diff --git a/pkg/dmsg/client.go b/pkg/dmsg/client.go
index 1dc4ab210..016994659 100644
--- a/pkg/dmsg/client.go
+++ b/pkg/dmsg/client.go
@@ -125,6 +125,20 @@ func (c *ClientConn) setNextInitID(nextInitID uint16) {
 	c.mx.Unlock()
 }
 
+func (c *ClientConn) readOK() error {
+	fr, err := readFrame(c.Conn)
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.New("failed to get OK from server")
+	}
+
+	ft, _, _ := fr.Disassemble()
+	if ft != OkType {
+		return fmt.Errorf("wrong frame from server: %v", ft)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (c *ClientConn) handleRequestFrame(accept chan<- *Transport, id uint16, p []byte) (cipher.PubKey, error) {
 	// remotely-initiated tps should:
 	// - have a payload structured as 'init_pk:resp_pk'.
@@ -429,7 +443,12 @@ func (c *Client) findOrConnectToServer(ctx context.Context, srvPK cipher.PubKey)
 	}
 
 	conn := NewClientConn(c.log, nc, c.pk, srvPK)
+	if err := conn.waitOKFrame(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
 	c.setConn(ctx, conn)
+
 	go func() {
 		err := conn.Serve(ctx, c.accept)
 		conn.log.WithError(err).WithField("remoteServer", srvPK).Warn("connected with server closed")
diff --git a/pkg/dmsg/frame.go b/pkg/dmsg/frame.go
index d3c2f31ac..43a1c53b9 100644
--- a/pkg/dmsg/frame.go
+++ b/pkg/dmsg/frame.go
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ func (ft FrameType) String() string {
 		CloseType:   "CLOSE",
 		FwdType:     "FWD",
 		AckType:     "ACK",
+		OkType:      "OK",
 	}
 	if int(ft) >= len(names) {
 		return fmt.Sprintf("UNKNOWN:%d", ft)
@@ -61,6 +62,7 @@ func (ft FrameType) String() string {
 
 // Frame types.
 const (
+	OkType      = FrameType(0x0)
 	RequestType = FrameType(0x1)
 	AcceptType  = FrameType(0x2)
 	CloseType   = FrameType(0x3)
diff --git a/pkg/dmsg/server.go b/pkg/dmsg/server.go
index 5c67eb2cd..8b1e66b44 100644
--- a/pkg/dmsg/server.go
+++ b/pkg/dmsg/server.go
@@ -114,6 +114,11 @@ func (c *ServerConn) Serve(ctx context.Context, getConn getConnFunc) (err error)
 	}()
 	log.WithField("connCount", incrementServeCount()).Infoln("ServingConn")
 
+	err = c.sendOK()
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("sending OK failed: %s", err)
+	}
+
 	for {
 		f, err := readFrame(c.Conn)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -170,6 +175,13 @@ func (c *ServerConn) delChan(id uint16, why byte) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (c *ServerConn) writeOK() error {
+	if err := writeFrame(c.Conn, MakeFrame(OkType, 0, nil)); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (c *ServerConn) forwardFrame(ft FrameType, id uint16, p []byte) (*NextConn, byte, bool) { //nolint:unparam
 	next, ok := c.getNext(id)
 	if !ok {