diff --git a/netlib/http.py b/netlib/http.py
index 2c72621dd..264388636 100644
--- a/netlib/http.py
+++ b/netlib/http.py
@@ -29,20 +29,6 @@ def _is_valid_host(host):
         return None
     return True
 
-def is_successful_upgrade(request, response):
-    """
-        determines if a client and server successfully agreed to an HTTP protocol upgrade
-
-        https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Protocol_upgrade_mechanism
-    """
-    http_switching_protocols_code = 101
-    
-    if request and response:
-        responseUpgrade = request.headers.get("Upgrade")
-        requestUpgrade  = response.headers.get("Upgrade")
-        if response.code == http_switching_protocols_code and responseUpgrade == requestUpgrade:
-            return requestUpgrade[0] if len(requestUpgrade) > 0 else None
-    return None
 
 def parse_url(url):
     """
diff --git a/netlib/websockets/implementations.py b/netlib/websockets/implementations.py
index 73a846905..1ded3b857 100644
--- a/netlib/websockets/implementations.py
+++ b/netlib/websockets/implementations.py
@@ -65,9 +65,6 @@ class WebSocketsClient(tcp.TCPClient):
         self.wfile.flush()
 
         server_handshake = ws.read_handshake(self.rfile.read, 1)
-        
-        if not server_handshake:
-            self.close()
 
         server_nounce = ws.process_handshake_from_server(server_handshake, self.client_nounce)
 
@@ -75,11 +72,8 @@ class WebSocketsClient(tcp.TCPClient):
             self.close()
 
     def read_next_message(self):
-        try:
-            return ws.WebSocketsFrame.from_byte_stream(self.rfile.read).payload
-        except IndexError:
-            self.close()
- 
+        return ws.WebSocketsFrame.from_byte_stream(self.rfile.read).payload
+
     def send_message(self, message):
         frame = ws.WebSocketsFrame.default(message, from_client = True)
         self.wfile.write(frame.safe_to_bytes())
diff --git a/netlib/websockets/websockets.py b/netlib/websockets/websockets.py
index cf9a68aa9..ea3db21d5 100644
--- a/netlib/websockets/websockets.py
+++ b/netlib/websockets/websockets.py
@@ -158,11 +158,10 @@ class WebSocketsFrame(object):
           ("actual_payload_length - " + str(self.actual_payload_length))])
 
     def safe_to_bytes(self):
-      try:
-          assert self.is_valid()
-          return self.to_bytes()
-      except:
-          raise WebSocketFrameValidationException()
+        if self.is_valid():
+            return self.to_bytes()
+        else:
+            raise WebSocketFrameValidationException()
 
     def to_bytes(self):
         """
diff --git a/test/test_websockets.py b/test/test_websockets.py
index 0c23e355f..951aa41ff 100644
--- a/test/test_websockets.py
+++ b/test/test_websockets.py
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@ class TestWebSockets(test.ServerTestBase):
         self.echo("hello I'm the client")
 
     def test_frame_sizes(self):
-        small_msg  = self.random_bytes(100)   # length can fit in the the 7 bit payload length 
-        medium_msg = self.random_bytes(50000) # 50kb, sligthly larger than can fit in a 7 bit int
+        small_msg  = self.random_bytes(100)    # length can fit in the the 7 bit payload length 
+        medium_msg = self.random_bytes(50000)  # 50kb, sligthly larger than can fit in a 7 bit int
         large_msg  = self.random_bytes(150000) # 150kb, slightly larger than can fit in a 16 bit int
 
         self.echo(small_msg)
@@ -42,6 +42,10 @@ class TestWebSockets(test.ServerTestBase):
         assert server_frame.is_valid()
 
     def test_serialization_bijection(self):
+        """
+          Ensure that various frame types can be serialized/deserialized back and forth
+          between to_bytes() and from_bytes()
+        """ 
         for is_client in [True, False]:
           for num_bytes in [100, 50000, 150000]:
             frame = ws.WebSocketsFrame.default(self.random_bytes(num_bytes), is_client)
@@ -50,6 +54,12 @@ class TestWebSockets(test.ServerTestBase):
         bytes = b'\x81\x11cba'
         assert ws.WebSocketsFrame.from_bytes(bytes).to_bytes() == bytes
 
+    @raises(ws.WebSocketFrameValidationException)
+    def test_safe_to_bytes(self):
+        frame = ws.WebSocketsFrame.default(self.random_bytes(8))
+        frame.actual_payload_length = 1 #corrupt the frame
+        frame.safe_to_bytes()
+
 
 class BadHandshakeHandler(impl.WebSocketsEchoHandler):
     def handshake(self):