diff --git a/src/jvm/backtype/storm/messaging/TaskMessage.java b/src/jvm/backtype/storm/messaging/TaskMessage.java
index 3bc9604ab..d4f08b7c2 100644
--- a/src/jvm/backtype/storm/messaging/TaskMessage.java
+++ b/src/jvm/backtype/storm/messaging/TaskMessage.java
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 package backtype.storm.messaging;
 
+import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
+
 public class TaskMessage {
     private int _task;
     private byte[] _message;
@@ -16,4 +18,20 @@ public int task() {
     public byte[] message() {
         return _message;
     }
+    
+    public byte[] serialize() {
+        ByteBuffer bb = ByteBuffer.allocate(_message.length+2);
+        bb.putShort((short)_task);
+        bb.put(_message);
+        return bb.array();
+    }
+    
+    public void deserialize(byte[] packet) {
+        if (packet==null) return;
+        ByteBuffer bb = ByteBuffer.wrap(packet);
+        _task = bb.getShort();
+        _message = new byte[packet.length-2];
+        bb.get(_message);
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/src/jvm/backtype/storm/messaging/zmq/Connection.java b/src/jvm/backtype/storm/messaging/zmq/Connection.java
index 424ff8cbf..54fa82bf1 100644
--- a/src/jvm/backtype/storm/messaging/zmq/Connection.java
+++ b/src/jvm/backtype/storm/messaging/zmq/Connection.java
@@ -31,29 +31,14 @@ public void close() {
     public TaskMessage recv(int flags) {
         LOG.debug("zmq.Connection:recv()");
         byte[] packet = socket.recv(flags);
-        return parsePacket(packet);
+        TaskMessage message = new TaskMessage(0, null);
+        message.deserialize(packet);
+        return message;
     }
 
     public void send(int taskId, byte[] payload) {
         LOG.debug("zmq.Connection:send()");
-        byte[] packet = mkPacket(new TaskMessage(taskId, payload));
+        byte[] packet = new TaskMessage(taskId, payload).serialize();
         socket.send(packet,  ZMQ.NOBLOCK);
-    }
-    
-    private byte[] mkPacket(TaskMessage message) {
-        byte[] payload = message.message();
-        ByteBuffer bb = ByteBuffer.allocate(payload.length+2);
-        bb.putShort((short)message.task());
-        bb.put(payload);
-        return bb.array();
-    }
-    
-    private TaskMessage parsePacket(byte[] packet) {
-        if (packet==null) return null;
-        ByteBuffer bb = ByteBuffer.wrap(packet);
-        int task = bb.getShort();
-        byte[] payload = new byte[packet.length-2];
-        bb.get(payload);
-        return new TaskMessage(task,payload);
-    }
+    }    
 }