diff --git a/encode_test.go b/encode_test.go
index 2d709b94..c3380d43 100644
--- a/encode_test.go
+++ b/encode_test.go
@@ -16,13 +16,15 @@ type byter interface {
 }
 
 // go to wire encoding and back
-func checkWire(t *testing.T, in byter, reader interface{}, typ byte) {
+func checkWire(t *testing.T, in byter, reader interface{}, typ byte, size int) {
 	// test to and from binary
 	bin, err := data.ToWire(in)
 	require.Nil(t, err, "%+v", err)
 	assert.Equal(t, typ, bin[0])
 	// make sure this is compatible with current (Bytes()) encoding
 	assert.Equal(t, in.Bytes(), bin)
+	// make sure we have the expected length
+	assert.Equal(t, size, len(bin))
 
 	err = data.FromWire(bin, reader)
 	require.Nil(t, err, "%+v", err)
@@ -67,23 +69,29 @@ func TestKeyEncodings(t *testing.T) {
 		privKey PrivKey
 		keyType byte
 		keyName string
+		// 1 (type byte) + size of byte array
+		privSize, pubSize int
 	}{
 		{
-			privKey: GenPrivKeyEd25519().Wrap(),
-			keyType: TypeEd25519,
-			keyName: NameEd25519,
+			privKey:  GenPrivKeyEd25519().Wrap(),
+			keyType:  TypeEd25519,
+			keyName:  NameEd25519,
+			privSize: 65,
+			pubSize:  33,
 		},
 		{
-			privKey: GenPrivKeySecp256k1().Wrap(),
-			keyType: TypeSecp256k1,
-			keyName: NameSecp256k1,
+			privKey:  GenPrivKeySecp256k1().Wrap(),
+			keyType:  TypeSecp256k1,
+			keyName:  NameSecp256k1,
+			privSize: 33,
+			pubSize:  34,
 		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tc := range cases {
 		// check (de/en)codings of private key
 		var priv2, priv3, priv4 PrivKey
-		checkWire(t, tc.privKey, &priv2, tc.keyType)
+		checkWire(t, tc.privKey, &priv2, tc.keyType, tc.privSize)
 		assert.EqualValues(t, tc.privKey, priv2)
 		checkJSON(t, tc.privKey, &priv3, tc.keyName)
 		assert.EqualValues(t, tc.privKey, priv3)
@@ -93,7 +101,7 @@ func TestKeyEncodings(t *testing.T) {
 		// check (de/en)codings of public key
 		pubKey := tc.privKey.PubKey()
 		var pub2, pub3, pub4 PubKey
-		checkWire(t, pubKey, &pub2, tc.keyType)
+		checkWire(t, pubKey, &pub2, tc.keyType, tc.pubSize)
 		assert.EqualValues(t, pubKey, pub2)
 		checkJSON(t, pubKey, &pub3, tc.keyName)
 		assert.EqualValues(t, pubKey, pub3)
@@ -126,3 +134,50 @@ func TestNilEncodings(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.EqualValues(t, e, f)
 
 }
+
+type SigMessage struct {
+	Key PubKey
+	Sig Signature
+}
+
+func (s SigMessage) Bytes() []byte {
+	return wire.BinaryBytes(s)
+}
+
+func TestEmbededWireEncodings(t *testing.T) {
+	assert := assert.New(t)
+
+	cases := []struct {
+		privKey PrivKey
+		keyType byte
+		keyName string
+		size    int // pub + sig size
+	}{
+		{
+			privKey: GenPrivKeyEd25519().Wrap(),
+			keyType: TypeEd25519,
+			keyName: NameEd25519,
+			size:    2 + 32 + 64,
+		},
+		// {
+		// 	privKey: GenPrivKeySecp256k1().Wrap(),
+		// 	keyType: TypeSecp256k1,
+		// 	keyName: NameSecp256k1,
+		// 	size:    2 + 33 + 72, // ugh, either 72 or 73 depending....
+		// },
+	}
+
+	payload := randBytes(20)
+	for i, tc := range cases {
+		pubKey := tc.privKey.PubKey()
+		sig := tc.privKey.Sign(payload)
+		assert.True(pubKey.VerifyBytes(payload, sig), "%d", i)
+
+		msg := SigMessage{
+			Key: pubKey,
+			Sig: sig,
+		}
+		var msg2 SigMessage
+		checkWire(t, msg, &msg2, tc.keyType, tc.size)
+	}
+}