diff --git a/src/main/java/net/minecraftforge/fml/common/network/NetworkEventFiringHandler.java b/src/main/java/net/minecraftforge/fml/common/network/NetworkEventFiringHandler.java
index d1a375cb0d..92d3c2c533 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/minecraftforge/fml/common/network/NetworkEventFiringHandler.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/minecraftforge/fml/common/network/NetworkEventFiringHandler.java
@@ -22,8 +22,6 @@ package net.minecraftforge.fml.common.network;
 import net.minecraftforge.fml.common.FMLLog;
 import net.minecraftforge.fml.common.network.internal.FMLProxyPacket;
 
-import org.apache.logging.log4j.Level;
-
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelHandler.Sharable;
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelHandlerContext;
 import io.netty.channel.SimpleChannelInboundHandler;
@@ -49,6 +47,7 @@ public class NetworkEventFiringHandler extends SimpleChannelInboundHandler<FMLPr
     protected void channelRead0(ChannelHandlerContext ctx, FMLProxyPacket msg) throws Exception
     {
         eventChannel.fireRead(msg,ctx);
+        msg.payload().release();
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -56,6 +55,7 @@ public class NetworkEventFiringHandler extends SimpleChannelInboundHandler<FMLPr
     {
         eventChannel.fireUserEvent(evt,ctx);
     }
+
     @Override
     public void exceptionCaught(ChannelHandlerContext ctx, Throwable cause) throws Exception
     {
diff --git a/src/test/java/net/minecraftforge/fml/test/ForgeNetworkTestMod.java b/src/test/java/net/minecraftforge/fml/test/ForgeNetworkTestMod.java
index 0a4b9ac170..7a3867c0f0 100644
--- a/src/test/java/net/minecraftforge/fml/test/ForgeNetworkTestMod.java
+++ b/src/test/java/net/minecraftforge/fml/test/ForgeNetworkTestMod.java
@@ -10,37 +10,60 @@ import net.minecraftforge.fml.common.event.FMLPreInitializationEvent;
 import net.minecraftforge.fml.common.eventhandler.SubscribeEvent;
 import net.minecraftforge.fml.common.gameevent.PlayerEvent.PlayerLoggedInEvent;
 import net.minecraftforge.fml.common.network.FMLEventChannel;
+import net.minecraftforge.fml.common.network.FMLNetworkEvent;
 import net.minecraftforge.fml.common.network.NetworkRegistry;
 import net.minecraftforge.fml.common.network.internal.FMLProxyPacket;
-import net.minecraftforge.fml.relauncher.Side;
+import org.apache.logging.log4j.Logger;
 
 @Mod(modid = ForgeNetworkTestMod.MOD_ID, name = ForgeNetworkTestMod.MOD_ID, version = "1.0", acceptableRemoteVersions = "*")
 public class ForgeNetworkTestMod
 {
     private static final boolean ENABLED = false;
-    public static final String MOD_ID = "forgenetworktest";
+    public static final String MOD_ID = "forge_network_test";
+
     private FMLEventChannel channel;
+    private Logger logger;
 
     @EventHandler
     public void onPreInit(FMLPreInitializationEvent e)
     {
-        if (ENABLED && e.getSide() == Side.SERVER)
+        if (ENABLED)
         {
             MinecraftForge.EVENT_BUS.register(this);
             channel = NetworkRegistry.INSTANCE.newEventDrivenChannel(MOD_ID);
             channel.register(this);
+            logger = e.getModLog();
         }
     }
 
     @SubscribeEvent
     public void onPlayerLogin(PlayerLoggedInEvent e)
     {
-        if (channel == null)
+        if (ENABLED)
         {
-            return;
+            PacketBuffer buffer = new PacketBuffer(Unpooled.buffer());
+            buffer.writeString("Welcome to the server!");
+            channel.sendTo(new FMLProxyPacket(buffer, MOD_ID), (EntityPlayerMP) e.player); // disconnects vanilla clients in 1.11
+            logger.info("Welcomed player to the server");
         }
-        PacketBuffer buffer = new PacketBuffer(Unpooled.buffer());
-        buffer.writeByte(0);
-        channel.sendTo(new FMLProxyPacket(buffer, MOD_ID), (EntityPlayerMP) e.player); // disconnects vanilla clients in 1.11
+    }
+
+    @SubscribeEvent
+    public void onPacketReceived(FMLNetworkEvent.ClientCustomPacketEvent e)
+    {
+        PacketBuffer payload = new PacketBuffer(e.getPacket().payload());
+        logger.info("Received message from server: {}", payload.readString(64));
+
+        PacketBuffer reply = new PacketBuffer(Unpooled.buffer());
+        reply.writeString("Thanks!");
+        e.setReply(new FMLProxyPacket(reply, MOD_ID));
+        logger.info("Sent a reply");
+    }
+
+    @SubscribeEvent
+    public void onPacketReceived(FMLNetworkEvent.ServerCustomPacketEvent e)
+    {
+        PacketBuffer payload = new PacketBuffer(e.getPacket().payload());
+        logger.info("Received reply from client: {}", payload.readString(64));
     }
 }