diff --git a/communication/Cargo.toml b/communication/Cargo.toml
index 54d854ae8..45c797e08 100644
--- a/communication/Cargo.toml
+++ b/communication/Cargo.toml
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ default = ["getopts"]
 [dependencies]
 getopts = { version = "0.2.14", optional = true }
 bincode = { version = "1.0", optional = true }
+byteorder = "1.5"
 serde_derive = "1.0"
 serde = "1.0"
 abomonation = "0.7"
diff --git a/communication/src/networking.rs b/communication/src/networking.rs
index fb2b850be..9c3f7a953 100644
--- a/communication/src/networking.rs
+++ b/communication/src/networking.rs
@@ -8,15 +8,19 @@ use std::thread;
 use std::thread::sleep;
 use std::time::Duration;
 
-use abomonation::{encode, decode};
+use byteorder::{ReadBytesExt, WriteBytesExt};
 
 // This constant is sent along immediately after establishing a TCP stream, so
 // that it is easy to sniff out Timely traffic when it is multiplexed with
 // other traffic on the same port.
 const HANDSHAKE_MAGIC: u64 = 0xc2f1fb770118add9;
 
+/// The byte order for writing message headers and stream initialization.
+type ByteOrder = byteorder::BigEndian;
+
 /// Framing data for each `Vec<u8>` transmission, indicating a typed channel, the source and
 /// destination workers, and the length in bytes.
+// *Warning*: Adding, removing and altering fields requires to adjust the implementation below!
 #[derive(Abomonation, Debug, PartialEq, Eq, Hash, Clone, Copy)]
 pub struct MessageHeader {
     /// index of channel.
@@ -32,30 +36,51 @@ pub struct MessageHeader {
 }
 
 impl MessageHeader {
+
+    /// The number of `usize` fields in [MessageHeader].
+    const FIELDS: usize = 5;
+
     /// Returns a header when there is enough supporting data
     #[inline]
     pub fn try_read(bytes: &mut [u8]) -> Option<MessageHeader> {
-        unsafe { decode::<MessageHeader>(bytes) }
-            .and_then(|(header, remaining)| {
-                if remaining.len() >= header.length {
-                    Some(header.clone())
-                }
-                else {
-                    None
-                }
-            })
+        let mut cursor = io::Cursor::new(&bytes[..]);
+        let mut buffer = [0; Self::FIELDS];
+        cursor.read_u64_into::<ByteOrder>(&mut buffer).ok()?;
+        let header = MessageHeader {
+            // Order must match writing order.
+            channel: buffer[0] as usize,
+            source: buffer[1] as usize,
+            target: buffer[2] as usize,
+            length: buffer[3] as usize,
+            seqno: buffer[4] as usize,
+        };
+
+        if bytes.len() >= header.required_bytes() {
+            Some(header)
+        } else {
+            None
+        }
     }
 
     /// Writes the header as binary data.
     #[inline]
-    pub fn write_to<W: ::std::io::Write>(&self, writer: &mut W) -> ::std::io::Result<()> {
-        unsafe { encode(self, writer) }
+    pub fn write_to<W: ::std::io::Write>(&self, writer: &mut W) -> Result<()> {
+        let mut buffer = [0u8; std::mem::size_of::<u64>() * Self::FIELDS];
+        let mut cursor = io::Cursor::new(&mut buffer[..]);
+        // Order must match reading order.
+        cursor.write_u64::<ByteOrder>(self.channel as u64)?;
+        cursor.write_u64::<ByteOrder>(self.source as u64)?;
+        cursor.write_u64::<ByteOrder>(self.target as u64)?;
+        cursor.write_u64::<ByteOrder>(self.length as u64)?;
+        cursor.write_u64::<ByteOrder>(self.seqno as u64)?;
+
+        writer.write_all(&buffer[..])
     }
 
     /// The number of bytes required for the header and data.
     #[inline]
     pub fn required_bytes(&self) -> usize {
-        ::std::mem::size_of::<MessageHeader>() + self.length
+        std::mem::size_of::<u64>() * Self::FIELDS + self.length
     }
 }
 
@@ -89,8 +114,8 @@ pub fn start_connections(addresses: Arc<Vec<String>>, my_index: usize, noisy: bo
             match TcpStream::connect(address) {
                 Ok(mut stream) => {
                     stream.set_nodelay(true).expect("set_nodelay call failed");
-                    unsafe { encode(&HANDSHAKE_MAGIC, &mut stream) }.expect("failed to encode/send handshake magic");
-                    unsafe { encode(&(my_index as u64), &mut stream) }.expect("failed to encode/send worker index");
+                    stream.write_u64::<ByteOrder>(HANDSHAKE_MAGIC).expect("failed to encode/send handshake magic");
+                    stream.write_u64::<ByteOrder>(my_index as u64).expect("failed to encode/send worker index");
                     if noisy { println!("worker {}:\tconnection to worker {}", my_index, index); }
                     break Some(stream);
                 },
@@ -115,12 +140,13 @@ pub fn await_connections(addresses: Arc<Vec<String>>, my_index: usize, noisy: bo
         stream.set_nodelay(true).expect("set_nodelay call failed");
         let mut buffer = [0u8;16];
         stream.read_exact(&mut buffer)?;
-        let (magic, mut buffer) = unsafe { decode::<u64>(&mut buffer) }.expect("failed to decode magic");
-        if magic != &HANDSHAKE_MAGIC {
+        let mut cursor = io::Cursor::new(buffer);
+        let magic = cursor.read_u64::<ByteOrder>().expect("failed to decode magic");
+        if magic != HANDSHAKE_MAGIC {
             return Err(io::Error::new(io::ErrorKind::InvalidData,
                 "received incorrect timely handshake"));
         }
-        let identifier = unsafe { decode::<u64>(&mut buffer) }.expect("failed to decode worker index").0.clone() as usize;
+        let identifier = cursor.read_u64::<ByteOrder>().expect("failed to decode worker index") as usize;
         results[identifier - my_index - 1] = Some(stream);
         if noisy { println!("worker {}:\tconnection from worker {}", my_index, identifier); }
     }