diff --git a/include/pcp.h b/include/pcp.h
index 326498e..d9072e5 100644
--- a/include/pcp.h
+++ b/include/pcp.h
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ extern "C" {
 
 #include "pcp/base85.h"
 #include "pcp/buffer.h"
-#include "pcp/config.h"
 #include "pcp/crypto.h"
 #include "pcp/defines.h"
 #include "pcp/digital_crc32.h"
diff --git a/include/pcp/buffer.h b/include/pcp/buffer.h
index 31db33d..737b7bb 100644
--- a/include/pcp/buffer.h
+++ b/include/pcp/buffer.h
@@ -94,4 +94,16 @@ uint64_t buffer_last64(Buffer *b);
 /* read from a file directly into a buffer object */
 size_t buffer_fd_read(Buffer *b, FILE *in, size_t len);
 
+/* write numbers as binary into the buffer */
+void buffer_add8(Buffer *b, uint8_t v);
+void buffer_add16(Buffer *b, uint16_t v);
+void buffer_add32(Buffer *b, uint32_t v);
+void buffer_add64(Buffer *b, uint64_t v);
+
+/* the same, but convert to big-endian before doing so */
+void buffer_add16be(Buffer *b, uint16_t v);
+void buffer_add32be(Buffer *b, uint32_t v);
+void buffer_add64be(Buffer *b, uint64_t v);
+
+
 #endif // HAVE_PCP_BUFFER_H
diff --git a/include/pcp/defines.h b/include/pcp/defines.h
index 31c2a2b..d8cb0b4 100644
--- a/include/pcp/defines.h
+++ b/include/pcp/defines.h
@@ -89,6 +89,8 @@ typedef unsigned int    qbyte;          /*   Quad byte = 32 bits */
 /*  used for self encryption only */
 #define PBP_COMPAT_SALT "qa~t](84z<1t<1oz:ik.@IRNyhG=8q(on9}4#!/_h#a7wqK{Nt$T?W>,mt8NqYq&6U<GB1$,<$j>,rSYI2GRDd:Bcm"
 
+#define PCP_RFC_CIPHER 0x21 /* curve25519+ed25519+poly1305+salsa20+blake2 */
+
 /*  error handling */
 extern char *PCP_ERR;
 extern byte PCP_ERRSET;
diff --git a/include/pcp/key.h b/include/pcp/key.h
index 4fe0ac7..c4bfe49 100644
--- a/include/pcp/key.h
+++ b/include/pcp/key.h
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 #include "uthash.h"
 #include "jenhash.h"
 #include "scrypt.h"
+#include "buffer.h"
 
 /*
   PCP private key structure. Most fields are self explanatory.
diff --git a/libpcp/buffer.c b/libpcp/buffer.c
index 71b2985..6df481c 100644
--- a/libpcp/buffer.c
+++ b/libpcp/buffer.c
@@ -149,10 +149,44 @@ size_t buffer_fd_read(Buffer *b, FILE *in, size_t len) {
   size_t s = fread(data, 1, len, in);
 
   if(s < len) {
-    fatal("[buffer %s] attemt to read %ld bytes from FILE, but got %ld only\n", b->name, len, s);
+    fatal("[buffer %s] attempt to read %ld bytes from FILE, but got %ld bytes only\n", b->name, len, s);
     return 0;
   }
 
   buffer_add(b, data, len);
   return len;
 }
+
+void buffer_add8(Buffer *b, uint8_t v) {
+  buffer_add(b, &v, 1);
+}
+
+void buffer_add16(Buffer *b, uint16_t v) {
+  buffer_add(b, &v, 2);
+}
+
+void buffer_add32(Buffer *b, uint32_t v) {
+  buffer_add(b, &v, 4);
+}
+
+void buffer_add64(Buffer *b, uint64_t v) {
+  buffer_add(b, &v, 8);
+}
+
+void buffer_add16be(Buffer *b, uint16_t v) {
+  uint16_t e = v;
+  htobe16(e);
+  buffer_add(b, &e, 2);
+}
+
+void buffer_add32be(Buffer *b, uint32_t v) {
+  uint32_t e = v;
+  htobe32(e);
+  buffer_add(b, &v, 4);
+}
+
+void buffer_add64be(Buffer *b, uint64_t v) {
+  uint64_t e = v;
+  htobe64(e);
+  buffer_add(b, &v, 8);
+}
diff --git a/libpcp/key.c b/libpcp/key.c
index 6783a84..1dc178a 100644
--- a/libpcp/key.c
+++ b/libpcp/key.c
@@ -394,3 +394,70 @@ int pcp_sanitycheck_key(pcp_key_t *key) {
 
   return 0;
 }
+
+int pcp_get_rfc_pub (pcp_pubkey_t *key) {
+  Buffer *out = buffer_new(1024, "bo1");
+  Buffer *raw = buffer_new(1024, "bs1");
+
+  /* add the header */
+  buffer_add8(out, PCP_KEY_VERSION);
+  buffer_add32(out, key->ctime);
+  buffer_add8(out, PCP_RFC_CIPHER);
+
+  /* add the keys */
+  buffer_add(raw, key->edpub, 32);
+  buffer_add(raw, key->edpub, 32);
+  buffer_add(raw, key->pub, 32);
+
+  /* add the sig header */
+  buffer_add8(raw, PCP_KEY_VERSION);
+  buffer_add8(raw, 0x1F); // FIXME: define
+  buffer_add8(raw, PCP_RFC_CIPHER);
+  buffer_add8(raw, PCP_RFC_CIPHER);
+  buffer_add16(raw, 5);
+
+  /* add sig ctime */
+  buffer_add32be(raw, 4);
+  buffer_add8(raw, 2);
+  buffer_add32be(raw, time(0));
+
+  /* add sig expire time */
+  buffer_add32be(raw, 4);
+  buffer_add8(raw, 3);
+  buffer_add32be(raw, time(0) + 31536000);
+
+  /* add key expire time */
+  buffer_add32be(raw, 4);
+  buffer_add8(raw, 9);
+  buffer_add32be(raw, key->ctime);
+
+  /* add name */
+  size_t notation_size = strlen(key->owner) + 4 + 5;
+  buffer_add32be(raw, notation_size);
+  buffer_add8(raw, 20);
+  buffer_add16be(raw, 5);
+  buffer_add16be(raw, strlen(key->owner));
+  buffer_add(raw, "owner", 5);
+  buffer_add(raw, key->owner, strlen(key->owner));
+
+  /* add mail */
+  notation_size = strlen(key->mail) + 4 + 4;
+  buffer_add32be(raw, notation_size);
+  buffer_add8(raw, 20);
+  buffer_add16be(raw, 4);
+  buffer_add16be(raw, strlen(key->mail));
+  buffer_add(raw, "mail", 4);
+  buffer_add(raw, key->mail, strlen(key->mail));
+
+  /* add key flags */
+  buffer_add32be(raw, 1);
+  buffer_add8(raw, 27);
+  buffer_add8(raw, 0x02 & 0x08 & 0x80);
+
+  /* FIXME:
+     Now, calculate the signature from the raw buffer,
+     add it to the output buffer, add the sig to the
+     output buffer and finally return it. */
+
+  return 0;
+}