diff --git a/couple.js b/couple.js
index 290b7b3..1c98a95 100644
--- a/couple.js
+++ b/couple.js
@@ -90,6 +90,11 @@ function couple(pc, targetId, signaller, opts) {
     signaller.removeListener('sdp', handleSdp);
     signaller.removeListener('candidate', handleCandidate);
     signaller.removeListener('negotiate', handleNegotiateRequest);
+
+    // remove listeners (version >= 5)
+    signaller.removeListener('message:sdp', handleSdp);
+    signaller.removeListener('message:candidate', handleCandidate);
+    signaller.removeListener('message:negotiate', handleNegotiateRequest);
   }
 
   function handleCandidate(data) {
@@ -195,9 +200,14 @@ function couple(pc, targetId, signaller, opts) {
   signaller.on('sdp', handleSdp);
   signaller.on('candidate', handleCandidate);
 
+  // listeners (signaller >= 5)
+  signaller.on('message:sdp', handleSdp);
+  signaller.on('message:candidate', handleCandidate);
+
   // if this is a master connection, listen for negotiate events
   if (isMaster) {
     signaller.on('negotiate', handleNegotiateRequest);
+    signaller.on('message:negotiate', handleNegotiateRequest); // signaller >= 5
   }
 
   // when the connection closes, remove event handlers
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 9880703..8884122 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -14,8 +14,9 @@
     "messenger-memory": "^1.2.0",
     "peerpair": "^1.0.0",
     "rtc-media": "^1",
-    "rtc-signaller": "^3.1.1",
-    "rtc-switchboard": "^1.2.1",
+    "rtc-signaller": "^5.0.0",
+    "rtc-switchboard": "^2.0.0",
+    "rtc-switchboard-messenger": "^1.0.0",
     "tape": "^3.0.1",
     "testling": "^1",
     "uuid": "^2.0.1",
@@ -46,4 +47,4 @@
     "files": "test/all.js",
     "server": "test/server.js"
   }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/test/capture-close-localonly.js b/test/capture-close-localonly.js
index 38195da..9990ecb 100644
--- a/test/capture-close-localonly.js
+++ b/test/capture-close-localonly.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 var couple = require('../couple');
 var signaller = require('rtc-signaller');
+var messenger = require('./helpers/messenger');
 var test = require('tape');
 var rtc = require('..');
 var conns = [];
@@ -22,8 +23,8 @@ test('create peer connections', function(t) {
 test('create signallers', function(t) {
   t.plan(2);
 
-  t.ok(signallers[0] = signaller(location.origin), 'created signaller a');
-  t.ok(signallers[1] = signaller(location.origin), 'created signaller b');
+  t.ok(signallers[0] = signaller(messenger), 'created signaller a');
+  t.ok(signallers[1] = signaller(messenger), 'created signaller b');
 });
 
 test('announce signallers', function(t) {
@@ -93,4 +94,4 @@ test('release references', function(t) {
   monitors = [];
   dcs = [];
   t.pass('done');
-});
\ No newline at end of file
+});
diff --git a/test/capture-close-signaller.js b/test/capture-close-signaller.js
index 3e50d33..bc33f5c 100644
--- a/test/capture-close-signaller.js
+++ b/test/capture-close-signaller.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 var couple = require('../couple');
 var cleanup = require('../cleanup');
 var signaller = require('rtc-signaller');
+var messenger = require('./helpers/messenger');
 var test = require('tape');
 var rtc = require('..');
 var conns = [];
@@ -24,10 +25,10 @@ module.exports = function(suiteName, ids) {
   test(suiteName + ': create signallers', function(t) {
     t.plan(4);
 
-    t.ok(signallers[0] = signaller(location.origin, { id: ids[0] }), 'created signaller a');
+    t.ok(signallers[0] = signaller(messenger, { id: ids[0] }), 'created signaller a');
     t.equal(signallers[0].id, ids[0], 'id assigned');
 
-    t.ok(signallers[1] = signaller(location.origin, { id: ids[1] }), 'created signaller b');
+    t.ok(signallers[1] = signaller(messenger, { id: ids[1] }), 'created signaller b');
     t.equal(signallers[1].id, ids[1], 'id assigned');
   });
 
@@ -113,4 +114,4 @@ module.exports = function(suiteName, ids) {
     dcs = [];
     t.pass('done');
   });
-};
\ No newline at end of file
+};
diff --git a/test/capture-close.js b/test/capture-close.js
index ce5f0d1..c3320d4 100644
--- a/test/capture-close.js
+++ b/test/capture-close.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 var couple = require('../couple');
 var signaller = require('rtc-signaller');
+var messenger = require('./helpers/messenger');
 var test = require('tape');
 var rtc = require('..');
 var conns = [];
@@ -22,8 +23,8 @@ test('create peer connections', function(t) {
 test('create signallers', function(t) {
   t.plan(2);
 
-  t.ok(signallers[0] = signaller(location.origin), 'created signaller a');
-  t.ok(signallers[1] = signaller(location.origin), 'created signaller b');
+  t.ok(signallers[0] = signaller(messenger), 'created signaller a');
+  t.ok(signallers[1] = signaller(messenger), 'created signaller b');
 });
 
 test('announce signallers', function(t) {
@@ -92,4 +93,4 @@ test('release references', function(t) {
   monitors = [];
   dcs = [];
   t.pass('done');
-});
\ No newline at end of file
+});
diff --git a/test/coupling-constraints.js b/test/coupling-constraints.js
index bff5a83..b0ba5d0 100644
--- a/test/coupling-constraints.js
+++ b/test/coupling-constraints.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 var couple = require('../couple');
 var signaller = require('rtc-signaller');
+var messenger = require('./helpers/messenger');
 var test = require('tape');
 var rtc = require('..');
 var conns = [];
@@ -22,8 +23,8 @@ test('create peer connections', function(t) {
 test('create signallers', function(t) {
   t.plan(2);
 
-  t.ok(signallers[0] = signaller(location.origin), 'created signaller a');
-  t.ok(signallers[1] = signaller(location.origin), 'created signaller b');
+  t.ok(signallers[0] = signaller(messenger), 'created signaller a');
+  t.ok(signallers[1] = signaller(messenger), 'created signaller b');
 });
 
 test('announce signallers', function(t) {
@@ -95,4 +96,4 @@ test('release references', function(t) {
   monitors = [];
   dcs = [];
   t.pass('done');
-});
\ No newline at end of file
+});
diff --git a/test/coupling-customid.js b/test/coupling-customid.js
index 9dc80e0..bad0f1b 100644
--- a/test/coupling-customid.js
+++ b/test/coupling-customid.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 var couple = require('../couple');
 var signaller = require('rtc-signaller');
+var messenger = require('./helpers/messenger');
 var test = require('tape');
 var rtc = require('..');
 var conns = [];
@@ -22,10 +23,10 @@ test('create peer connections', function(t) {
 test('create signallers (using custom ids)', function(t) {
   t.plan(4);
 
-  t.ok(signallers[0] = signaller(location.origin, { id: 1 }), 'created signaller a (id = 1)');
+  t.ok(signallers[0] = signaller(messenger, { id: 1 }), 'created signaller a (id = 1)');
   t.equal(signallers[0].id, 1, 'id === 1');
 
-  t.ok(signallers[1] = signaller(location.origin, { id: 2 }), 'created signaller b');
+  t.ok(signallers[1] = signaller(messenger, { id: 2 }), 'created signaller b');
   t.equal(signallers[1].id, 2, 'id === 2');
 });
 
diff --git a/test/coupling-reactive-doubleanswer.js b/test/coupling-reactive-doubleanswer.js
index ef6efbf..fe117a0 100644
--- a/test/coupling-reactive-doubleanswer.js
+++ b/test/coupling-reactive-doubleanswer.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 var couple = require('../couple');
 var signaller = require('rtc-signaller');
+var messenger = require('./helpers/messenger');
 var test = require('tape');
 var rtc = require('..');
 var conns = [];
@@ -22,8 +23,8 @@ test('create peer connections', function(t) {
 test('create signallers', function(t) {
   t.plan(2);
 
-  t.ok(signallers[0] = signaller(location.origin), 'created signaller a');
-  t.ok(signallers[1] = signaller(location.origin), 'created signaller b');
+  t.ok(signallers[0] = signaller(messenger), 'created signaller a');
+  t.ok(signallers[1] = signaller(messenger), 'created signaller b');
 });
 
 test('announce signallers', function(t) {
diff --git a/test/coupling-reactive-randomdelay.js b/test/coupling-reactive-randomdelay.js
index 8140e15..d46c1b3 100644
--- a/test/coupling-reactive-randomdelay.js
+++ b/test/coupling-reactive-randomdelay.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 var couple = require('../couple');
 var signaller = require('rtc-signaller');
+var messenger = require('./helpers/messenger');
 var test = require('tape');
 var rtc = require('..');
 var conns = [];
@@ -9,13 +10,10 @@ var scope = [];
 var messengers = [];
 var dcs = [];
 var roomId = require('uuid').v4();
-var messenger = require('messenger-memory');
+var messenger = require('./helpers/messenger');
 var times = require('whisk/times');
 var scope = [];
-var messengers = [
-  messenger({ delay: Math.random() * 500, scope: scope }),
-  messenger({ delay: Math.random() * 500, scope: scope })
-];
+var messengers = [ messenger, messenger ];
 
 // require('cog/logger').enable('*');
 
diff --git a/test/coupling.js b/test/coupling.js
index 3c15be9..56febc5 100644
--- a/test/coupling.js
+++ b/test/coupling.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 var couple = require('../couple');
 var signaller = require('rtc-signaller');
+var messenger = require('./helpers/messenger');
 var test = require('tape');
 var rtc = require('..');
 var conns = [];
@@ -22,8 +23,8 @@ test('create peer connections', function(t) {
 test('create signallers', function(t) {
   t.plan(2);
 
-  t.ok(signallers[0] = signaller(location.origin), 'created signaller a');
-  t.ok(signallers[1] = signaller(location.origin), 'created signaller b');
+  t.ok(signallers[0] = signaller(messenger), 'created signaller a');
+  t.ok(signallers[1] = signaller(messenger), 'created signaller b');
 });
 
 test('announce signallers', function(t) {
diff --git a/test/helpers/messenger.js b/test/helpers/messenger.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cd3d5e9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/helpers/messenger.js
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+module.exports = require('rtc-switchboard-messenger')(location.origin);
diff --git a/test/subtest-reactive-randomdelay-streams.js b/test/subtest-reactive-randomdelay-streams.js
index addbbb7..5524c16 100644
--- a/test/subtest-reactive-randomdelay-streams.js
+++ b/test/subtest-reactive-randomdelay-streams.js
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 var couple = require('../couple');
 var signaller = require('rtc-signaller');
+var messenger = require('./helpers/messenger');
 var MediaStream = require('../detect')('MediaStream');
 var test = require('tape');
 var rtc = require('..');
-var messenger = require('messenger-memory');
 var times = require('whisk/times');
 
 module.exports = function(name, contexts, opts) {
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ module.exports = function(name, contexts, opts) {
   var signallers = [];
   var monitors = [];
   var scope = [];
-  var messengers = [];
   var dcs = [];
   var scope = [];
 
@@ -22,17 +21,10 @@ module.exports = function(name, contexts, opts) {
   var maxDelay = ((opts || {}).maxDelay || 500) - minDelay;
   var streamCount = (opts || {}).streamCount || 10;
 
-  var messengers = [
-    messenger({ delay: randomDelay, scope: scope }),
-    messenger({ delay: randomDelay, scope: scope })
-  ];
-
   function randomDelay() {
     return minDelay + (Math.random() * maxDelay);
   }
 
-  require('cog/logger').enable('rtc-validator');
-
   test(name + ': create peer connections', function(t) {
     t.plan(2);
 
@@ -42,7 +34,9 @@ module.exports = function(name, contexts, opts) {
 
   test(name + ': create signallers', function(t) {
     t.plan(2);
-    signallers = messengers.map(signaller);
+    signallers = times(2).map(function() {
+      return signaller(messenger);
+    });
     t.ok(signallers[0], 'created signaller a');
     t.ok(signallers[1], 'created signaller b');
   });
diff --git a/test/subtest-reactive.js b/test/subtest-reactive.js
index 8a044b0..d1ac319 100644
--- a/test/subtest-reactive.js
+++ b/test/subtest-reactive.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 var couple = require('../couple');
 var signaller = require('rtc-signaller');
+var messenger = require('./helpers/messenger');
 var test = require('tape');
 var rtc = require('..');
 var times = require('whisk/times');
@@ -33,8 +34,8 @@ module.exports = function(name, opts) {
   test(name + ': create signallers', function(t) {
     t.plan(2);
 
-    t.ok(signallers[0] = signaller(location.origin), 'created signaller a');
-    t.ok(signallers[1] = signaller(location.origin), 'created signaller b');
+    t.ok(signallers[0] = signaller(messenger), 'created signaller a');
+    t.ok(signallers[1] = signaller(messenger), 'created signaller b');
   });
 
   test(name + ': announce signallers', function(t) {