diff --git a/src/ecdsa.js b/src/ecdsa.js
index 3f6877f..1aa15ed 100644
--- a/src/ecdsa.js
+++ b/src/ecdsa.js
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ var ECDSA = {
       r = sig.r;
       s = sig.s;
     } else {
-      throw "Invalid value for signature";
+      throw new Error("Invalid value for signature");
     }
 
     var Q;
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ var ECDSA = {
     } else if (util.isArray(pubkey)) {
       Q = ECPointFp.decodeFrom(ecparams.getCurve(), pubkey);
     } else {
-      throw "Invalid format for pubkey value, must be byte array or ECPointFp";
+      throw new Error("Invalid format for pubkey value, must be byte array or ECPointFp");
     }
     var e = BigInteger.fromByteArrayUnsigned(hash);
 
@@ -176,14 +176,14 @@ var ECDSA = {
 
   parseSigCompact: function (sig) {
     if (sig.length !== 65) {
-      throw "Signature has the wrong length";
+      throw new Error("Signature has the wrong length");
     }
 
     // Signature is prefixed with a type byte storing three bits of
     // information.
     var i = sig[0] - 27;
     if (i < 0 || i > 7) {
-      throw "Invalid signature type";
+      throw new Error("Invalid signature type");
     }
 
     var n = ecparams.getN();
@@ -253,10 +253,13 @@ var ECDSA = {
 
     Q.validate();
     if (!ECDSA.verifyRaw(e, r, s, Q)) {
-      throw "Pubkey recovery unsuccessful";
+      throw new Error("Pubkey recovery unsuccessful");
     }
 
-    var pubKey = new Bitcoin.ECKey();
+    // TODO (shtylman) this is stupid because this file and eckey
+    // have circular dependencies
+    var ECKey = require('./eckey');
+    var pubKey = ECKey();
     pubKey.pub = Q;
     return pubKey;
   },
@@ -275,14 +278,13 @@ var ECDSA = {
   calcPubkeyRecoveryParam: function (address, r, s, hash)
   {
     for (var i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
-      try {
-        var pubkey = Bitcoin.ECDSA.recoverPubKey(r, s, hash, i);
-        if (pubkey.getBitcoinAddress().toString() == address) {
-          return i;
-        }
-      } catch (e) {}
+      var pubkey = ECDSA.recoverPubKey(r, s, hash, i);
+      if (pubkey.getBitcoinAddress().toString() == address) {
+        return i;
+      }
     }
-    throw "Unable to find valid recovery factor";
+
+    throw new Error("Unable to find valid recovery factor");
   }
 };
 
diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index 7b7443e..0d06ac1 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ var endian = function (n) {
 module.exports = {
     Address: require('./address'),
     Key: require('./eckey'),
+    Message: require('./message'),
     BigInteger: require('./jsbn/jsbn'),
     Script: require('./script'),
     Opcode: require('./opcode'),
diff --git a/src/message.js b/src/message.js
index 0cbd581..b98960c 100644
--- a/src/message.js
+++ b/src/message.js
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
-/**
- * Implements Bitcoin's feature for signing arbitrary messages.
- */
+/// Implements Bitcoin's feature for signing arbitrary messages.
+
+var Crypto = require('./crypto-js/crypto');
+var ecdsa = require('./ecdsa');
+var conv = require('./convert');
+var util = require('./util');
+
 var Message = {};
 
 Message.magicPrefix = "Bitcoin Signed Message:\n";
@@ -10,9 +14,9 @@ Message.makeMagicMessage = function (message) {
   var messageBytes = Crypto.charenc.UTF8.stringToBytes(message);
 
   var buffer = [];
-  buffer = buffer.concat(Bitcoin.Util.numToVarInt(magicBytes.length));
+  buffer = buffer.concat(util.numToVarInt(magicBytes.length));
   buffer = buffer.concat(magicBytes);
-  buffer = buffer.concat(Bitcoin.Util.numToVarInt(messageBytes.length));
+  buffer = buffer.concat(util.numToVarInt(messageBytes.length));
   buffer = buffer.concat(messageBytes);
 
   return buffer;
@@ -28,10 +32,10 @@ Message.signMessage = function (key, message, compressed) {
 
   var sig = key.sign(hash);
 
-  var obj = Bitcoin.ECDSA.parseSig(sig);
+  var obj = ecdsa.parseSig(sig);
 
   var address = key.getBitcoinAddress().toString();
-  var i = Bitcoin.ECDSA.calcPubkeyRecoveryParam(address, obj.r, obj.s, hash);
+  var i = ecdsa.calcPubkeyRecoveryParam(address, obj.r, obj.s, hash);
 
   i += 27;
   if (compressed) i += 4;
@@ -45,17 +49,17 @@ Message.signMessage = function (key, message, compressed) {
 
   sig = [i].concat(rBa).concat(sBa);
 
-  return Crypto.util.bytesToBase64(sig);
+  return conv.bytesToBase64(sig);
 };
 
 Message.verifyMessage = function (address, sig, message) {
-  sig = Crypto.util.base64ToBytes(sig);
-  sig = Bitcoin.ECDSA.parseSigCompact(sig);
+  sig = conv.base64ToBytes(sig);
+  sig = ecdsa.parseSigCompact(sig);
 
   var hash = Message.getHash(message);
 
   var isCompressed = !!(sig.i & 4);
-  var pubKey = Bitcoin.ECDSA.recoverPubKey(sig.r, sig.s, hash, sig.i);
+  var pubKey = ecdsa.recoverPubKey(sig.r, sig.s, hash, sig.i);
 
   pubKey.setCompressed(isCompressed);
 
diff --git a/test/message.js b/test/message.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a202d01
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/message.js
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+var assert = require('assert');
+var Message = require('../').Message;
+var Key = require('../').Key;
+var hexToBytes = require('../').convert.hexToBytes;
+
+var priv = '18e14a7b6a307f426a94f8114701e7c8e774e7f9a47e2c2035db29a206321725';
+var addr = '16UwLL9Risc3QfPqBUvKofHmBQ7wMtjvM';
+var msg = 'foobar';
+
+test('create', function() {
+    var key = Key(hexToBytes(priv));
+    assert.equal(key.getBitcoinAddress().toString(), addr);
+
+    var sig = Message.signMessage(key, msg);
+    assert.ok(Message.verifyMessage(addr, sig, msg));
+    // wrong message
+    assert.ok(!Message.verifyMessage(addr, sig, 'not foobar'));
+    // wrong address
+    assert.ok(!Message.verifyMessage('1MsHWS1BnwMc3tLE8G35UXsS58fKipzB7a', sig, msg));
+});
+
+test('incorrect signature', function() {
+    // wrong signature
+    var priv = '5HwoXVkHoRM8sL2KmNRS217n1g8mPPBomrY7yehCuXC1115WWsh';
+    var key = Key(hexToBytes(priv));
+    var sig = Message.signMessage(key, msg);
+    assert.ok(!Message.verifyMessage(addr, sig, msg));
+});