diff --git a/syndicate-ssh/new-server.rkt b/syndicate-ssh/new-server.rkt
index 6618422..dd9bf5a 100644
--- a/syndicate-ssh/new-server.rkt
+++ b/syndicate-ssh/new-server.rkt
@@ -73,38 +73,26 @@
            (log-error "Invalid peer identification string ~v" remote-identification)
            (stop-actor-system)])])
 
-      (assert (SshAuthenticationMethodAcceptable (SshAuthMethod-none)))
-      (during (Observe (:pattern (SshAuthenticationAcceptable
-                                  (SshAuthMethod-none)
-                                  (SshAuthRequest-none ,(DLit $username))
-                                  ,_))
-                       _)
-        (assert (SshAuthenticationAcceptable (SshAuthMethod-none)
-                                             (SshAuthRequest-none username)
-                                             (equal? username "guest"))))
+      (define-syntax-rule (auth-method m p x)
+        (begin
+          (assert (SshAuthenticationMethodAcceptable m))
+          (during (Observe (:pattern (SshAuthenticationAcceptable m ,(DLit $r) ,_)) _)
+            (match (parse-SshAuthRequest r)
+              [p (assert (SshAuthenticationAcceptable m r x))]
+              [_ (assert (SshAuthenticationAcceptable m r #f))]))))
 
-      (assert (SshAuthenticationMethodAcceptable (SshAuthMethod-password)))
-      (during (Observe (:pattern (SshAuthenticationAcceptable
-                                  (SshAuthMethod-password)
-                                  (SshAuthRequest-password ,(DLit $username) ,(DLit $password))
-                                  ,_))
-                       _)
-        (assert (SshAuthenticationAcceptable (SshAuthMethod-password)
-                                             (SshAuthRequest-password username password)
-                                             (and (equal? username "user")
-                                                  (equal? password "password")))))
-
-      (assert (SshAuthenticationMethodAcceptable (SshAuthMethod-publickey)))
-      (during (Observe (:pattern (SshAuthenticationAcceptable
-                                  (SshAuthMethod-publickey)
-                                  (SshAuthRequest-publickey ,(DLit $username) ,(DLit $key))
-                                  ,_))
-                       _)
-        (assert (SshAuthenticationAcceptable
-                 (SshAuthMethod-publickey)
-                 (SshAuthRequest-publickey username key)
-                 (and (equal? username "tonyg")
-                      (equal? key (public-key->pieces test-user-public))))))
+      (auth-method (SshAuthMethod-none)
+                   (SshAuthRequest-none username)
+                   (equal? username "guest"))
+      (auth-method (SshAuthMethod-password)
+                   (SshAuthRequest-password username password)
+                   (and (equal? username "user")
+                        (equal? password "password")))
+      (auth-method (SshAuthMethod-publickey)
+                   (SshAuthRequest-publickey username key)
+                   (and (equal? username "tonyg")
+                        (equal? (->preserve key)
+                                (public-key->pieces test-user-public))))
 
       (during (SshAuthenticatedUser $user-name #"ssh-connection")
         (run-repl-instance conn-ds user-name))