diff --git a/Protocol/src/include/protocol/protocol.hxx b/Protocol/src/include/protocol/protocol.hxx
index 652c189..07fb1ec 100644
--- a/Protocol/src/include/protocol/protocol.hxx
+++ b/Protocol/src/include/protocol/protocol.hxx
@@ -4,20 +4,21 @@
 #include "sodium/crypto_sign.h"
 #include <cstdint>
 #include <string>
+#include <vector>
 namespace Protocol {
 
 struct SignedMessage {
       unsigned char sender_key_fingerprint[crypto_hash_sha256_BYTES];
       std::string plaintext;
       int64_t timestamp;
-      unsigned char sender_key_signature[crypto_sign_BYTES]; // signs fields 1-3
+      unsigned char signature[crypto_sign_BYTES]; // signs fields 1-3
 
       // Fills the fields and signs the plaintext
       SignedMessage(unsigned char sender_pub_key[crypto_sign_PUBLICKEYBYTES],
                     unsigned char sender_priv_key[crypto_sign_SECRETKEYBYTES],
                     std::string plaintext);
 
-      // TODO: bool isMessageTrusted(std::string pub_key);
+      std::vector<uint8_t> serialize();
 };
 
 } // namespace Protocol
diff --git a/Protocol/src/protocol.cxx b/Protocol/src/protocol.cxx
index 2af1f0a..bbaa748 100644
--- a/Protocol/src/protocol.cxx
+++ b/Protocol/src/protocol.cxx
@@ -18,21 +18,25 @@ SignedMessage::SignedMessage(
       crypto_hash_sha256(sender_key_fingerprint, sender_pub_key,
                          crypto_sign_PUBLICKEYBYTES);
 
-      std::vector<uint8_t> toBeSigned;
-      toBeSigned.reserve(sizeof(sender_key_fingerprint) + plaintext.size() +
-                         sizeof(timestamp));
+      auto to_be_signed = serialize();
 
-      toBeSigned.insert(toBeSigned.cend(), sender_key_fingerprint,
-                        sender_key_fingerprint +
-                            sizeof(sender_key_fingerprint));
-      toBeSigned.insert(toBeSigned.cend(), plaintext.data(),
-                        plaintext.data() + plaintext.length());
+      crypto_sign_detached(signature, nullptr, to_be_signed.data(),
+                           to_be_signed.size(), sender_priv_key);
+}
+
+std::vector<uint8_t> SignedMessage::serialize() {
+      std::vector<uint8_t> bytes;
+      bytes.reserve(sizeof(sender_key_fingerprint) + plaintext.size() +
+                    sizeof(timestamp));
+      bytes.insert(bytes.cend(), sender_key_fingerprint,
+                   sender_key_fingerprint + sizeof(sender_key_fingerprint));
+      bytes.insert(bytes.cend(), plaintext.data(),
+                   plaintext.data() + plaintext.length());
       auto timestamp_bytes = reinterpret_cast<const uint8_t *>(&timestamp);
-      toBeSigned.insert(toBeSigned.cend(), timestamp_bytes,
-                        timestamp_bytes + sizeof(timestamp));
+      bytes.insert(bytes.cend(), timestamp_bytes,
+                   timestamp_bytes + sizeof(timestamp));
 
-      crypto_sign_detached(sender_key_signature, nullptr, toBeSigned.data(),
-                           toBeSigned.size(), sender_priv_key);
+      return bytes;
 }
 
 } // namespace Protocol
diff --git a/Protocol/tests/test_protocol.cxx b/Protocol/tests/test_protocol.cxx
index 260a163..8541384 100644
--- a/Protocol/tests/test_protocol.cxx
+++ b/Protocol/tests/test_protocol.cxx
@@ -11,22 +11,11 @@ TEST_CASE("SignedMessage", "[protocol]") {
       crypto_sign_keypair(pub_key, priv_key);
 
       auto msg = Protocol::SignedMessage(pub_key, priv_key, "Hello, world!");
-      std::vector<uint8_t> toBeSigned;
-      toBeSigned.reserve(sizeof(msg.sender_key_fingerprint) +
-                         msg.plaintext.size() + sizeof(msg.timestamp));
-
-      toBeSigned.insert(toBeSigned.cend(), msg.sender_key_fingerprint,
-                        msg.sender_key_fingerprint +
-                            sizeof(msg.sender_key_fingerprint));
-      toBeSigned.insert(toBeSigned.cend(), msg.plaintext.data(),
-                        msg.plaintext.data() + msg.plaintext.length());
-      auto timestamp_bytes = reinterpret_cast<const uint8_t *>(&msg.timestamp);
-      toBeSigned.insert(toBeSigned.cend(), timestamp_bytes,
-                        timestamp_bytes + sizeof(msg.timestamp));
+      auto to_be_signed = msg.serialize();
 
       SECTION("signed message") {
-            REQUIRE(crypto_sign_verify_detached(
-                        msg.sender_key_signature, toBeSigned.data(),
-                        toBeSigned.size(), pub_key) == 0);
+            REQUIRE(
+                crypto_sign_verify_detached(msg.signature, to_be_signed.data(),
+                                            to_be_signed.size(), pub_key) == 0);
       }
 }