diff --git a/src/network/protocol/messages/feefilter.zig b/src/network/protocol/messages/feefilter.zig
index 73f4d25..3e70761 100644
--- a/src/network/protocol/messages/feefilter.zig
+++ b/src/network/protocol/messages/feefilter.zig
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 const std = @import("std");
 const protocol = @import("../lib.zig");
 const Sha256 = std.crypto.hash.sha2.Sha256;
+const genericChecksum = @import("lib.zig").genericChecksum;
 
 /// FeeFilterMessage represents the "feefilter" message
 ///
@@ -18,15 +19,7 @@ pub const FeeFilterMessage = struct {
     ///
     /// Computed as `Sha256(Sha256(self.serialize()))[0..4]`
     pub fn checksum(self: *const Self) [4]u8 {
-        var digest: [32]u8 = undefined;
-        var hasher = Sha256.init(.{});
-        const writer = hasher.writer();
-        self.serializeToWriter(writer) catch unreachable; // Sha256.write is infallible
-        hasher.final(&digest);
-
-        Sha256.hash(&digest, &digest, .{});
-
-        return digest[0..4].*;
+        return genericChecksum(self);
     }
 
     /// Serialize a message as bytes and write them to the buffer.
diff --git a/src/network/protocol/messages/filteradd.zig b/src/network/protocol/messages/filteradd.zig
index a683a21..1a4fd66 100644
--- a/src/network/protocol/messages/filteradd.zig
+++ b/src/network/protocol/messages/filteradd.zig
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 const std = @import("std");
 const protocol = @import("../lib.zig");
+const genericChecksum = @import("lib.zig").genericChecksum;
 
 /// FilterAddMessage represents the "filteradd" message
 ///
@@ -15,10 +16,7 @@ pub const FilterAddMessage = struct {
 
     /// Returns the message checksum
     pub fn checksum(self: *const Self) [4]u8 {
-        var digest: [32]u8 = undefined;
-        std.crypto.hash.sha2.Sha256.hash(self.element, &digest, .{});
-        std.crypto.hash.sha2.Sha256.hash(&digest, &digest, .{});
-        return digest[0..4].*;
+        return genericChecksum(self);
     }
 
     /// Serialize the message as bytes and write them to the Writer.
diff --git a/src/network/protocol/messages/filterclear.zig b/src/network/protocol/messages/filterclear.zig
index c537a32..08e5b71 100644
--- a/src/network/protocol/messages/filterclear.zig
+++ b/src/network/protocol/messages/filterclear.zig
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 const std = @import("std");
 const protocol = @import("../lib.zig");
+const default_checksum = @import("lib.zig").default_checksum;
 
 /// FilterClear represents the "filterclear" message
 ///
@@ -13,8 +14,7 @@ pub const FilterClearMessage = struct {
 
     pub fn checksum(self: FilterClearMessage) [4]u8 {
         _ = self;
-        // If payload is empty, the checksum is always 0x5df6e0e2 (SHA256(SHA256("")))
-        return [4]u8{ 0x5d, 0xf6, 0xe0, 0xe2 };
+        return default_checksum;
     }
 
     /// Serialize a message as bytes and return them.
diff --git a/src/network/protocol/messages/getaddr.zig b/src/network/protocol/messages/getaddr.zig
index 6fca13f..095f78a 100644
--- a/src/network/protocol/messages/getaddr.zig
+++ b/src/network/protocol/messages/getaddr.zig
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 const std = @import("std");
 const protocol = @import("../lib.zig");
+const default_checksum = @import("lib.zig").default_checksum;
 
 /// GetaddrMessage represents the "getaddr" message
 ///
@@ -13,8 +14,7 @@ pub const GetaddrMessage = struct {
 
     pub fn checksum(self: GetaddrMessage) [4]u8 {
         _ = self;
-        // If payload is empty, the checksum is always 0x5df6e0e2 (SHA256(SHA256("")))
-        return [4]u8{ 0x5d, 0xf6, 0xe0, 0xe2 };
+        return default_checksum;
     }
 
     /// Serialize a message as bytes and return them.
diff --git a/src/network/protocol/messages/getblocks.zig b/src/network/protocol/messages/getblocks.zig
index 9e85ad2..d2fe032 100644
--- a/src/network/protocol/messages/getblocks.zig
+++ b/src/network/protocol/messages/getblocks.zig
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 const std = @import("std");
 const protocol = @import("../lib.zig");
+const genericChecksum = @import("lib.zig").genericChecksum;
 
 const Sha256 = std.crypto.hash.sha2.Sha256;
 
@@ -21,15 +22,7 @@ pub const GetblocksMessage = struct {
     ///
     /// Computed as `Sha256(Sha256(self.serialize()))[0..4]`
     pub fn checksum(self: *const GetblocksMessage) [4]u8 {
-        var digest: [32]u8 = undefined;
-        var hasher = Sha256.init(.{});
-        const writer = hasher.writer();
-        self.serializeToWriter(writer) catch unreachable; // Sha256.write is infaible
-        hasher.final(&digest);
-
-        Sha256.hash(&digest, &digest, .{});
-
-        return digest[0..4].*;
+        return genericChecksum(self);
     }
 
     /// Free the `header_hashes`
diff --git a/src/network/protocol/messages/lib.zig b/src/network/protocol/messages/lib.zig
index a3ea704..adcdd47 100644
--- a/src/network/protocol/messages/lib.zig
+++ b/src/network/protocol/messages/lib.zig
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ pub const FeeFilterMessage = @import("feefilter.zig").FeeFilterMessage;
 pub const SendCmpctMessage = @import("sendcmpct.zig").SendCmpctMessage;
 pub const FilterClearMessage = @import("filterclear.zig").FilterClearMessage;
 pub const FilterAddMessage = @import("filteradd.zig").FilterAddMessage;
+const Sha256 = std.crypto.hash.sha2.Sha256;
 pub const NotFoundMessage = @import("notfound.zig").NotFoundMessage;
 pub const SendHeadersMessage = @import("sendheaders.zig").SendHeadersMessage;
 
@@ -153,3 +154,20 @@ pub const Message = union(MessageTypes) {
         };
     }
 };
+
+pub const default_checksum: [4]u8 = [_]u8{ 0x5d, 0xf6, 0xe0, 0xe2 };
+
+pub fn genericChecksum(m: anytype) [4]u8 {
+    comptime {
+        if (!std.meta.hasMethod(@TypeOf(m), "serializeToWriter")) @compileError("Expects m to have fn 'serializeToWriter'.");
+    }
+
+    var digest: [32]u8 = undefined;
+    var hasher = Sha256.init(.{});
+    m.serializeToWriter(hasher.writer()) catch unreachable;
+    hasher.final(&digest);
+
+    Sha256.hash(&digest, &digest, .{});
+
+    return digest[0..4].*;
+}
diff --git a/src/network/protocol/messages/mempool.zig b/src/network/protocol/messages/mempool.zig
index d47d593..186ff23 100644
--- a/src/network/protocol/messages/mempool.zig
+++ b/src/network/protocol/messages/mempool.zig
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 const std = @import("std");
 const protocol = @import("../lib.zig");
+const default_checksum = @import("lib.zig").default_checksum;
 
 /// MempoolMessage represents the "mempool" message
 ///
@@ -13,8 +14,7 @@ pub const MempoolMessage = struct {
 
     pub fn checksum(self: MempoolMessage) [4]u8 {
         _ = self;
-        // If payload is empty, the checksum is always 0x5df6e0e2 (SHA256(SHA256("")))
-        return [4]u8{ 0x5d, 0xf6, 0xe0, 0xe2 };
+        return default_checksum;
     }
 
     /// Serialize a message as bytes and return them.
diff --git a/src/network/protocol/messages/merkleblock.zig b/src/network/protocol/messages/merkleblock.zig
index cb452c8..1027d39 100644
--- a/src/network/protocol/messages/merkleblock.zig
+++ b/src/network/protocol/messages/merkleblock.zig
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ const protocol = @import("../lib.zig");
 const Sha256 = std.crypto.hash.sha2.Sha256;
 const BlockHeader = @import("../../../types/BlockHeader.zig");
 const CompactSizeUint = @import("bitcoin-primitives").types.CompatSizeUint;
-
+const genericChecksum = @import("lib.zig").genericChecksum;
 /// MerkleBlockMessage represents the "MerkleBlock" message
 ///
 /// https://developer.bitcoin.org/reference/p2p_networking.html#merkleblock
@@ -22,14 +22,7 @@ pub const MerkleBlockMessage = struct {
 
     /// Returns the message checksum
     pub fn checksum(self: *const Self) [4]u8 {
-        var digest: [32]u8 = undefined;
-        var hasher = Sha256.init(.{});
-        self.serializeToWriter(hasher.writer()) catch unreachable;
-        hasher.final(&digest);
-
-        Sha256.hash(&digest, &digest, .{});
-
-        return digest[0..4].*;
+        return genericChecksum(self);
     }
 
     /// Free the allocated memory
diff --git a/src/network/protocol/messages/ping.zig b/src/network/protocol/messages/ping.zig
index fc925b3..40e5de9 100644
--- a/src/network/protocol/messages/ping.zig
+++ b/src/network/protocol/messages/ping.zig
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 const std = @import("std");
 const protocol = @import("../lib.zig");
 const Sha256 = std.crypto.hash.sha2.Sha256;
+const genericChecksum = @import("lib.zig").genericChecksum;
 
 /// PingMessage represents the "Ping" message
 ///
@@ -18,15 +19,7 @@ pub const PingMessage = struct {
     ///
     /// Computed as `Sha256(Sha256(self.serialize()))[0..4]`
     pub fn checksum(self: *const Self) [4]u8 {
-        var digest: [32]u8 = undefined;
-        var hasher = Sha256.init(.{});
-        const writer = hasher.writer();
-        self.serializeToWriter(writer) catch unreachable; // Sha256.write is infaible
-        hasher.final(&digest);
-
-        Sha256.hash(&digest, &digest, .{});
-
-        return digest[0..4].*;
+        return genericChecksum(self);
     }
 
     /// Serialize a message as bytes and write them to the buffer.
diff --git a/src/network/protocol/messages/pong.zig b/src/network/protocol/messages/pong.zig
index f14121f..f739cbb 100644
--- a/src/network/protocol/messages/pong.zig
+++ b/src/network/protocol/messages/pong.zig
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 const std = @import("std");
 const protocol = @import("../lib.zig");
 const Sha256 = std.crypto.hash.sha2.Sha256;
+const genericChecksum = @import("lib.zig").genericChecksum;
 
 /// PongMessage represents the "Pong" message
 ///
@@ -18,15 +19,7 @@ pub const PongMessage = struct {
     ///
     /// Computed as `Sha256(Sha256(self.serialize()))[0..4]`
     pub fn checksum(self: *const Self) [4]u8 {
-        var digest: [32]u8 = undefined;
-        var hasher = Sha256.init(.{});
-        const writer = hasher.writer();
-        self.serializeToWriter(writer) catch unreachable; // Sha256.write is infaible
-        hasher.final(&digest);
-
-        Sha256.hash(&digest, &digest, .{});
-
-        return digest[0..4].*;
+        return genericChecksum(self);
     }
 
     /// Serialize a message as bytes and write them to the buffer.
diff --git a/src/network/protocol/messages/sendcmpct.zig b/src/network/protocol/messages/sendcmpct.zig
index 0f94f04..0105f35 100644
--- a/src/network/protocol/messages/sendcmpct.zig
+++ b/src/network/protocol/messages/sendcmpct.zig
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ const protocol = @import("../lib.zig");
 const Sha256 = std.crypto.hash.sha2.Sha256;
 
 const CompactSizeUint = @import("bitcoin-primitives").types.CompatSizeUint;
+const genericChecksum = @import("lib.zig").genericChecksum;
 
 /// SendCmpctMessage represents the "sendcmpct" message
 ///
@@ -20,15 +21,7 @@ pub const SendCmpctMessage = struct {
     ///
     /// Computed as `Sha256(Sha256(self.serialize()))[0..4]`
     pub fn checksum(self: *const SendCmpctMessage) [4]u8 {
-        var digest: [32]u8 = undefined;
-        var hasher = Sha256.init(.{});
-        const writer = hasher.writer();
-        self.serializeToWriter(writer) catch unreachable; // Sha256.write is infallible
-        hasher.final(&digest);
-
-        Sha256.hash(&digest, &digest, .{});
-
-        return digest[0..4].*;
+        return genericChecksum(self);
     }
     /// Serialize the message as bytes and write them to the Writer.
     pub fn serializeToWriter(self: *const SendCmpctMessage, w: anytype) !void {
diff --git a/src/network/protocol/messages/verack.zig b/src/network/protocol/messages/verack.zig
index 95be448..936234c 100644
--- a/src/network/protocol/messages/verack.zig
+++ b/src/network/protocol/messages/verack.zig
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 const std = @import("std");
 const protocol = @import("../lib.zig");
+const default_checksum = @import("lib.zig").default_checksum;
 
 /// VerackMessage represents the "verack" message
 ///
@@ -13,8 +14,7 @@ pub const VerackMessage = struct {
 
     pub fn checksum(self: VerackMessage) [4]u8 {
         _ = self;
-        // If payload is empty, the checksum is always 0x5df6e0e2 (SHA256(SHA256("")))
-        return [4]u8{ 0x5d, 0xf6, 0xe0, 0xe2 };
+        return default_checksum;
     }
 
     /// Serialize a message as bytes and return them.
diff --git a/src/network/protocol/messages/version.zig b/src/network/protocol/messages/version.zig
index 4c4b2b8..0a59fe9 100644
--- a/src/network/protocol/messages/version.zig
+++ b/src/network/protocol/messages/version.zig
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ const ServiceFlags = protocol.ServiceFlags;
 const Sha256 = std.crypto.hash.sha2.Sha256;
 
 const CompactSizeUint = @import("bitcoin-primitives").types.CompatSizeUint;
+const genericChecksum = @import("lib.zig").genericChecksum;
 
 /// VersionMessage represents the "version" message
 ///
@@ -35,15 +36,7 @@ pub const VersionMessage = struct {
     ///
     /// Computed as `Sha256(Sha256(self.serialize()))[0..4]`
     pub fn checksum(self: *const Self) [4]u8 {
-        var digest: [32]u8 = undefined;
-        var hasher = Sha256.init(.{});
-        const writer = hasher.writer();
-        self.serializeToWriter(writer) catch unreachable; // Sha256.write is infaible
-        hasher.final(&digest);
-
-        Sha256.hash(&digest, &digest, .{});
-
-        return digest[0..4].*;
+        return genericChecksum(self);
     }
 
     /// Free the `user_agent` if there is one