkt.bodySize = uint32((len(pbuf) - RTMP_MAX_HEADER_SIZE) - len(enc))
 
-	return sendPacket(s, &pkt, true)
+	return sendPacket(s, &pkt, true) // response expected
 }
 
 func sendDeleteStream(s *Session, dStreamId float64) error {
@@ -779,6 +773,7 @@ func handleInvoke(s *Session, body []byte) error {
 			s.log(FatalLevel, pkg+"unsupported method av_NetStream_Play_Start/av_NetStream_Play_PublishNotify")
 
 		case av_NetStream_Publish_Start:
+			s.log(DebugLevel, pkg+"playing")
 			s.isPlaying = true
 			for i, m := range s.methodCalls {
 				if m.name == av_publish {
@@ -786,6 +781,7 @@ func handleInvoke(s *Session, body []byte) error {
 					break
 				}
 			}
+			// ToDo: handle case when av_publish method not found
 
 		case av_NetStream_Play_Complete, av_NetStream_Play_Stop, av_NetStream_Play_UnpublishNotify:
 			s.log(FatalLevel, pkg+"unsupported method av_NetStream_Play_Complete/av_NetStream_Play_Stop/av_NetStream_Play_UnpublishNotify")
@@ -825,14 +821,15 @@ func handshake(s *Session) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	s.log(DebugLevel, pkg+"handshake sent")
 
 	var typ [1]byte
 	err = readN(s, typ[:])
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	s.log(DebugLevel, pkg+"handshake received")
 
-	s.log(DebugLevel, pkg+"handshake", "received", typ[0])
 	if typ[0] != clientbuf[0] {
 		s.log(WarnLevel, pkg+"handshake type mismatch", "sent", clientbuf[0], "received", typ)
 	}