diff --git a/core/store/primitives/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/primitives/impl/CopycatTransportConnection.java b/core/store/primitives/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/primitives/impl/CopycatTransportConnection.java
index f2752cd..9d7edd0 100644
--- a/core/store/primitives/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/primitives/impl/CopycatTransportConnection.java
+++ b/core/store/primitives/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/primitives/impl/CopycatTransportConnection.java
@@ -15,24 +15,23 @@
  */
 package org.onosproject.store.primitives.impl;
 
-import com.google.common.base.MoreObjects;
 import com.google.common.base.Throwables;
-import com.google.common.collect.Maps;
 import io.atomix.catalyst.concurrent.Listener;
 import io.atomix.catalyst.concurrent.Listeners;
 import io.atomix.catalyst.concurrent.ThreadContext;
 import io.atomix.catalyst.serializer.SerializationException;
-import io.atomix.catalyst.transport.Address;
 import io.atomix.catalyst.transport.Connection;
 import io.atomix.catalyst.transport.MessageHandler;
 import io.atomix.catalyst.transport.TransportException;
-import io.atomix.catalyst.util.Assert;
 import io.atomix.catalyst.util.reference.ReferenceCounted;
 import org.apache.commons.io.IOUtils;
 import org.onlab.util.Tools;
 import org.onosproject.cluster.PartitionId;
+import org.onosproject.store.cluster.messaging.Endpoint;
 import org.onosproject.store.cluster.messaging.MessagingException;
 import org.onosproject.store.cluster.messaging.MessagingService;
+import org.slf4j.Logger;
+import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 
 import java.io.ByteArrayInputStream;
 import java.io.ByteArrayOutputStream;
@@ -40,79 +39,64 @@
 import java.io.DataOutputStream;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.io.InputStream;
+import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
 import java.util.Map;
-import java.util.Objects;
 import java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture;
+import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap;
 import java.util.function.Consumer;
 
 import static com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkNotNull;
+import static org.onosproject.store.primitives.impl.CopycatTransport.CLOSE;
+import static org.onosproject.store.primitives.impl.CopycatTransport.FAILURE;
+import static org.onosproject.store.primitives.impl.CopycatTransport.MESSAGE;
+import static org.onosproject.store.primitives.impl.CopycatTransport.SUCCESS;
 
 /**
- * {@link Connection} implementation for CopycatTransport.
+ * Base Copycat Transport connection.
  */
 public class CopycatTransportConnection implements Connection {
-
+    private final Logger log = LoggerFactory.getLogger(getClass());
+    private final long connectionId;
+    private final String localSubject;
+    private final String remoteSubject;
+    private final PartitionId partitionId;
+    private final Endpoint endpoint;
+    private final MessagingService messagingService;
+    private final ThreadContext context;
+    private final Map<Class, InternalHandler> handlers = new ConcurrentHashMap<>();
     private final Listeners<Throwable> exceptionListeners = new Listeners<>();
     private final Listeners<Connection> closeListeners = new Listeners<>();
 
-    static final byte SUCCESS = 0x03;
-    static final byte FAILURE = 0x04;
-
-    private final long connectionId;
-    private final CopycatTransport.Mode mode;
-    private final Address remoteAddress;
-    private final MessagingService messagingService;
-    private final String outboundMessageSubject;
-    private final String inboundMessageSubject;
-    private final ThreadContext context;
-    private final Map<Class<?>, InternalHandler> handlers = Maps.newConcurrentMap();
-
-    CopycatTransportConnection(long connectionId,
-            CopycatTransport.Mode mode,
+    CopycatTransportConnection(
+            long connectionId,
+            Mode mode,
             PartitionId partitionId,
-            Address address,
+            Endpoint endpoint,
             MessagingService messagingService,
             ThreadContext context) {
         this.connectionId = connectionId;
-        this.mode = checkNotNull(mode);
-        this.remoteAddress = checkNotNull(address);
-        this.messagingService = checkNotNull(messagingService);
-        if (mode == CopycatTransport.Mode.CLIENT) {
-            this.outboundMessageSubject = String.format("onos-copycat-%s", partitionId);
-            this.inboundMessageSubject = String.format("onos-copycat-%s-%d", partitionId, connectionId);
-        } else {
-            this.outboundMessageSubject = String.format("onos-copycat-%s-%d", partitionId, connectionId);
-            this.inboundMessageSubject = String.format("onos-copycat-%s", partitionId);
-        }
-        this.context = checkNotNull(context);
-    }
-
-    public void setBidirectional() {
-        messagingService.registerHandler(inboundMessageSubject, (sender, payload) -> {
-            try (DataInputStream input = new DataInputStream(new ByteArrayInputStream(payload))) {
-                if (input.readLong() !=  connectionId) {
-                    throw new IllegalStateException("Invalid connection Id");
-                }
-                return handle(IOUtils.toByteArray(input));
-            } catch (IOException e) {
-                Throwables.propagate(e);
-                return null;
-            }
-        });
+        this.partitionId = checkNotNull(partitionId, "partitionId cannot be null");
+        this.localSubject = mode.getLocalSubject(partitionId, connectionId);
+        this.remoteSubject = mode.getRemoteSubject(partitionId, connectionId);
+        this.endpoint = checkNotNull(endpoint, "endpoint cannot be null");
+        this.messagingService = checkNotNull(messagingService, "messagingService cannot be null");
+        this.context = checkNotNull(context, "context cannot be null");
+        messagingService.registerHandler(localSubject, this::handle);
     }
 
     @Override
     public <T, U> CompletableFuture<U> send(T message) {
         ThreadContext context = ThreadContext.currentContextOrThrow();
-        CompletableFuture<U> result = new CompletableFuture<>();
+        CompletableFuture<U> future = new CompletableFuture<>();
         try (ByteArrayOutputStream baos = new ByteArrayOutputStream()) {
-            new DataOutputStream(baos).writeLong(connectionId);
+            DataOutputStream dos = new DataOutputStream(baos);
+            dos.writeByte(MESSAGE);
             context.serializer().writeObject(message, baos);
             if (message instanceof ReferenceCounted) {
                 ((ReferenceCounted<?>) message).release();
             }
-            messagingService.sendAndReceive(CopycatTransport.toEndpoint(remoteAddress),
-                                            outboundMessageSubject,
+            messagingService.sendAndReceive(endpoint,
+                                            remoteSubject,
                                             baos.toByteArray(),
                                             context.executor())
                     .whenComplete((r, e) -> {
@@ -123,20 +107,23 @@
                                 wrappedError = new TransportException(e);
                             }
                         }
-                        handleResponse(r, wrappedError, result, context);
+                        handleResponse(r, wrappedError, future);
                     });
         } catch (SerializationException | IOException e) {
-            result.completeExceptionally(e);
+            future.completeExceptionally(e);
         }
-        return result;
+        return future;
     }
 
-    private <T> void handleResponse(byte[] response,
-                                    Throwable error,
-                                    CompletableFuture<T> future,
-                                    ThreadContext context) {
+    /**
+     * Handles a response received from the other side of the connection.
+     */
+    private <T> void handleResponse(
+            byte[] response,
+            Throwable error,
+            CompletableFuture<T> future) {
         if (error != null) {
-            context.execute(() -> future.completeExceptionally(error));
+            future.completeExceptionally(error);
             return;
         }
         checkNotNull(response);
@@ -145,36 +132,54 @@
             byte status = (byte) input.read();
             if (status == FAILURE) {
                 Throwable t = context.serializer().readObject(input);
-                context.execute(() -> future.completeExceptionally(t));
+                future.completeExceptionally(t);
             } else {
-                context.execute(() -> {
-                    try {
-                        future.complete(context.serializer().readObject(input));
-                    } catch (SerializationException e) {
-                        future.completeExceptionally(e);
-                    }
-                });
+                try {
+                    future.complete(context.serializer().readObject(input));
+                } catch (SerializationException e) {
+                    future.completeExceptionally(e);
+                }
             }
         } catch (IOException e) {
-            context.execute(() -> future.completeExceptionally(e));
+            future.completeExceptionally(e);
         }
     }
 
-    @Override
-    public <T, U> Connection handler(Class<T> type, MessageHandler<T, U> handler) {
-        Assert.notNull(type, "type");
-        handlers.put(type, new InternalHandler(handler, ThreadContext.currentContextOrThrow()));
-        return null;
+    /**
+     * Handles a message sent to the connection.
+     */
+    private CompletableFuture<byte[]> handle(Endpoint sender, byte[] payload) {
+        try (DataInputStream input = new DataInputStream(new ByteArrayInputStream(payload))) {
+            byte type = input.readByte();
+            switch (type) {
+                case MESSAGE:
+                    return handleMessage(IOUtils.toByteArray(input));
+                case CLOSE:
+                    return handleClose();
+                default:
+                    throw new IllegalStateException("Invalid message type");
+            }
+        } catch (IOException e) {
+            Throwables.propagate(e);
+            return null;
+        }
     }
 
-   public CompletableFuture<byte[]> handle(byte[] message) {
+    /**
+     * Handles a message from the other side of the connection.
+     */
+    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+    private CompletableFuture<byte[]> handleMessage(byte[] message) {
         try {
             Object request = context.serializer().readObject(new ByteArrayInputStream(message));
             InternalHandler handler = handlers.get(request.getClass());
             if (handler == null) {
+                log.warn("No handler registered on connection {}-{} for type {}",
+                         partitionId, connectionId, request.getClass());
                 return Tools.exceptionalFuture(new IllegalStateException(
                         "No handler registered for " + request.getClass()));
             }
+
             return handler.handle(request).handle((result, error) -> {
                 try (ByteArrayOutputStream baos = new ByteArrayOutputStream()) {
                     baos.write(error != null ? FAILURE : SUCCESS);
@@ -190,67 +195,159 @@
         }
     }
 
-    @Override
-    public Listener<Throwable> exceptionListener(Consumer<Throwable> listener) {
-        return exceptionListeners.add(listener);
+    /**
+     * Handles a close request from the other side of the connection.
+     */
+    private CompletableFuture<byte[]> handleClose() {
+        CompletableFuture<byte[]> future = new CompletableFuture<>();
+        context.executor().execute(() -> {
+            cleanup();
+            ByteBuffer responseBuffer = ByteBuffer.allocate(1);
+            responseBuffer.put(SUCCESS);
+            future.complete(responseBuffer.array());
+        });
+        return future;
     }
 
     @Override
-    public Listener<Connection> closeListener(Consumer<Connection> listener) {
-        return closeListeners.add(listener);
+    public <T, U> Connection handler(Class<T> type, MessageHandler<T, U> handler) {
+        if (log.isTraceEnabled()) {
+            log.trace("Registered handler on connection {}-{}: {}", partitionId, connectionId, type);
+        }
+        handlers.put(type, new InternalHandler(handler, ThreadContext.currentContextOrThrow()));
+        return this;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public Listener<Throwable> exceptionListener(Consumer<Throwable> consumer) {
+        return exceptionListeners.add(consumer);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public Listener<Connection> closeListener(Consumer<Connection> consumer) {
+        return closeListeners.add(consumer);
     }
 
     @Override
     public CompletableFuture<Void> close() {
-        closeListeners.forEach(listener -> listener.accept(this));
-        if (mode == CopycatTransport.Mode.CLIENT) {
-            messagingService.unregisterHandler(inboundMessageSubject);
-        }
-        return CompletableFuture.completedFuture(null);
+        log.debug("Closing connection {}-{}", partitionId, connectionId);
+
+        ByteBuffer requestBuffer = ByteBuffer.allocate(1);
+        requestBuffer.put(CLOSE);
+
+        ThreadContext context = ThreadContext.currentContextOrThrow();
+        CompletableFuture<Void> future = new CompletableFuture<>();
+        messagingService.sendAndReceive(endpoint, remoteSubject, requestBuffer.array(), context.executor())
+                .whenComplete((payload, error) -> {
+                    cleanup();
+                    Throwable wrappedError = error;
+                    if (error != null) {
+                        Throwable rootCause = Throwables.getRootCause(error);
+                        if (MessagingException.class.isAssignableFrom(rootCause.getClass())) {
+                            wrappedError = new TransportException(error);
+                        }
+                        future.completeExceptionally(wrappedError);
+                    } else {
+                        ByteBuffer responseBuffer = ByteBuffer.wrap(payload);
+                        if (responseBuffer.get() == SUCCESS) {
+                            future.complete(null);
+                        } else {
+                            future.completeExceptionally(new TransportException("Failed to close connection"));
+                        }
+                    }
+                });
+        return future;
     }
 
-    @Override
-    public int hashCode() {
-        return Objects.hash(connectionId);
+    /**
+     * Cleans up the connection, unregistering handlers registered on the MessagingService.
+     */
+    private void cleanup() {
+        log.debug("Connection {}-{} closed", partitionId, connectionId);
+        messagingService.unregisterHandler(localSubject);
+        closeListeners.accept(this);
     }
 
-    @Override
-    public boolean equals(Object other) {
-        if (!(other instanceof CopycatTransportConnection)) {
-            return false;
-        }
-        return connectionId == ((CopycatTransportConnection) other).connectionId;
+    /**
+     * Connection mode used to indicate whether this side of the connection is
+     * a client or server.
+     */
+    enum Mode {
+
+        /**
+         * Represents the client side of a bi-directional connection.
+         */
+        CLIENT {
+            @Override
+            String getLocalSubject(PartitionId partitionId, long connectionId) {
+                return String.format("onos-copycat-%s-%d-client", partitionId, connectionId);
+            }
+
+            @Override
+            String getRemoteSubject(PartitionId partitionId, long connectionId) {
+                return String.format("onos-copycat-%s-%d-server", partitionId, connectionId);
+            }
+        },
+
+        /**
+         * Represents the server side of a bi-directional connection.
+         */
+        SERVER {
+            @Override
+            String getLocalSubject(PartitionId partitionId, long connectionId) {
+                return String.format("onos-copycat-%s-%d-server", partitionId, connectionId);
+            }
+
+            @Override
+            String getRemoteSubject(PartitionId partitionId, long connectionId) {
+                return String.format("onos-copycat-%s-%d-client", partitionId, connectionId);
+            }
+        };
+
+        /**
+         * Returns the local messaging service subject for the connection in this mode.
+         * Subjects generated by the connection mode are guaranteed to be globally unique.
+         *
+         * @param partitionId the partition ID to which the connection belongs.
+         * @param connectionId the connection ID.
+         * @return the globally unique local subject for the connection.
+         */
+        abstract String getLocalSubject(PartitionId partitionId, long connectionId);
+
+        /**
+         * Returns the remote messaging service subject for the connection in this mode.
+         * Subjects generated by the connection mode are guaranteed to be globally unique.
+         *
+         * @param partitionId the partition ID to which the connection belongs.
+         * @param connectionId the connection ID.
+         * @return the globally unique remote subject for the connection.
+         */
+        abstract String getRemoteSubject(PartitionId partitionId, long connectionId);
     }
 
-    @Override
-    public String toString() {
-        return MoreObjects.toStringHelper(getClass())
-                .add("id", connectionId)
-                .toString();
-    }
-
-    @SuppressWarnings("rawtypes")
-    private final class InternalHandler {
-
+    /**
+     * Internal container for a handler/context pair.
+     */
+    private static class InternalHandler {
         private final MessageHandler handler;
         private final ThreadContext context;
 
-        private InternalHandler(MessageHandler handler, ThreadContext context) {
+        InternalHandler(MessageHandler handler, ThreadContext context) {
             this.handler = handler;
             this.context = context;
         }
 
         @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
-        public CompletableFuture<Object> handle(Object message) {
-            CompletableFuture<Object> answer = new CompletableFuture<>();
+        CompletableFuture<Object> handle(Object message) {
+            CompletableFuture<Object> future = new CompletableFuture<>();
             context.execute(() -> handler.handle(message).whenComplete((r, e) -> {
                 if (e != null) {
-                    answer.completeExceptionally((Throwable) e);
+                    future.completeExceptionally((Throwable) e);
                 } else {
-                    answer.complete(r);
+                    future.complete(r);
                 }
             }));
-            return answer;
+            return future;
         }
     }
 }