diff --git a/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rsdistribitems.cc b/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rsdistribitems.cc
index 80ee58e46..c7b7f8e95 100644
--- a/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rsdistribitems.cc
+++ b/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rsdistribitems.cc
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ RsDistribGrp *RsDistribSerialiser::deserialiseGrp(void *data, uint32_t *pktsize)
 
 
 	if ((RS_PKT_VERSION_SERVICE != getRsItemVersion(rstype)) ||
-		(RS_SERVICE_TYPE_DISTRIB != getRsItemService(rstype)) ||
+		(SERVICE_TYPE != getRsItemService(rstype)) ||
 		(RS_PKT_SUBTYPE_DISTRIB_GRP != getRsItemSubType(rstype)))
 	{
 #ifdef RSSERIAL_DEBUG 
@@ -491,7 +491,7 @@ RsDistribGrpKey *RsDistribSerialiser::deserialiseGrpKey(void *data, uint32_t *pk
 
 
 	if ((RS_PKT_VERSION_SERVICE != getRsItemVersion(rstype)) ||
-		(RS_SERVICE_TYPE_DISTRIB != getRsItemService(rstype)) ||
+		(SERVICE_TYPE != getRsItemService(rstype)) ||
 		(RS_PKT_SUBTYPE_DISTRIB_GRP_KEY != getRsItemSubType(rstype)))
 	{
 #ifdef RSSERIAL_DEBUG 
@@ -633,7 +633,7 @@ RsDistribSignedMsg *RsDistribSerialiser::deserialiseSignedMsg(void *data, uint32
 
 
 	if ((RS_PKT_VERSION_SERVICE != getRsItemVersion(rstype)) ||
-		(RS_SERVICE_TYPE_DISTRIB != getRsItemService(rstype)) ||
+		(SERVICE_TYPE != getRsItemService(rstype)) ||
 		(RS_PKT_SUBTYPE_DISTRIB_SIGNED_MSG != getRsItemSubType(rstype)))
 	{
 #ifdef RSSERIAL_DEBUG 
@@ -755,7 +755,7 @@ RsItem *RsDistribSerialiser::deserialise(void *data, uint32_t *pktsize)
 	uint32_t rstype = getRsItemId(data);
 
 	if ((RS_PKT_VERSION_SERVICE != getRsItemVersion(rstype)) ||
-		(RS_SERVICE_TYPE_DISTRIB != getRsItemService(rstype))) 
+		(SERVICE_TYPE != getRsItemService(rstype)))
 	{
 		return NULL; /* wrong type */
 	}
diff --git a/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rsdistribitems.h b/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rsdistribitems.h
index 7dc1e6013..02e34a367 100644
--- a/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rsdistribitems.h
+++ b/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rsdistribitems.h
@@ -127,9 +127,13 @@ class RsDistribGrpKey: public RsItem
 {
 	public:
 
+		RsDistribGrpKey(uint16_t service_type)
+	:RsItem(RS_PKT_VERSION_SERVICE, service_type, RS_PKT_SUBTYPE_DISTRIB_GRP_KEY)
+		{ return; }
+
         RsDistribGrpKey()
 	:RsItem(RS_PKT_VERSION_SERVICE, RS_SERVICE_TYPE_DISTRIB, RS_PKT_SUBTYPE_DISTRIB_GRP_KEY)
-	{ return; }
+        { return; }
 
 virtual ~RsDistribGrpKey() { return; }
 
@@ -144,9 +148,12 @@ virtual std::ostream& print(std::ostream &out, uint16_t indent = 0);
 class RsDistribSerialiser: public RsSerialType
 {
 	public:
-	RsDistribSerialiser()
-	:RsSerialType(RS_PKT_VERSION_SERVICE, RS_SERVICE_TYPE_DISTRIB)
+
+	// optional to allow use in p3service/sockets
+	RsDistribSerialiser(uint16_t service_type = RS_SERVICE_TYPE_DISTRIB)
+	: RsSerialType(RS_PKT_VERSION_SERVICE, service_type), SERVICE_TYPE(service_type)
 	{ return; }
+
 virtual     ~RsDistribSerialiser()
 	{ return; }
 	
@@ -171,6 +178,8 @@ virtual	uint32_t    sizeSignedMsg(RsDistribSignedMsg *);
 virtual	bool        serialiseSignedMsg  (RsDistribSignedMsg *item, void *data, uint32_t *size);
 virtual	RsDistribSignedMsg *deserialiseSignedMsg(void *data, uint32_t *size);
 
+const uint16_t SERVICE_TYPE;
+
 };
 
 /**************************************************************************/
diff --git a/libretroshare/src/services/p3distrib.cc b/libretroshare/src/services/p3distrib.cc
index 09c538d42..4ff45f4a7 100644
--- a/libretroshare/src/services/p3distrib.cc
+++ b/libretroshare/src/services/p3distrib.cc
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ p3GroupDistrib::p3GroupDistrib(uint16_t subtype,
 
         mOwnId = AuthSSL::getAuthSSL()->OwnId();
 
-        addSerialType(new RsDistribSerialiser());
+        addSerialType(new RsDistribSerialiser(getRsItemService(getType())));
 	return;
 }
 
@@ -1883,7 +1883,7 @@ void p3GroupDistrib::locked_sharePubKey(){
 					if(std::find(peersOnline.begin(), peersOnline.end(), *lit) != peersOnline.end()){
 
 						/* create Key for sharing */
-						RsDistribGrpKey* pubKey = new RsDistribGrpKey();
+						RsDistribGrpKey* pubKey = new RsDistribGrpKey(getRsItemService(getType()));
 
 
 						pubKey->clear();
@@ -1935,13 +1935,13 @@ void p3GroupDistrib::locked_receivePubKeys(){
 		if(key_item != NULL){
 
 
-#ifdef STATUS_DEBUG
+#ifdef DISTRIB_DEBUG
 			std::cerr << "p3GroupDistrib::locked_receiveKeys()" << std::endl;
 			std::cerr << "PeerId : " << key_item->PeerId() << std::endl;
 			std::cerr << "GrpId: " << key_item->grpId << std::endl;
 			std::cerr << "Got key Item" << std::endl;
 #endif
-			if(key_item->key.keyFlags == RSTLV_KEY_TYPE_FULL){
+			if(key_item->key.keyFlags & RSTLV_KEY_TYPE_FULL){
 				mRecvdPubKeys[key_item->grpId] =  key_item;
 			}
 			else{
@@ -1984,8 +1984,6 @@ void p3GroupDistrib::locked_loadRecvdPubKeys(){
 
 			if(locked_updateGroupPublishKey(*gi, mit->second)){
 				toDelete.push_back(mit->first);
-				gi->flags |= RS_DISTRIB_SUBSCRIBED;
-				locked_notifyGroupChanged(*gi, GRP_SUBSCRIBED);
 				ok |= true;
 			}
 			else
@@ -2841,7 +2839,7 @@ bool 	p3GroupDistrib::locked_validateDistribSignedMsg(
 
 
 	/* now verify Personal signature */
-        if (signOk == 1 && ((info.grpFlags & RS_DISTRIB_AUTHEN_MASK) & RS_DISTRIB_AUTHEN_REQ))
+        if ((signOk == 1) && ((info.grpFlags & RS_DISTRIB_AUTHEN_MASK) & RS_DISTRIB_AUTHEN_REQ))
 	{
             #ifdef DISTRIB_DEBUG
             std::cerr << "p3GroupDistrib::locked_validateDistribSignedMsg() Personal Signature. sslCert : " << newMsg->personalSignature.sslCert << std::endl;