diff --git a/core-test/src/test/scala/org/bitcoins/core/p2p/VersionMessageTest.scala b/core-test/src/test/scala/org/bitcoins/core/p2p/VersionMessageTest.scala
index 6dba55dded..8fbc4e9a1e 100644
--- a/core-test/src/test/scala/org/bitcoins/core/p2p/VersionMessageTest.scala
+++ b/core-test/src/test/scala/org/bitcoins/core/p2p/VersionMessageTest.scala
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ class VersionMessageTest extends BitcoinSUnitTest {
 
     versionMessage.nonce must be(UInt64.zero)
     versionMessage.startHeight must be(Int32.zero)
-    versionMessage.timestamp.toLong must be(Instant.now().toEpochMilli +- 1000)
+    versionMessage.timestamp.toLong must be(
+      Instant.now().getEpochSecond +- 1000)
   }
 
   it must "correctly deduce service flags" in {
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/org/bitcoins/core/p2p/NetworkPayload.scala b/core/src/main/scala/org/bitcoins/core/p2p/NetworkPayload.scala
index 007011518d..638ba0afaf 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/org/bitcoins/core/p2p/NetworkPayload.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/org/bitcoins/core/p2p/NetworkPayload.scala
@@ -1257,14 +1257,25 @@ object VersionMessage extends Factory[VersionMessage] {
       network: NetworkParameters,
       receivingIpAddress: InetAddress,
       transmittingIpAddress: InetAddress): VersionMessage = {
+    VersionMessage(network,
+                   ProtocolVersion.userAgent,
+                   Int32.zero,
+                   receivingIpAddress,
+                   transmittingIpAddress)
+  }
+
+  def apply(
+      network: NetworkParameters,
+      userAgent: String,
+      startHeight: Int32,
+      receivingIpAddress: InetAddress,
+      transmittingIpAddress: InetAddress): VersionMessage = {
     val nonce = UInt64.zero
-    val userAgent = ProtocolVersion.userAgent
-    val startHeight = Int32.zero
     val relay = false
     VersionMessage(
       version = ProtocolVersion.default,
       services = ServiceIdentifier.NODE_NONE,
-      timestamp = Int64(java.time.Instant.now.toEpochMilli),
+      timestamp = Int64(java.time.Instant.now.getEpochSecond),
       addressReceiveServices = ServiceIdentifier.NODE_NONE,
       addressReceiveIpAddress = receivingIpAddress,
       addressReceivePort = network.port,
diff --git a/node/src/main/scala/org/bitcoins/node/networking/peer/PeerMessageReceiver.scala b/node/src/main/scala/org/bitcoins/node/networking/peer/PeerMessageReceiver.scala
index a94fd43168..ef1d4a8344 100644
--- a/node/src/main/scala/org/bitcoins/node/networking/peer/PeerMessageReceiver.scala
+++ b/node/src/main/scala/org/bitcoins/node/networking/peer/PeerMessageReceiver.scala
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import org.bitcoins.chain.models.{
   CompactFilterHeaderDAO
 }
 import org.bitcoins.core.p2p.{NetworkMessage, _}
-import org.bitcoins.node.{NodeCallbacks, P2PLogger}
 import org.bitcoins.node.config.NodeAppConfig
 import org.bitcoins.node.models.Peer
 import org.bitcoins.node.networking.P2PClient
@@ -20,6 +19,7 @@ import org.bitcoins.node.networking.peer.PeerMessageReceiverState.{
   Normal,
   Preconnection
 }
+import org.bitcoins.node.{NodeCallbacks, P2PLogger}
 
 import scala.concurrent.Future
 
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ class PeerMessageReceiver(
 
         val peerMsgSender = PeerMessageSender(client)
 
-        peerMsgSender.sendVersionMessage()
+        peerMsgSender.sendVersionMessage(dataMessageHandler.chainApi)
 
         val newRecv = toState(newState)
 
diff --git a/node/src/main/scala/org/bitcoins/node/networking/peer/PeerMessageSender.scala b/node/src/main/scala/org/bitcoins/node/networking/peer/PeerMessageSender.scala
index 601fd40d86..3c7a11d27c 100644
--- a/node/src/main/scala/org/bitcoins/node/networking/peer/PeerMessageSender.scala
+++ b/node/src/main/scala/org/bitcoins/node/networking/peer/PeerMessageSender.scala
@@ -1,11 +1,14 @@
 package org.bitcoins.node.networking.peer
 
+import java.net.InetAddress
+
 import akka.actor.ActorRef
 import akka.io.Tcp
 import akka.util.Timeout
 import org.bitcoins.chain.api.ChainApi
 import org.bitcoins.core.bloom.BloomFilter
-import org.bitcoins.core.p2p.{NetworkMessage, _}
+import org.bitcoins.core.number.Int32
+import org.bitcoins.core.p2p._
 import org.bitcoins.core.protocol.transaction.Transaction
 import org.bitcoins.core.util.FutureUtil
 import org.bitcoins.crypto.{
@@ -66,6 +69,22 @@ case class PeerMessageSender(client: P2PClient)(implicit conf: NodeAppConfig)
     sendMsg(versionMsg)
   }
 
+  def sendVersionMessage(chainApi: ChainApi)(implicit
+      ec: ExecutionContext): Future[Unit] = {
+    chainApi.getBestHashBlockHeight().flatMap { height =>
+      val transmittingIpAddress = InetAddress.getLocalHost
+      val receivingIpAddress = client.peer.socket.getAddress
+      val versionMsg = VersionMessage(conf.network,
+                                      "/Bitcoin-S:0.3.0/",
+                                      Int32(height),
+                                      receivingIpAddress,
+                                      transmittingIpAddress)
+
+      logger.trace(s"Sending versionMsg=$versionMsg to peer=${client.peer}")
+      sendMsg(versionMsg)
+    }
+  }
+
   def sendVerackMessage(): Future[Unit] = {
     val verackMsg = VerAckMessage
     sendMsg(verackMsg)