diff --git a/arangod/GeneralServer/GeneralListenTask.cpp b/arangod/GeneralServer/GeneralListenTask.cpp
index e49530e2a6..45c58b27d1 100644
--- a/arangod/GeneralServer/GeneralListenTask.cpp
+++ b/arangod/GeneralServer/GeneralListenTask.cpp
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 
 #include "GeneralServer/GeneralServer.h"
 #include "GeneralServer/GeneralServerFeature.h"
+#include "GeneralServer/VppCommTask.h"
 #include "Scheduler/Scheduler.h"
 #include "Scheduler/SchedulerFeature.h"
 #include "Ssl/SslServerFeature.h"
@@ -64,11 +65,11 @@ bool GeneralListenTask::handleConnected(TRI_socket_t socket,
   switch (_connectionType) {
     case ConnectionType::VPPS:
       commTask =
-          new HttpCommTask(_server, socket, std::move(info), _keepAliveTimeout);
+          new VppCommTask(_server, socket, std::move(info), _keepAliveTimeout);
       break;
     case ConnectionType::VPP:
       commTask =
-          new HttpCommTask(_server, socket, std::move(info), _keepAliveTimeout);
+          new VppCommTask(_server, socket, std::move(info), _keepAliveTimeout);
       break;
     case ConnectionType::HTTPS:
       commTask = new HttpsCommTask(_server, socket, std::move(info),
diff --git a/arangod/GeneralServer/VppCommTask.cpp b/arangod/GeneralServer/VppCommTask.cpp
index 07bf2131fe..296617aeeb 100644
--- a/arangod/GeneralServer/VppCommTask.cpp
+++ b/arangod/GeneralServer/VppCommTask.cpp
@@ -118,9 +118,17 @@ std::unique_ptr<basics::StringBuffer> createChunkForNetworkMultiFollow(
 }
 }
 
+VppCommTask::VppCommTask(GeneralServer* server, TRI_socket_t sock,
+                         ConnectionInfo&& info, double timeout)
+    : Task("VppCommTask"),
+      GeneralCommTask(server, sock, std::move(info), timeout) {
+  _protocol = "vpp";
+  // connectionStatisticsAgentSetVpp();
+}
+
 void VppCommTask::addResponse(VppResponse* response, bool isError) {
   if (isError) {
-    // FIXME
+    // FIXME (obi)
     // what do we need to do?
     // clean read buffer? reset process read cursor
   }
@@ -130,16 +138,17 @@ void VppCommTask::addResponse(VppResponse* response, bool isError) {
 
   std::vector<VPackSlice> slices;
   slices.push_back(response_message._header);
+
   // if payload != Slice()
   slices.push_back(response_message._payload);
 
   uint32_t message_length = 0;
 
   for (auto const& slice : slices) {
-    message_length = slice.byteSize();
+    message_length += slice.byteSize();
   }
 
-  // FIXME
+  // FIXME (obi)
   // If the message is big we will create many small chunks in a loop.
   // For the first tests we just send single Messages
   StringBuffer tmp(TRI_UNKNOWN_MEM_ZONE, message_length, false);
@@ -177,7 +186,7 @@ VppCommTask::ChunkHeader VppCommTask::readChunkHeader() {
   cursor += sizeof(header._messageID);
 
   // extract total len of message
-  if (header._isFirst && header._chunk == 1) {
+  if (header._isFirst && header._chunk > 1) {
     std::memcpy(&header._messageLength, cursor, sizeof(header._messageLength));
     cursor += sizeof(header._messageLength);
   } else {
@@ -233,13 +242,15 @@ bool VppCommTask::processRead() {
   // CASE 1: message is in one chunk
   if (chunkHeader._isFirst && chunkHeader._chunk == 1) {
     std::size_t payloadOffset = findAndValidateVPacks(vpackBegin, chunkEnd);
-    VPackMessage message;
     message._id = chunkHeader._messageID;
     message._buffer.append(vpackBegin, std::distance(vpackBegin, chunkEnd));
     message._header = VPackSlice(message._buffer.data());
     if (payloadOffset) {
       message._payload = VPackSlice(message._buffer.data() + payloadOffset);
     }
+    VPackValidator val;
+    val.validate(message._header.begin(), message._header.byteSize());
+
     do_execute = true;
   }
   // CASE 2:  message is in multiple chunks
@@ -308,6 +319,7 @@ bool VppCommTask::processRead() {
 
   // for now we can handle only one request at a time
   // lock _request???? REVIEW (fc)
+  LOG(ERR) << message._header.toJson();
   _request = new VppRequest(_connectionInfo, std::move(message));
   GeneralServerFeature::HANDLER_FACTORY->setRequestContext(_request);
   _request->setClientTaskId(_taskId);
diff --git a/arangod/GeneralServer/VppCommTask.h b/arangod/GeneralServer/VppCommTask.h
index 2152a45fb6..dc71a075b7 100644
--- a/arangod/GeneralServer/VppCommTask.h
+++ b/arangod/GeneralServer/VppCommTask.h
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ class VppCommTask : public GeneralCommTask {
 
  protected:
   void completedWriteBuffer() override final;
+  virtual void handleChunk(char const*, size_t) {}
 
  private:
   // resets the internal state this method can be called to clean up when the
diff --git a/lib/Endpoint/Endpoint.cpp b/lib/Endpoint/Endpoint.cpp
index 6ffa06e1b0..c675ed4ade 100644
--- a/lib/Endpoint/Endpoint.cpp
+++ b/lib/Endpoint/Endpoint.cpp
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ Endpoint::Endpoint(DomainType domainType, EndpointType type,
   TRI_invalidatesocket(&_socket);
 }
 
-std::string Endpoint::uriForm (std::string const& endpoint) {
+std::string Endpoint::uriForm(std::string const& endpoint) {
   static std::string illegal;
 
   if (StringUtils::isPrefix(endpoint, "http+tcp://")) {
@@ -86,7 +86,8 @@ std::string Endpoint::unifiedForm(std::string const& specification) {
   }
 
   // read protocol from string
-  if (StringUtils::isPrefix(copy, "http+") || StringUtils::isPrefix(copy, "http@")) {
+  if (StringUtils::isPrefix(copy, "http+") ||
+      StringUtils::isPrefix(copy, "http@")) {
     protocol = TransportType::HTTP;
     prefix = "http+";
     copy = copy.substr(5);
@@ -94,7 +95,7 @@ std::string Endpoint::unifiedForm(std::string const& specification) {
 
   if (StringUtils::isPrefix(copy, "vpp+")) {
     protocol = TransportType::VPP;
-    prefix = "vsp+";
+    prefix = "vpp+";
     copy = copy.substr(4);
   }
 
@@ -159,10 +160,10 @@ std::string Endpoint::unifiedForm(std::string const& specification) {
   // hostname only
 
   if (protocol == TransportType::HTTP) {
-    return prefix + copy + ":" + StringUtils::itoa(EndpointIp::_defaultPortHttp);
-  } else {
     return prefix + copy + ":" +
-           StringUtils::itoa(EndpointIp::_defaultPortVpp);
+           StringUtils::itoa(EndpointIp::_defaultPortHttp);
+  } else {
+    return prefix + copy + ":" + StringUtils::itoa(EndpointIp::_defaultPortVpp);
   }
 }
 
@@ -323,11 +324,12 @@ std::string const Endpoint::defaultEndpoint(TransportType type) {
              StringUtils::itoa(EndpointIp::_defaultPortVpp);
 
     default: {
-      THROW_ARANGO_EXCEPTION_MESSAGE(TRI_ERROR_INTERNAL, "invalid transport type");
+      THROW_ARANGO_EXCEPTION_MESSAGE(TRI_ERROR_INTERNAL,
+                                     "invalid transport type");
     }
   }
 
-  return ""; // silence GCC
+  return "";  // silence GCC
 }
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -379,7 +381,8 @@ bool Endpoint::setSocketFlags(TRI_socket_t s) {
   return true;
 }
 
-std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& stream, arangodb::Endpoint::TransportType type) {
+std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& stream,
+                         arangodb::Endpoint::TransportType type) {
   switch (type) {
     case arangodb::Endpoint::TransportType::HTTP:
       stream << "http";
@@ -391,7 +394,8 @@ std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& stream, arangodb::Endpoint::TransportType
   return stream;
 }
 
-std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& stream, arangodb::Endpoint::EndpointType type) {
+std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& stream,
+                         arangodb::Endpoint::EndpointType type) {
   switch (type) {
     case arangodb::Endpoint::EndpointType::SERVER:
       stream << "server";
@@ -403,7 +407,8 @@ std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& stream, arangodb::Endpoint::EndpointType
   return stream;
 }
 
-std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& stream, arangodb::Endpoint::EncryptionType type) {
+std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& stream,
+                         arangodb::Endpoint::EncryptionType type) {
   switch (type) {
     case arangodb::Endpoint::EncryptionType::NONE:
       stream << "none";
@@ -415,7 +420,8 @@ std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& stream, arangodb::Endpoint::EncryptionTyp
   return stream;
 }
 
-std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& stream, arangodb::Endpoint::DomainType type) {
+std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& stream,
+                         arangodb::Endpoint::DomainType type) {
   switch (type) {
     case arangodb::Endpoint::DomainType::UNIX:
       stream << "unix";
diff --git a/lib/Rest/GeneralRequest.h b/lib/Rest/GeneralRequest.h
index 97b9624275..46542d2aa6 100644
--- a/lib/Rest/GeneralRequest.h
+++ b/lib/Rest/GeneralRequest.h
@@ -63,11 +63,11 @@ class GeneralRequest {
   enum class RequestType {
     DELETE_REQ = 0,  // windows redefines DELETE
     GET,
-    HEAD,
-    OPTIONS,
     POST,
     PUT,
+    HEAD,
     PATCH,
+    OPTIONS,
     VSTREAM_CRED,
     VSTREAM_REGISTER,
     VSTREAM_STATUS,
diff --git a/lib/Rest/GeneralResponse.h b/lib/Rest/GeneralResponse.h
index 56f1b0de45..470cbba647 100644
--- a/lib/Rest/GeneralResponse.h
+++ b/lib/Rest/GeneralResponse.h
@@ -182,6 +182,19 @@ class GeneralResponse {
                           arangodb::velocypack::Options const& = arangodb::
                               velocypack::Options::Defaults) = 0;
 
+  virtual void addPayload(VPackSlice const& slice) {
+    _vpackPayloads.emplace_back(slice.byteSize());
+    std::memcpy(&_vpackPayloads.back(), slice.start(), slice.byteSize());
+  };
+
+  virtual void addPayload(VPackBuffer<uint8_t>&& buffer) {
+    _vpackPayloads.push_back(std::move(buffer));
+  };
+
+  virtual void addHeaderInformation(std::string s /* any or variant */){
+
+  };
+
   // virtual void setPayload(ContentType contentType,
   //                        VPackBuffer<uint8_t>&& sliceBuffer,
   //                        bool generateBody = true,
@@ -192,6 +205,8 @@ class GeneralResponse {
   ResponseCode _responseCode;  // http response code
   std::unordered_map<std::string, std::string>
       _headers;  // headers/metadata map
+
+  std::vector<VPackBuffer<uint8_t>> _vpackPayloads;
 };
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/Rest/VppMessage.h b/lib/Rest/VppMessage.h
index 630efaf02d..46e22f52f4 100644
--- a/lib/Rest/VppMessage.h
+++ b/lib/Rest/VppMessage.h
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ struct VPackMessage {
   VPackMessage(VPackBuffer<uint8_t>&& buff, VPackSlice head, VPackSlice pay,
                uint64_t id)
       : _buffer(std::move(buff)), _header(head), _payload(pay), _id(id) {}
-  VPackMessage(VPackMessage&&) = default;  // not necessary just to make sure!
+  VPackMessage(VPackMessage&& other) = default;
 
   VPackBuffer<uint8_t> _buffer;
   VPackSlice _header;
diff --git a/lib/Rest/VppRequest.cpp b/lib/Rest/VppRequest.cpp
index 96af2ef558..25a60e12a6 100644
--- a/lib/Rest/VppRequest.cpp
+++ b/lib/Rest/VppRequest.cpp
@@ -31,12 +31,17 @@
 #include <velocypack/Validator.h>
 #include <velocypack/velocypack-aliases.h>
 
-#include "Basics/conversions.h"
 #include "Basics/StaticStrings.h"
+#include "Basics/StringRef.h"
 #include "Basics/StringUtils.h"
+#include "Basics/conversions.h"
 #include "Basics/tri-strings.h"
+#include "Meta/conversion.h"
 #include "Logger/Logger.h"
 
+// TODO (obi)
+// - REMOVE TRI_ASSERT
+
 using namespace arangodb;
 using namespace arangodb::basics;
 
@@ -60,16 +65,15 @@ VppRequest::VppRequest(ConnectionInfo const& connectionInfo,
     : GeneralRequest(connectionInfo),
       _message(std::move(message)),
       _headers(nullptr) {
-  if (message._payload != VPackSlice::noneSlice()) {
-    _contentType = ContentType::VPACK;
-    _contentTypeResponse = ContentType::VPACK;
-    _protocol = "vpp";
-    parseHeaderInformation();
-  }
+  _protocol = "vpp";
+  _contentType = ContentType::VPACK;
+  _contentTypeResponse = ContentType::VPACK;
+  parseHeaderInformation();
+  _user = "root";
 }
 
 VPackSlice VppRequest::payload(VPackOptions const* options) {
-  // TODO - handle options??
+  // TODO (obi)- handle options??
   return _message._payload;
 }
 
@@ -78,8 +82,12 @@ std::unordered_map<std::string, std::string> const& VppRequest::headers()
   if (!_headers) {
     using namespace std;
     _headers = make_unique<unordered_map<string, string>>();
+    LOG(ERR) << _message._header.toJson();
     TRI_ASSERT(_message._header.isObject());
-    for (auto const& it : VPackObjectIterator(_message._header)) {
+    VPackSlice meta = _message._header.get("meta");
+    // TRI_ASSERT(meta.isObject());
+    for (auto const& it : VPackObjectIterator(meta)) {
+      TRI_ASSERT(it.key.isString());
       _headers->emplace(it.key.copyString(), it.value.copyString());
     }
   }
@@ -99,7 +107,13 @@ std::string const& VppRequest::header(std::string const& key) const {
 
 void VppRequest::parseHeaderInformation() {
   using namespace std;
-  TRI_ASSERT(_message._header.isObject());
+  auto& vHeader = _message._header;
+
+  TRI_ASSERT(vHeader.isObject());
+  _databaseName = vHeader.get("database").copyString();
+  _requestPath = vHeader.get("request").copyString();
+  _type = meta::toEnum<RequestType>(vHeader.get("requestType").getInt());
+
   VPackSlice params = _message._header.get("parameter");
   TRI_ASSERT(params.isObject());
   for (auto const& it : VPackObjectIterator(params)) {
diff --git a/lib/Rest/VppResponse.cpp b/lib/Rest/VppResponse.cpp
index 72bdf24526..ed9ff80c1a 100644
--- a/lib/Rest/VppResponse.cpp
+++ b/lib/Rest/VppResponse.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 /// DISCLAIMER
 ///
 /// Copyright 2014-2016 ArangoDB GmbH, Cologne, Germany
@@ -61,6 +61,12 @@ void VppResponse::setPayload(ContentType contentType,
                              arangodb::velocypack::Slice const& slice,
                              bool generateBody, VPackOptions const& options) {
   if (generateBody) {
+    // addPayload(slice);
+    if (_payload.empty()) {
+      throw std::logic_error("payload should be empty!!");
+    }
+    _payload.append(slice.startAs<char>(),
+                    std::distance(slice.begin(), slice.end()));
   }
 };