diff --git a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/cluster/impl/MessageSerializer.java b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/cluster/impl/MessageSerializer.java
index c6ebca9..98e80f7 100644
--- a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/cluster/impl/MessageSerializer.java
+++ b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/cluster/impl/MessageSerializer.java
@@ -21,12 +21,7 @@
 import org.onlab.onos.net.Port;
 import org.onlab.onos.net.PortNumber;
 import org.onlab.onos.net.provider.ProviderId;
-import org.onlab.onos.store.cluster.messaging.ClusterMessage;
-import org.onlab.onos.store.cluster.messaging.EchoMessage;
-import org.onlab.onos.store.cluster.messaging.LeavingMemberMessage;
-import org.onlab.onos.store.cluster.messaging.HelloMessage;
 import org.onlab.onos.store.cluster.messaging.MessageSubject;
-import org.onlab.onos.store.cluster.messaging.NewMemberMessage;
 import org.onlab.onos.store.cluster.messaging.SerializationService;
 import org.onlab.onos.store.serializers.ConnectPointSerializer;
 import org.onlab.onos.store.serializers.DefaultLinkSerializer;
@@ -43,12 +38,9 @@
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 
 import java.net.URI;
-import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 
-import static com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkState;
-
 /**
  * Factory for parsing messages sent between cluster members.
  */
@@ -96,11 +88,7 @@
 
                           Link.Type.class,
 
-                          MessageSubject.class,
-                          HelloMessage.class,
-                          NewMemberMessage.class,
-                          LeavingMemberMessage.class,
-                          EchoMessage.class
+                          MessageSubject.class
                 )
                 .register(IpPrefix.class, new IpPrefixSerializer())
                 .register(URI.class, new URISerializer())
@@ -118,49 +106,12 @@
 
 
     @Override
-    public ClusterMessage decode(ByteBuffer buffer) {
-        try {
-            // Do we have enough bytes to read the header? If not, bail.
-            if (buffer.remaining() < METADATA_LENGTH) {
-                return null;
-            }
-
-            // Peek at the length and if we have enough to read the entire message
-            // go ahead, otherwise bail.
-            int length = buffer.getInt(buffer.position() + LENGTH_OFFSET);
-            if (buffer.remaining() < length) {
-                return null;
-            }
-
-            // At this point, we have enough data to read a complete message.
-            long marker = buffer.getLong();
-            checkState(marker == MARKER, "Incorrect message marker");
-            length = buffer.getInt();
-
-            // TODO: sanity checking for length
-            byte[] data = new byte[length - METADATA_LENGTH];
-            buffer.get(data);
-            return (ClusterMessage) serializerPool.deserialize(data);
-
-        } catch (Exception e) {
-            // TODO: recover from exceptions by forwarding stream to next marker
-            log.warn("Unable to decode message due to: " + e);
-        }
-        return null;
+    public Object decode(byte[] data) {
+        return serializerPool.deserialize(data);
     }
 
     @Override
-    public void encode(ClusterMessage message, ByteBuffer buffer) {
-        try {
-            byte[] data = serializerPool.serialize(message);
-            buffer.putLong(MARKER);
-            buffer.putInt(data.length + METADATA_LENGTH);
-            buffer.put(data);
-
-        } catch (Exception e) {
-            // TODO: recover from exceptions by forwarding stream to next marker
-            log.warn("Unable to encode message due to: " + e);
-        }
+    public byte[] encode(Object payload) {
+        return serializerPool.serialize(payload);
     }
-
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file