diff --git a/zebra-network/src/protocol/codec.rs b/zebra-network/src/protocol/codec.rs
index 327f4ab1..28f08393 100644
--- a/zebra-network/src/protocol/codec.rs
+++ b/zebra-network/src/protocol/codec.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ use failure::Error;
 use tokio::codec::{Decoder, Encoder};
 
 use zebra_chain::{
+    block::BlockHeader,
     serialization::{ReadZcashExt, WriteZcashExt, ZcashDeserialize, ZcashSerialize},
     types::{BlockHeight, Sha256dChecksum},
 };
@@ -420,9 +421,29 @@ impl Codec {
         bail!("unimplemented message type")
     }
 
-    fn read_headers<R: Read>(&self, mut _reader: R) -> Result<Message, Error> {
-        trace!("headers");
-        bail!("unimplemented message type")
+    /// Deserialize a `headers` message.
+    ///
+    /// See [Zcash block header] for the enumeration of these fields.
+    ///
+    /// [Zcash block header](https://zips.z.cash/protocol/protocol.pdf#page=84)
+    fn read_headers<R: Read>(&self, mut reader: R) -> Result<Message, Error> {
+        let count = reader.read_compactsize()? as usize;
+        // Preallocate a buffer, performing a single allocation in the honest
+        // case. Although the size of the recieved data buffer is bounded by the
+        // codec's max_len field, it's still possible for someone to send a
+        // short message with a large count field, so if we naively trust
+        // the count field we could be tricked into preallocating a large
+        // buffer. Instead, calculate the maximum count for a valid message from
+        // the codec's max_len using ENCODED_HEADER_SIZE.
+        const ENCODED_HEADER_SIZE: usize = 4 + 32 + 32 + 32 + 4 + 4 + 32 + 3 + 1344;
+        let max_count = self.builder.max_len / ENCODED_HEADER_SIZE;
+        let mut headers = Vec::with_capacity(std::cmp::min(count, max_count));
+
+        for _ in 0..count {
+            headers.push(BlockHeader::zcash_deserialize(&mut reader)?);
+        }
+
+        Ok(Message::Headers(headers))
     }
 
     fn read_getheaders<R: Read>(&self, mut _reader: R) -> Result<Message, Error> {
diff --git a/zebra-network/src/protocol/message.rs b/zebra-network/src/protocol/message.rs
index 290c59b0..3d0d4b12 100644
--- a/zebra-network/src/protocol/message.rs
+++ b/zebra-network/src/protocol/message.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ use std::net;
 
 use chrono::{DateTime, Utc};
 
-use zebra_chain::block::Block;
+use zebra_chain::block::{Block, BlockHeader};
 use zebra_chain::{transaction::Transaction, types::BlockHeight};
 
 use crate::meta_addr::MetaAddr;
@@ -149,8 +149,14 @@ pub enum Message {
 
     /// A `headers` message.
     ///
+    /// Returns block headers in response to a getheaders packet.
+    ///
     /// [Bitcoin reference](https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Protocol_documentation#headers)
-    Headers {/* XXX add fields */},
+    // Note that the block headers in this packet include a
+    // transaction count (a var_int, so there can be more than 81
+    // bytes per header) as opposed to the block headers that are
+    // hashed by miners.
+    Headers(Vec<BlockHeader>),
 
     /// A `getheaders` message.
     ///
@@ -159,6 +165,10 @@ pub enum Message {
 
     /// An `inv` message.
     ///
+    /// Allows a node to advertise its knowledge of one or more
+    /// objects. It can be received unsolicited, or in reply to
+    /// `getblocks`.
+    ///
     /// [Bitcoin reference](https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Protocol_documentation#inv)
     // XXX the bitcoin reference above suggests this can be 1.8 MB in bitcoin -- maybe
     // larger in Zcash, since Zcash objects could be bigger (?) -- does this tilt towards
@@ -167,9 +177,9 @@ pub enum Message {
 
     /// A `getdata` message.
     ///
-    /// `getdata` is used in response to `inv`, to retrieve the content of
-    /// a specific object, and is usually sent after receiving an `inv`
-    /// packet, after filtering known elements.
+    /// `getdata` is used in response to `inv`, to retrieve the
+    /// content of a specific object, and is usually sent after
+    /// receiving an `inv` packet, after filtering known elements.
     ///
     /// [Bitcoin reference](https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Protocol_documentation#getdata)
     GetData(Vec<InventoryHash>),