diff --git a/lib/connection.js b/lib/connection.js
index bdf89356..f03c62b5 100644
--- a/lib/connection.js
+++ b/lib/connection.js
@@ -189,23 +189,6 @@ p.setBuffer = function(buffer) {
   this.offset = 0;
 };
 
-var messageNames = {
-  R: 'authenticationOk',
-  S: 'parameterStatus',
-  K: 'backendKeyData',
-  C: 'commandComplete',
-  Z: 'readyForQuery',
-  T: 'rowDescription',
-  D: 'dataRow',
-  E: 'error',
-  N: 'notice',
-  1: 'parseComplete',
-  2: 'bindComplete',
-  A: 'notification',
-  n: 'noData',
-  I: 'emptyQuery'
-};
-
 p.parseMessage =  function() {
   var remaining = this.buffer.length - (this.offset);
   if(remaining < 5) {
@@ -213,13 +196,12 @@ p.parseMessage =  function() {
     //just abort the read now
     this.lastBuffer = this.buffer;
     this.lastOffset = this.offset;
-    return;
+    return false;
   }
 
-  var id = this.readChar();
+  var messageType = this.buffer[this.offset++];
 
   var message = {
-    name: messageNames[id],
     length: this.parseInt32()
   };
 
@@ -229,8 +211,72 @@ p.parseMessage =  function() {
     this.lastOffset = this.offset-5;
     return false;
   }
-  
-  return this["parse"+id](message);
+
+  switch(messageType)
+  {
+
+  case 0x52: //R
+    message.name = 'authenticationOk';
+    return this.parseR(message);
+
+  case 0x53: //S
+    message.name = 'parameterStatus';
+    return this.parseS(message);
+
+  case 0x4b: //K
+    message.name = 'backendKeyData';
+    return this.parseK(message);
+
+  case 0x43: //C
+    message.name = 'commandComplete';
+    return this.parseC(message);
+
+  case 0x5a: //Z
+    message.name = 'readyForQuery';
+    return this.parseZ(message);
+
+  case 0x54: //T
+    message.name = 'rowDescription';
+    return this.parseT(message);
+
+  case 0x44: //D
+    message.name = 'dataRow';
+    return this.parseD(message);
+
+  case 0x45: //E
+    message.name = 'error';
+    return this.parseE(message);
+
+  case 0x4e: //N
+    message.name = 'notice';
+    return this.parseN(message);
+
+  case 0x31: //1
+    message.name = 'parseComplete';
+    return this.parse1(message);
+
+  case 0x32: //2
+    message.name = 'bindComplete';
+    return this.parse2(message);
+
+  case 0x41: //A
+    message.name = 'notification';
+    return this.parseA(message);
+
+  case 0x6e: //n
+    message.name = 'noData';
+    return this.parsen(message);
+
+  case 0x49: //I
+    message.name = 'emptyQuery';
+    return this.parseI(message);
+
+  default:
+    throw new Error("Unrecognized message code " + messageType);
+  }
+
+
+
 };
 
 p.parseR = function(msg) {