diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 39d0b714..a05294e6 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -2662,6 +2662,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "radicle-crypto",
  "radicle-fetch",
  "radicle-git-ext",
+ "radicle-protocol",
  "radicle-signals",
  "radicle-systemd",
  "scrypt",
@@ -2674,6 +2675,42 @@ dependencies = [
  "thiserror 1.0.69",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "radicle-protocol"
+version = "0.1.0"
+dependencies = [
+ "amplify",
+ "anyhow",
+ "bloomy",
+ "byteorder",
+ "chrono",
+ "colored",
+ "crossbeam-channel",
+ "cyphernet",
+ "fastrand",
+ "io-reactor",
+ "lexopt",
+ "libc",
+ "localtime",
+ "log",
+ "netservices",
+ "nonempty 0.9.0",
+ "qcheck",
+ "qcheck-macros",
+ "radicle",
+ "radicle-crypto",
+ "radicle-fetch",
+ "radicle-git-ext",
+ "scrypt",
+ "serde",
+ "serde_json",
+ "snapbox",
+ "socket2",
+ "sqlite",
+ "tempfile",
+ "thiserror 1.0.69",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "radicle-remote-helper"
 version = "0.11.0"
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 306f27ec..3a3920fd 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ radicle-dag = { version = "0.10", path = "crates/radicle-dag" }
 radicle-fetch = { version = "0.12", path = "crates/radicle-fetch" }
 radicle-git-ext = { version = "0.8", default-features = false }
 radicle-node = { version = "0.12", path = "crates/radicle-node" }
+radicle-protocol = { version = "0.1", path = "crates/radicle-protocol" }
 radicle-signals = { version = "0.11", path = "crates/radicle-signals" }
 radicle-ssh = { version = "0.9", path = "crates/radicle-ssh", default-features = false }
 radicle-systemd = { version = "0.9", path = "crates/radicle-systemd" }
diff --git a/crates/radicle-node/Cargo.toml b/crates/radicle-node/Cargo.toml
index ffa30054..e2e084bf 100644
--- a/crates/radicle-node/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/radicle-node/Cargo.toml
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ radicle-fetch = { workspace = true }
 # N.b. this is required to use macros, even though it's re-exported
 # through radicle
 radicle-git-ext = { workspace = true, features = ["serde"] }
+radicle-protocol = { workspace = true }
 radicle-signals = { workspace = true }
 radicle-systemd = { workspace = true, optional = true }
 sqlite = { workspace = true, features = ["bundled"] }
@@ -53,4 +54,4 @@ qcheck = { workspace = true }
 qcheck-macros = { workspace = true }
 radicle = { workspace = true, features = ["test"] }
 radicle-crypto = { workspace = true, features = ["test", "cyphernet"] }
-snapbox = { workspace = true }
\ No newline at end of file
+snapbox = { workspace = true }
diff --git a/crates/radicle-protocol/Cargo.toml b/crates/radicle-protocol/Cargo.toml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8d0f5ecd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/radicle-protocol/Cargo.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+[package]
+name = "radicle-protocol"
+description = "The Radicle Protocol"
+homepage.workspace = true
+license.workspace = true
+version = "0.1.0"
+authors = ["Radicle Team <team@radicle.xyz>"]
+edition.workspace = true
+rust-version.workspace = true
+
+[features]
+test = ["radicle/test", "radicle-crypto/test", "radicle-crypto/cyphernet", "qcheck", "snapbox"]
+
+[dependencies]
+amplify = { workspace = true }
+anyhow = { workspace = true }
+bloomy = "1.2"
+byteorder = { workspace = true }
+chrono = { workspace = true, features = ["clock"] }
+colored = { workspace = true }
+crossbeam-channel = { workspace = true }
+cyphernet = { workspace = true, features = ["tor", "dns", "ed25519", "p2p-ed25519"] }
+fastrand = { workspace = true }
+io-reactor = { version = "0.5.1", features = ["popol"] }
+lexopt = { workspace = true }
+libc = { workspace = true }
+log = { workspace = true, features = ["std"] }
+localtime = { workspace = true }
+netservices = { version = "0.8.0", features = ["io-reactor", "socket2"] }
+nonempty = { workspace = true, features = ["serialize"] }
+qcheck = { workspace = true, optional = true }
+radicle = { workspace = true, features = ["logger"] }
+radicle-fetch = { workspace = true }
+radicle-git-ext = { workspace = true, features = ["serde"] }
+sqlite = { workspace = true, features = ["bundled"] }
+scrypt = { version = "0.11.0", default-features = false }
+serde = { workspace = true, features = ["derive"] }
+serde_json = { workspace = true, features = ["preserve_order"] }
+snapbox = { workspace = true, optional = true }
+socket2 = "0.5.7"
+tempfile = { workspace = true }
+thiserror = { workspace = true }
+
+[dev-dependencies]
+qcheck = { workspace = true }
+qcheck-macros = { workspace = true }
+radicle = { workspace = true, features = ["test"] }
+radicle-crypto = { workspace = true, features = ["test", "cyphernet"] }
+snapbox = { workspace = true }
diff --git a/crates/radicle-node/src/bounded.rs b/crates/radicle-protocol/src/bounded.rs
similarity index 100%
rename from crates/radicle-node/src/bounded.rs
rename to crates/radicle-protocol/src/bounded.rs
diff --git a/crates/radicle-node/src/service.rs b/crates/radicle-protocol/src/service.rs
similarity index 100%
rename from crates/radicle-node/src/service.rs
rename to crates/radicle-protocol/src/service.rs
diff --git a/crates/radicle-node/src/service/filter.rs b/crates/radicle-protocol/src/service/filter.rs
similarity index 100%
rename from crates/radicle-node/src/service/filter.rs
rename to crates/radicle-protocol/src/service/filter.rs
diff --git a/crates/radicle-node/src/service/gossip.rs b/crates/radicle-protocol/src/service/gossip.rs
similarity index 100%
rename from crates/radicle-node/src/service/gossip.rs
rename to crates/radicle-protocol/src/service/gossip.rs
diff --git a/crates/radicle-node/src/service/gossip/store.rs b/crates/radicle-protocol/src/service/gossip/store.rs
similarity index 100%
rename from crates/radicle-node/src/service/gossip/store.rs
rename to crates/radicle-protocol/src/service/gossip/store.rs
diff --git a/crates/radicle-node/src/service/io.rs b/crates/radicle-protocol/src/service/io.rs
similarity index 100%
rename from crates/radicle-node/src/service/io.rs
rename to crates/radicle-protocol/src/service/io.rs
diff --git a/crates/radicle-node/src/service/limiter.rs b/crates/radicle-protocol/src/service/limiter.rs
similarity index 100%
rename from crates/radicle-node/src/service/limiter.rs
rename to crates/radicle-protocol/src/service/limiter.rs
diff --git a/crates/radicle-node/src/service/message.rs b/crates/radicle-protocol/src/service/message.rs
similarity index 100%
rename from crates/radicle-node/src/service/message.rs
rename to crates/radicle-protocol/src/service/message.rs
diff --git a/crates/radicle-node/src/service/session.rs b/crates/radicle-protocol/src/service/session.rs
similarity index 100%
rename from crates/radicle-node/src/service/session.rs
rename to crates/radicle-protocol/src/service/session.rs
diff --git a/crates/radicle-node/src/wire.rs b/crates/radicle-protocol/src/wire.rs
similarity index 100%
rename from crates/radicle-node/src/wire.rs
rename to crates/radicle-protocol/src/wire.rs
diff --git a/crates/radicle-node/src/wire/frame.rs b/crates/radicle-protocol/src/wire/frame.rs
similarity index 100%
rename from crates/radicle-node/src/wire/frame.rs
rename to crates/radicle-protocol/src/wire/frame.rs
diff --git a/crates/radicle-node/src/wire/message.rs b/crates/radicle-protocol/src/wire/message.rs
similarity index 100%
rename from crates/radicle-node/src/wire/message.rs
rename to crates/radicle-protocol/src/wire/message.rs
diff --git a/crates/radicle-node/src/wire/protocol.rs b/crates/radicle-protocol/src/wire/protocol.rs
similarity index 100%
rename from crates/radicle-node/src/wire/protocol.rs
rename to crates/radicle-protocol/src/wire/protocol.rs
diff --git a/crates/radicle-node/src/wire/varint.rs b/crates/radicle-protocol/src/wire/varint.rs
similarity index 100%
rename from crates/radicle-node/src/wire/varint.rs
rename to crates/radicle-protocol/src/wire/varint.rs