diff --git a/ssb/feed.py b/ssb/feed.py
index 25fa515..aacf686 100644
--- a/ssb/feed.py
+++ b/ssb/feed.py
@@ -48,6 +48,9 @@ class Message(object):
     def __init__(self, feed, content, signature, sequence=1, timestamp=None, previous=None):
         self.feed = feed
         self.content = content
+
+        if signature is None:
+            raise ValueError("signature can't be None")
         self.signature = signature
 
         self.previous = previous
@@ -93,11 +96,23 @@ class Message(object):
 
 class LocalMessage(Message):
     def __init__(self, feed, content, signature=None, sequence=1, timestamp=None, previous=None):
-        super(LocalMessage, self).__init__(feed, content, signature, sequence, timestamp, previous)
-        if signature is None:
-            self.signature = self.sign()
+        self.feed = feed
+        self.content = content
 
-    def sign(self):
+        self.previous = previous
+        if self.previous:
+            self.sequence = self.previous.sequence + 1
+        else:
+            self.sequence = sequence
+
+        self.timestamp = int(time.time() * 1000) if timestamp is None else timestamp
+
+        if signature is None:
+            self.signature = self._sign()
+        else:
+            self.signature = signature
+
+    def _sign(self):
         # ensure ordering of keys and indentation of 2 characters, like ssb-keys
         data = dumps(self.to_dict(add_signature=False), indent=2)
         return (b64encode(bytes(self.feed.sign(data.encode('ascii')))) + b'.sig.ed25519').decode('ascii')
diff --git a/ssb/tests/test_feed.py b/ssb/tests/test_feed.py
index c161a0e..41037f8 100644
--- a/ssb/tests/test_feed.py
+++ b/ssb/tests/test_feed.py
@@ -2,18 +2,24 @@ from base64 import b64decode
 from collections import OrderedDict
 
 import pytest
-from nacl.signing import SigningKey
+from nacl.signing import SigningKey, VerifyKey
 
-from ssb.feed import LocalMessage, LocalFeed
+from ssb.feed import LocalMessage, LocalFeed, Feed, Message, NoPrivateKeyException
 
 
 @pytest.fixture()
-def feed():
+def local_feed():
     secret = b64decode('Mz2qkNOP2K6upnqibWrR+z8pVUI1ReA1MLc7QMtF2qQ=')
     return LocalFeed(SigningKey(secret))
 
 
-def test_feed():
+@pytest.fixture()
+def remote_feed():
+    public = b64decode('I/4cyN/jPBbDsikbHzAEvmaYlaJK33lW3UhWjNXjyrU=')
+    return Feed(VerifyKey(public))
+
+
+def test_local_feed():
     secret = b64decode('Mz2qkNOP2K6upnqibWrR+z8pVUI1ReA1MLc7QMtF2qQ=')
     feed = LocalFeed(SigningKey(secret))
     assert bytes(feed.private_key) == secret
@@ -21,10 +27,17 @@ def test_feed():
     assert feed.id == '@I/4cyN/jPBbDsikbHzAEvmaYlaJK33lW3UhWjNXjyrU=.ed25519'
 
 
-def test_message(feed):
-    m1 = LocalMessage(feed, OrderedDict([
+def test_remote_feed():
+    public = b64decode('I/4cyN/jPBbDsikbHzAEvmaYlaJK33lW3UhWjNXjyrU=')
+    feed = Feed(VerifyKey(public))
+    assert bytes(feed.public_key) == public
+    assert feed.id == '@I/4cyN/jPBbDsikbHzAEvmaYlaJK33lW3UhWjNXjyrU=.ed25519'
+
+
+def test_local_message(local_feed):
+    m1 = LocalMessage(local_feed, OrderedDict([
         ('type', 'about'),
-        ('about', feed.id),
+        ('about', local_feed.id),
         ('name', 'neo'),
         ('description', 'The Chosen One')
     ]), timestamp=1495706260190)
@@ -35,9 +48,9 @@ def test_message(feed):
         'lPsQ9P10OgeyH6u0unFgiI2wV/RQ7Q2x2ebxnXYCzsJ055TBMXphRADTKhOMS2EkUxXQ9k3amj5fnWPudGxwBQ==.sig.ed25519'
     assert m1.key == '%xRDqws/TrQmOd4aEwZ32jdLhP873ZKjIgHlggPR0eoo=.sha256'
 
-    m2 = LocalMessage(feed, OrderedDict([
+    m2 = LocalMessage(local_feed, OrderedDict([
         ('type', 'about'),
-        ('about', feed.id),
+        ('about', local_feed.id),
         ('name', 'morpheus'),
         ('description', 'Dude with big jaw')
     ]), previous=m1, timestamp=1495706447426)
@@ -47,3 +60,42 @@ def test_message(feed):
     assert m2.signature == \
         '3SY85LX6/ppOfP4SbfwZbKfd6DccbLRiB13pwpzbSK0nU52OEJxOqcJ2Uensr6RkrWztWLIq90sNOn1zRAoOAw==.sig.ed25519'
     assert m2.key == '%nx13uks5GUwuKJC49PfYGMS/1pgGTtwwdWT7kbVaroM=.sha256'
+
+
+def test_remote_message(remote_feed):
+    signature = 'lPsQ9P10OgeyH6u0unFgiI2wV/RQ7Q2x2ebxnXYCzsJ055TBMXphRADTKhOMS2EkUxXQ9k3amj5fnWPudGxwBQ==.sig.ed25519'
+    m1 = Message(remote_feed, OrderedDict([
+        ('type', 'about'),
+        ('about', remote_feed.id),
+        ('name', 'neo'),
+        ('description', 'The Chosen One')
+    ]), signature, timestamp=1495706260190)
+    assert m1.timestamp == 1495706260190
+    assert m1.previous is None
+    assert m1.sequence == 1
+    assert m1.signature == signature
+    assert m1.key == '%xRDqws/TrQmOd4aEwZ32jdLhP873ZKjIgHlggPR0eoo=.sha256'
+
+    signature = '3SY85LX6/ppOfP4SbfwZbKfd6DccbLRiB13pwpzbSK0nU52OEJxOqcJ2Uensr6RkrWztWLIq90sNOn1zRAoOAw==.sig.ed25519'
+    m2 = Message(remote_feed, OrderedDict([
+        ('type', 'about'),
+        ('about', remote_feed.id),
+        ('name', 'morpheus'),
+        ('description', 'Dude with big jaw')
+    ]), signature, previous=m1, timestamp=1495706447426)
+    assert m2.timestamp == 1495706447426
+    assert m2.previous is m1
+    assert m2.sequence == 2
+    assert m2.signature == signature
+    m2.verify(signature)
+    assert m2.key == '%nx13uks5GUwuKJC49PfYGMS/1pgGTtwwdWT7kbVaroM=.sha256'
+
+
+def test_remote_no_signature(remote_feed):
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        Message(remote_feed, OrderedDict([
+            ('type', 'about'),
+            ('about', remote_feed.id),
+            ('name', 'neo'),
+            ('description', 'The Chosen One')
+        ]), None, timestamp=1495706260190)