diff --git a/routing/dht/dht.go b/routing/dht/dht.go
index dd4c16ec7..3ab073213 100644
--- a/routing/dht/dht.go
+++ b/routing/dht/dht.go
@@ -147,8 +147,8 @@ func (dht *IpfsDHT) getValueOrPeers(ctx context.Context, p peer.ID,
 		// Success! We were given the value
 		log.Debug("getValueOrPeers: got value")
 
-		// make sure record is still valid
-		err = dht.verifyRecord(record)
+		// make sure record is valid.
+		err = dht.verifyRecordOnline(ctx, record)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Error("Received invalid record!")
 			return nil, nil, err
@@ -156,19 +156,20 @@ func (dht *IpfsDHT) getValueOrPeers(ctx context.Context, p peer.ID,
 		return record.GetValue(), nil, nil
 	}
 
-	// TODO decide on providers. This probably shouldn't be happening.
-	// TODO what did "this" mean? i think it's the notion of receiving
-	// a list of providers and then immediately requesting that value
-	// from them. providers a higher level construct for dht clients:
-	// the dht shouldn't be _using_ providers... -@jbenet 2014-12-20
-	if prv := pmes.GetProviderPeers(); prv != nil && len(prv) > 0 {
-		val, err := dht.getFromPeerList(ctx, key, prv)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, nil, err
-		}
-		log.Debug("getValueOrPeers: get from providers")
-		return val, nil, nil
-	}
+	// commenting out for now. i'm not sure this is correct -jbenet
+	// // TODO decide on providers. This probably shouldn't be happening.
+	// // TODO what did "this" mean? i think it's the notion of receiving
+	// // a list of providers and then immediately requesting that value
+	// // from them. providers a higher level construct for dht clients:
+	// // the dht shouldn't be _using_ providers... -@jbenet 2014-12-20
+	// if prv := pmes.GetProviderPeers(); prv != nil && len(prv) > 0 {
+	// 	val, err := dht.getFromPeerList(ctx, key, prv)
+	// 	if err != nil {
+	// 		return nil, nil, err
+	// 	}
+	// 	log.Debug("getValueOrPeers: get from providers")
+	// 	return val, nil, nil
+	// }
 
 	// Perhaps we were given closer peers
 	peers := pb.PBPeersToPeerInfos(pmes.GetCloserPeers())
@@ -189,43 +190,44 @@ func (dht *IpfsDHT) getValueSingle(ctx context.Context, p peer.ID,
 	return dht.sendRequest(ctx, p, pmes)
 }
 
-// TODO: Im not certain on this implementation, we get a list of peers/providers
-// from someone what do we do with it? Connect to each of them? randomly pick
-// one to get the value from? Or just connect to one at a time until we get a
-// successful connection and request the value from it?
-func (dht *IpfsDHT) getFromPeerList(ctx context.Context, key u.Key,
-	peerlist []*pb.Message_Peer) ([]byte, error) {
+// commenting out until i figure out whether this is needed -jbenet
+// // TODO: Im not certain on this implementation, we get a list of peers/providers
+// // from someone what do we do with it? Connect to each of them? randomly pick
+// // one to get the value from? Or just connect to one at a time until we get a
+// // successful connection and request the value from it?
+// func (dht *IpfsDHT) getFromPeerList(ctx context.Context, key u.Key,
+// 	peerlist []*pb.Message_Peer) ([]byte, error) {
 
-	peerinfos := pb.PBPeersToPeerInfos(peerlist)
-	for _, pinfo := range peerinfos {
-		p := pinfo.ID
-		if err := dht.ensureConnectedToPeer(ctx, p); err != nil {
-			log.Errorf("getFromPeers error: %s", err)
-			continue
-		}
+// 	peerinfos := pb.PBPeersToPeerInfos(peerlist)
+// 	for _, pinfo := range peerinfos {
+// 		p := pinfo.ID
+// 		if err := dht.ensureConnectedToPeer(ctx, p); err != nil {
+// 			log.Errorf("getFromPeers error: %s", err)
+// 			continue
+// 		}
 
-		pmes, err := dht.getValueSingle(ctx, p, key)
-		if err != nil {
-			log.Errorf("getFromPeers error: %s\n", err)
-			continue
-		}
+// 		pmes, err := dht.getValueSingle(ctx, p, key)
+// 		if err != nil {
+// 			log.Errorf("getFromPeers error: %s\n", err)
+// 			continue
+// 		}
 
-		if record := pmes.GetRecord(); record != nil {
-			// Success! We were given the value
+// 		if record := pmes.GetRecord(); record != nil {
+// 			// Success! We were given the value
 
-			err := dht.verifyRecord(record)
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			dht.providers.AddProvider(key, p)
-			return record.GetValue(), nil
-		}
-	}
-	return nil, routing.ErrNotFound
-}
+// 			err := dht.verifyRecord(ctx, record)
+// 			if err != nil {
+// 				return nil, err
+// 			}
+// 			dht.providers.AddProvider(key, p)
+// 			return record.GetValue(), nil
+// 		}
+// 	}
+// 	return nil, routing.ErrNotFound
+// }
 
 // getLocal attempts to retrieve the value from the datastore
-func (dht *IpfsDHT) getLocal(key u.Key) ([]byte, error) {
+func (dht *IpfsDHT) getLocal(ctx context.Context, key u.Key) ([]byte, error) {
 
 	log.Debug("getLocal %s", key)
 	v, err := dht.datastore.Get(key.DsKey())
@@ -246,7 +248,7 @@ func (dht *IpfsDHT) getLocal(key u.Key) ([]byte, error) {
 
 	// TODO: 'if paranoid'
 	if u.Debug {
-		err = dht.verifyRecord(rec)
+		err = dht.verifyRecordLocally(rec)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Errorf("local record verify failed: %s", err)
 			return nil, err