diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 5cde596..b972642 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
     "test:browser": "aegir test --target browser",
     "test:node": "aegir test --target node",
     "lint": "aegir lint",
+    "lint-commits": "aegir lint-commits",
     "release": "aegir release",
     "release-minor": "aegir release --type minor",
     "release-major": "aegir release --type major",
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@
     "coverage-publish": "aegir coverage publish"
   },
   "pre-push": [
+    "lint-commits",
     "lint",
     "test"
   ],
diff --git a/test/util.spec.js b/test/util.spec.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3ab401d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/util.spec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+/* eslint-env mocha */
+
+'use strict'
+
+const chai = require('chai')
+const dirtyChai = require('dirty-chai')
+const expect = chai.expect
+chai.use(dirtyChai)
+
+const {
+  DAGLink
+} = require('../src')
+const {
+  serialize,
+  deserialize
+} = require('../src/util')
+
+describe('util', () => {
+  it('should serialize an empty node', (done) => {
+    serialize({}, (error, result) => {
+      expect(error).to.not.exist()
+      expect(result).to.be.an.instanceof(Buffer)
+      expect(result).to.be.empty()
+      done()
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('should serialize a node with data', (done) => {
+    const data = Buffer.from([0, 1, 2, 3])
+    serialize({
+      data
+    }, (error, result) => {
+      expect(error).to.not.exist()
+      expect(result).to.be.an.instanceof(Buffer)
+
+      deserialize(result, (error, node) => {
+        expect(error).to.not.exist()
+        expect(node.data).to.deep.equal(data)
+
+        done()
+      })
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('should serialize a node with links', (done) => {
+    const links = [
+      new DAGLink('', 0, 'QmWDtUQj38YLW8v3q4A6LwPn4vYKEbuKWpgSm6bjKW6Xfe')
+    ]
+    serialize({
+      links
+    }, (error, result) => {
+      expect(error).to.not.exist()
+      expect(result).to.be.an.instanceof(Buffer)
+
+      deserialize(result, (error, node) => {
+        expect(error).to.not.exist()
+        expect(node.links).to.deep.equal(links)
+
+        done()
+      })
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('should serialize a node with links as plain objects', (done) => {
+    const links = [{
+      name: '',
+      size: 0,
+      hash: 'QmWDtUQj38YLW8v3q4A6LwPn4vYKEbuKWpgSm6bjKW6Xfe'
+    }]
+    serialize({
+      links
+    }, (error, result) => {
+      expect(error).to.not.exist()
+      expect(result).to.be.an.instanceof(Buffer)
+
+      deserialize(result, (error, node) => {
+        expect(error).to.not.exist()
+        expect(node.links).to.deep.equal([
+          new DAGLink('', 0, 'QmWDtUQj38YLW8v3q4A6LwPn4vYKEbuKWpgSm6bjKW6Xfe')
+        ])
+
+        done()
+      })
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('should ignore invalid properties when serializing', (done) => {
+    serialize({
+      foo: 'bar'
+    }, (error, result) => {
+      expect(error).to.not.exist()
+      expect(result).to.be.an.instanceof(Buffer)
+      expect(result).to.be.empty()
+      done()
+    })
+  })
+})