diff --git a/src/syndicate/relays.nim b/src/syndicate/relays.nim
index cef4b05..6901de8 100644
--- a/src/syndicate/relays.nim
+++ b/src/syndicate/relays.nim
@@ -5,8 +5,6 @@ import std/[asyncdispatch, options, tables]
 import preserves
 import ./actors, ./durings, ./membranes, ./protocols/[protocol, sturdy]
 
-from ./patterns import grab
-
 when defined(traceSyndicate):
   template trace(args: varargs[untyped]): untyped = stderr.writeLine(args)
 else:
@@ -290,6 +288,7 @@ type
   ConnectProc* = proc (turn: var Turn; ds: Ref) {.gcsafe.}
 
 proc connectUnix*(turn: var Turn; path: string; cap: SturdyRef; bootProc: ConnectProc) =
+  var wireBuf: string
   var socket = newAsyncSocket(
     domain = AF_UNIX,
     sockType = SOCK_STREAM,
@@ -297,11 +296,7 @@ proc connectUnix*(turn: var Turn; path: string; cap: SturdyRef; bootProc: Connec
     buffered = false)
   proc socketWriter(packet: sink Packet): Future[void] =
     socket.send($packet)
-  const recvSize = 1 shl 18
-    # this is an excessive buffer size but the PEG parser
-    # can only read complete documents
-    # TODO: use a binary protocol and improve that
-    # parser to stream data in chunks
+  const recvSize = 0x2000
   var shutdownRef: Ref
   let reenable = turn.facet.preventInertCheck()
   let connectionClosedRef = newRef(turn, ShutdownEntity())
@@ -318,12 +313,17 @@ proc connectUnix*(turn: var Turn; path: string; cap: SturdyRef; bootProc: Connec
           if pktFut.failed:
             run(facet) do (turn: var Turn): stopActor(turn)
           else:
-            let buf = pktFut.read
+            var buf = pktFut.read
             if buf.len == 0:
               run(facet) do (turn: var Turn): stopActor(turn)
             else:
-              var pr = parsePreserves(buf, WireRef)
-              dispatch(relay, cast[Preserve[WireRef]](pr))
+              if wireBuf.len == 0: wireBuf = move buf
+              else: wireBuf.add(buf)
+              try:
+                var pr = parsePreserves(wireBuf, WireRef)
+                dispatch(relay, cast[Preserve[WireRef]](pr))
+                wireBuf.setLen(0)
+              except ValueError: discard
               socket.recv(recvSize).addCallback(recvCb)
                 # TODO: should this need be callSoon?
         socket.recv(recvSize).addCallback(recvCb)
diff --git a/syndicate.nimble b/syndicate.nimble
index e02504f..86b25ad 100644
--- a/syndicate.nimble
+++ b/syndicate.nimble
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Package
 
-version       = "1.3.2"
+version       = "20220829"
 author        = "Emery Hemingway"
 description   = "Syndicated actors for conversational concurrency"
 license       = "Unlicense"
@@ -9,4 +9,4 @@ srcDir        = "src"
 
 # Dependencies
 
-requires "nim >= 1.4.8", "nimSHA2 >= 0.1.1", "preserves > 3.2.0"
+requires "nim >= 1.4.8", "nimSHA2 >= 0.1.1", "preserves >= 20220709"