diff --git a/packages/core/src/controllers/crypto.ts b/packages/core/src/controllers/crypto.ts
index fa649c3c4..9d33b1f88 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/controllers/crypto.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/controllers/crypto.ts
@@ -106,12 +106,13 @@ export class Crypto implements ICrypto {
   public encode: ICrypto["encode"] = async (topic, payload, opts) => {
     this.isInitialized();
     const params = validateEncoding(opts);
-    const message = safeJsonStringify(payload);
     if (isTypeOneEnvelope(params)) {
       const selfPublicKey = params.senderPublicKey;
       const peerPublicKey = params.receiverPublicKey;
       topic = await this.generateSharedKey(selfPublicKey, peerPublicKey);
     }
+    const protectedPayload = { topic, ...payload };
+    const message = safeJsonStringify(protectedPayload);
     const symKey = this.getSymKey(topic);
     const { type, senderPublicKey } = params;
     const result = encrypt({ type, symKey, message, senderPublicKey });
@@ -130,6 +131,12 @@ export class Crypto implements ICrypto {
       const symKey = this.getSymKey(topic);
       const message = decrypt({ symKey, encoded });
       const payload = safeJsonParse(message);
+      if (typeof payload.topic !== "undefined") {
+        if (payload.topic !== topic) {
+          throw new Error("Mismatched topic decoded from message");
+        }
+        delete payload.topic;
+      }
       return payload;
     } catch (error) {
       this.logger.error(