diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 896351a..4b71add 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@
   "dependencies": {
     "class-is": "^1.1.0",
     "libp2p-crypto": "~0.17.0",
-    "multihashes": "~0.4.15"
+    "multihashes": "~0.4.15",
+    "protons": "^1.0.1"
   },
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index fc35d38..7f2009a 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ const mh = require('multihashes')
 const cryptoKeys = require('libp2p-crypto/src/keys')
 const assert = require('assert')
 const withIs = require('class-is')
+const {PeerIdProto} = require('./proto')
 
 class PeerId {
   constructor (id, privKey, pubKey) {
@@ -67,6 +68,15 @@ class PeerId {
     }
   }
 
+  // Return the protobuf version of the peer-id
+  marshal (excludePriv) {
+    return PeerIdProto.encode({
+      id: this.toBytes(),
+      pubKey: this.marshalPubKey(),
+      privKey: excludePriv ? null : this.marshalPrivKey()
+    })
+  }
+
   toPrint () {
     let pid = this.toB58String()
     // All sha256 nodes start with Qm
@@ -232,6 +242,49 @@ exports.createFromJSON = async (obj) => {
   return new PeerIdWithIs(id, privKey, pub)
 }
 
+exports.createFromProtobuf = async (buf) => {
+  if (typeof buf === 'string') {
+    buf = Buffer.from(buf, 'hex')
+  }
+
+  let {id, privKey, pubKey} = PeerIdProto.decode(buf)
+
+  privKey = privKey ? await cryptoKeys.unmarshalPrivateKey(privKey) : false
+  pubKey = pubKey ? await cryptoKeys.unmarshalPublicKey(pubKey) : false
+
+  let pubDigest
+  let privDigest
+
+  if (privKey) {
+    privDigest = await computeDigest(privKey.public)
+  }
+
+  if (pubKey) {
+    pubDigest = await computeDigest(pubKey)
+  }
+
+  if (privKey) {
+    if (pubKey) {
+      if (!privDigest.equals(pubDigest)) {
+        throw new Error('Public and private key do not match')
+      }
+    }
+    return new PeerIdWithIs(privDigest, privKey, privKey.public)
+  }
+
+  // TODO: val id and pubDigest
+
+  if (pubKey) {
+    return new PeerIdWithIs(pubDigest, null, pubKey)
+  }
+
+  if (id) {
+    return new PeerIdWithIs(id)
+  }
+
+  throw new Error('Protobuf did not contain any usable key material')
+}
+
 exports.isPeerId = (peerId) => {
   return Boolean(typeof peerId === 'object' &&
     peerId._id &&
diff --git a/src/proto.js b/src/proto.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..83729b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/proto.js
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+'use strict'
+
+const protons = require('protons')
+module.exports = protons(`
+
+message PeerIdProto {
+  required bytes id = 1;
+  bytes pubKey = 2;
+  bytes privKey = 3;
+}
+
+`)
diff --git a/test/fixtures/sample-id.js b/test/fixtures/sample-id.js
index 490389d..8331d7b 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/sample-id.js
+++ b/test/fixtures/sample-id.js
@@ -3,5 +3,6 @@
 module.exports = {
   id: '122019318b6e5e0cf93a2314bf01269a2cc23cd3dcd452d742cdb9379d8646f6e4a9',
   privKey: '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',
-  pubKey: 'CAASpgIwggEiMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBAQUAA4IBDwAwggEKAoIBAQC2SKo/HMFZeBml1AF3XijzrxrfQXdJzjePBZAbdxqKR1Mc6juRHXij6HXYPjlAk01BhF1S3Ll4Lwi0cAHhggf457sMg55UWyeGKeUv0ucgvCpBwlR5cQ020i0MgzjPWOLWq1rtvSbNcAi2ZEVn6+Q2EcHo3wUvWRtLeKz+DZSZfw2PEDC+DGPJPl7f8g7zl56YymmmzH9liZLNrzg/qidokUv5u1pdGrcpLuPNeTODk0cqKB+OUbuKj9GShYECCEjaybJDl9276oalL9ghBtSeEv20kugatTvYy590wFlJkkvyl+nPxIH0EEYMKK9XRWlu9XYnoSfboiwcv8M3SlsjAgMBAAE='
+  pubKey: 'CAASpgIwggEiMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBAQUAA4IBDwAwggEKAoIBAQC2SKo/HMFZeBml1AF3XijzrxrfQXdJzjePBZAbdxqKR1Mc6juRHXij6HXYPjlAk01BhF1S3Ll4Lwi0cAHhggf457sMg55UWyeGKeUv0ucgvCpBwlR5cQ020i0MgzjPWOLWq1rtvSbNcAi2ZEVn6+Q2EcHo3wUvWRtLeKz+DZSZfw2PEDC+DGPJPl7f8g7zl56YymmmzH9liZLNrzg/qidokUv5u1pdGrcpLuPNeTODk0cqKB+OUbuKj9GShYECCEjaybJDl9276oalL9ghBtSeEv20kugatTvYy590wFlJkkvyl+nPxIH0EEYMKK9XRWlu9XYnoSfboiwcv8M3SlsjAgMBAAE=',
+  marshaled: '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'
 }
diff --git a/test/peer-id.spec.js b/test/peer-id.spec.js
index 2e2c052..64db8d0 100644
--- a/test/peer-id.spec.js
+++ b/test/peer-id.spec.js
@@ -86,6 +86,15 @@ describe('PeerId', () => {
     expect(id.marshalPubKey()).to.deep.equal(id2.marshalPubKey())
   })
 
+  it('Recreate from Protobuf', async () => {
+    const id = await PeerId.createFromProtobuf(testId.marshaled)
+    expect(testIdB58String).to.equal(id.toB58String())
+    const encoded = Buffer.from(testId.privKey, 'base64')
+    const id2 = await PeerId.createFromPrivKey(encoded)
+    expect(testIdB58String).to.equal(id2.toB58String())
+    expect(id.marshalPubKey()).to.deep.equal(id2.marshalPubKey())
+  })
+
   it('can be created from a Secp256k1 public key', async () => {
     const privKey = await crypto.keys.generateKeyPair('secp256k1', 256)
     const id = await PeerId.createFromPubKey(privKey.public.bytes)
@@ -200,7 +209,7 @@ describe('PeerId', () => {
       Buffer.from(''), 'aGVsbG93b3JsZA==', 'helloworld', ''
     ]
 
-    const fncs = ['createFromPubKey', 'createFromPrivKey', 'createFromJSON']
+    const fncs = ['createFromPubKey', 'createFromPrivKey', 'createFromJSON', 'createFromProtobuf']
 
     for (const gb of garbage) {
       for (const fn of fncs) {