diff --git a/bin/sendblock.rb b/bin/sendblock.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e8123f683
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/sendblock.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+#!/usr/bin/ruby
+#
+require 'rubygems'
+require "socket"
+require "lib/net/message"
+require "lib/net/client"
+require "lib/net/messages/directory"
+require "lib/net/messages/indexevent"
+require "lib/net/messages/search"
+require "lib/net/messages/searchhits"
+require "lib/net/messages/ping"
+require "set"
+require "thread"
+
+Thread::abort_on_exception = true
+
+class SearchClient < LogStash::Net::MessageClient
+end
+
+def main(args)
+  client = SearchClient.new
+  msg = LogStash::Net::Messages::PingRequest.new
+  op = client.sendmsg("logstash-directory", msg) do |response|
+    puts response
+    :finished
+  end
+
+  op.wait_until_finished
+  puts "Done!"
+
+  return 0
+end
+
+if $0 == __FILE__
+  exit main(ARGV)
+end
diff --git a/lib/net/socket.rb b/lib/net/socket.rb
index 05255399b..4dbba5a4b 100644
--- a/lib/net/socket.rb
+++ b/lib/net/socket.rb
@@ -6,7 +6,32 @@ require 'uuid'
 
 USE_MARSHAL = ENV.has_key?("USE_MARSHAL")
 
+
 module LogStash; module Net
+
+  class Operation
+    def initialize(callback)
+      @mutex = Mutex.new
+      @callback = callback
+      @cv = ConditionVariable.new
+    end # def initialize
+
+    def call(*args)
+      @mutex.synchronize do
+        ret = @callback.call(*args)
+        if ret == :finished
+          @cv.signal
+        end
+      end
+    end # def call
+
+    def wait_until_finished
+      @mutex.synchronize do
+        @cv.wait(@mutex)
+      end
+    end # def wait_until_finished
+  end # def Operation
+
   # The MessageClient class exists only as an alias
   # to the MessageSocketMux. You should use the
   # client class if you are implementing a client.
@@ -22,6 +47,7 @@ module LogStash; module Net
       @handler = self
       @outbuffer = Hash.new { |h,k| h[k] = [] }
       @mq = nil
+      @message_operations = Hash.new
       start_amqp
     end # def initialize
 
@@ -69,10 +95,16 @@ module LogStash; module Net
         end
         name = message.class.name.split(":")[-1]
         func = "#{name}Handler"
-        if @handler.respond_to?(func) 
+
+        puts "Got message #{message.id}"
+        if @message_operations.has_key?(message.id)
+          operation = @message_operations[message.id]
+          operation.call message
+        elsif @handler.respond_to?(func) 
           @handler.send(func, message) do |response|
             reply = message.replyto
             puts "sending reply to #{reply}"
+            puts "response id: #{response.id}"
             sendmsg(reply, response)
           end
 
@@ -132,6 +164,9 @@ module LogStash; module Net
 
     def sendmsg_topic(key, msg)
       return unless @mq    # wait until we are connected
+      if (msg.is_a?(RequestMessage) and msg.id == nil)
+        msg.generate_id!
+      end
 
       if USE_MARSHAL
         data = Marshal.dump(msg)
@@ -142,16 +177,23 @@ module LogStash; module Net
       @mq.topic("amq.topic").publish(data, :key => key)
     end
 
-    def sendmsg(destination, msg)
-      if msg.is_a?(RequestMessage)
+    def sendmsg(destination, msg, &callback)
+      puts "sendmsg; #{msg.id}"
+      if (msg.is_a?(RequestMessage) and msg.id == nil)
         msg.generate_id!
       end
       msg.replyto = @id
       @outbuffer[destination] << msg
-
       if @outbuffer[destination].length > MAXBUF
         flushout(destination)
       end
+
+      if block_given?
+        puts "Block given for  message #{msg.id}"
+        op = Operation.new(callback)
+        @message_operations[msg.id] = op
+        return op
+      end
     end
 
     def handler=(handler)