diff --git a/consensus/consensus_leader.go b/consensus/consensus_leader.go
index 96b892924..d8368283f 100644
--- a/consensus/consensus_leader.go
+++ b/consensus/consensus_leader.go
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ func (consensus *Consensus) processCommitMessage(payload []byte) {
 		consensus.Log.Debug("Enough commitments received with signatures", "numOfSignatures", len(consensus.commitments))
 
 		// Broadcast challenge
-		msgToSend := consensus.constructChallengeMessage()
+		msgToSend := consensus.constructChallengeMessage(proto_consensus.CHALLENGE)
 		p2p.BroadcastMessage(consensus.getValidatorPeers(), msgToSend)
 
 		// Set state to CHALLENGE_DONE
diff --git a/consensus/consensus_leader_msg.go b/consensus/consensus_leader_msg.go
index 3ff9b3e4f..b31e91d77 100644
--- a/consensus/consensus_leader_msg.go
+++ b/consensus/consensus_leader_msg.go
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ func (consensus *Consensus) constructAnnounceMessage() []byte {
 }
 
 // Construct the challenge message
-func (consensus *Consensus) constructChallengeMessage() []byte {
+func (consensus *Consensus) constructChallengeMessage(msgType proto_consensus.MessageType) []byte {
 	buffer := bytes.NewBuffer([]byte{})
 
 	// 4 byte consensus id
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ func (consensus *Consensus) constructChallengeMessage() []byte {
 	signature := consensus.signMessage(buffer.Bytes())
 	buffer.Write(signature)
 
-	return proto_consensus.ConstructConsensusMessage(proto_consensus.CHALLENGE, buffer.Bytes())
+	return proto_consensus.ConstructConsensusMessage(msgType, buffer.Bytes())
 }
 
 // Construct the collective signature message
diff --git a/consensus/consensus_leader_msg_test.go b/consensus/consensus_leader_msg_test.go
index b4139bf97..263422684 100644
--- a/consensus/consensus_leader_msg_test.go
+++ b/consensus/consensus_leader_msg_test.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/simple-rules/harmony-benchmark/crypto"
 	"github.com/simple-rules/harmony-benchmark/crypto/pki"
 	"github.com/simple-rules/harmony-benchmark/p2p"
+	consensus_proto "github.com/simple-rules/harmony-benchmark/proto/consensus"
 )
 
 func TestConstructAnnounceMessage(test *testing.T) {
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ func TestConstructChallengeMessage(test *testing.T) {
 	consensus.bitmap.SetKey(leaderPubKey, true)
 	consensus.bitmap.SetKey(validatorPubKey, true)
 
-	msg := consensus.constructChallengeMessage()
+	msg := consensus.constructChallengeMessage(consensus_proto.CHALLENGE)
 
 	if len(msg) != 1+1+1+4+32+2+33+33+32+64 {
 		test.Errorf("Annouce message is not constructed in the correct size: %d", len(msg))
diff --git a/consensus/consensus_validator.go b/consensus/consensus_validator.go
index 61bd25bbf..783b86cfb 100644
--- a/consensus/consensus_validator.go
+++ b/consensus/consensus_validator.go
@@ -234,10 +234,10 @@ func (consensus *Consensus) processChallengeMessage(payload []byte) {
 
 	response, err := crypto.Response(crypto.Ed25519Curve, consensus.priKey, consensus.secret, receivedChallenge)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Error("Failed to generate response", "err", err)
+		log.Info("Failed to generate response", "err", err)
 		return
 	}
-	msgToSend := consensus.constructResponseMessage(response)
+	msgToSend := consensus.constructResponseMessage(proto_consensus.RESPONSE, response)
 
 	p2p.SendMessage(consensus.leader, msgToSend)
 
diff --git a/consensus/consensus_validator_msg.go b/consensus/consensus_validator_msg.go
index c999adcc4..7172d2e8a 100644
--- a/consensus/consensus_validator_msg.go
+++ b/consensus/consensus_validator_msg.go
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ func (consensus *Consensus) constructCommitMessage(msgType proto_consensus.Messa
 }
 
 // Construct the response message to send to leader (assumption the consensus data is already verified)
-func (consensus *Consensus) constructResponseMessage(response kyber.Scalar) []byte {
+func (consensus *Consensus) constructResponseMessage(msgType proto_consensus.MessageType, response kyber.Scalar) []byte {
 	buffer := bytes.NewBuffer([]byte{})
 
 	// 4 byte consensus id
@@ -60,5 +60,5 @@ func (consensus *Consensus) constructResponseMessage(response kyber.Scalar) []by
 	signature := consensus.signMessage(buffer.Bytes())
 	buffer.Write(signature)
 
-	return proto_consensus.ConstructConsensusMessage(proto_consensus.RESPONSE, buffer.Bytes())
+	return proto_consensus.ConstructConsensusMessage(msgType, buffer.Bytes())
 }
diff --git a/consensus/consensus_validator_msg_test.go b/consensus/consensus_validator_msg_test.go
index 6facaaccc..46430eee4 100644
--- a/consensus/consensus_validator_msg_test.go
+++ b/consensus/consensus_validator_msg_test.go
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ func TestConstructResponseMessage(test *testing.T) {
 	validator := p2p.Peer{Ip: "3", Port: "5"}
 	consensus := NewConsensus("1", "2", "0", []p2p.Peer{leader, validator}, leader)
 	consensus.blockHash = [32]byte{}
-	msg := consensus.constructResponseMessage(crypto.Ed25519Curve.Scalar())
+	msg := consensus.constructResponseMessage(consensus_proto.RESPONSE, crypto.Ed25519Curve.Scalar())
 
 	if len(msg) != 1+1+1+4+32+2+32+64 {
 		test.Errorf("Response message is not constructed in the correct size: %d", len(msg))